DESPITE having to thumb back through the record books for 30 years to the time of L'Escargot to unearth back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, Best Mate (3.15) is still strongly-fancied to complete a famous double in this afternoon's blue riband of steeple-chasing.

"He's the perfect racehorse," explained Best Mate's trainer Henrietta Knight, who is isn't normally given to outlandish statements about her horses.

But the evidence is there for all to see because 12 months ago Best Mate showed he was the boss, firstly with an inch-perfect exhibition round of jumping, followed by a Ferrari-like turn of foot up Prestbury Park's awesome uphill finish.

Since that time Knight's top-class chaser has delivered the goods in gritty fashion when outstaying Marlborough in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day, re-emphasising his place at the head of the chasing ladder.

The many pretenders to the crown, which include the talented Yorkshire brace Hussard Collonges and Truckers Tavern, will likely be snapping at Best Mate's heels, however I do believe the reigning champ will prove too strong when the jockeys are shovelling on the coal over the final three fences.

The action on the third and final day of the Festival gets under way with the JCB Triumph Hurdle, a phenomenally hard two-mile contest to win, let alone weigh up from a tipping point of view.

Even though he only partners horses in hurdle races nowadays, Charlie Swan is by far and away the most successful jockey riding at the Festival during the past five years, so the fact that he has decided to stick with Golden Cross speaks volumes for their prospects.

Golden Cross has trotted up in two red-hot events of a similar nature at Fairyhouse, consequently it does appear as if Swan feels the four-year-old has the right sort of engine to take on and beat the best of his generation.

The French raider Baracouda has nothing much to prove, having won the 2002 Bonusprint Stayers Hurdle under a cool-as-ice ride from Thiery Douman.

For many National Hunt connoisseurs Baracouda's clash with the darling of all Ireland, Limestone Lad, represents the race of the meeting. Limestone Lad is without question a complete one-off. Mean and moody, he lashes out at every available opportunity, but nothing can detract from career statistics of 35 wins from 60 starts.

If Limestone Lad prevails, the roar from the Irish contingent might well surpass anything ever heard at Cheltenham. The only other sound to be perceived will be the squeal of the bookies, certain to take a terrible pasting if the James Bowe-trained eleven-year-old does the business.

Tim Easterby has a couple of runners in the later races, Turgeonev (4.35), who participates in the Grand Annual, plus Barton (5.10) going for the Cathcart.

It's hard to know what to make of the dismal form of previous Festival scorer Barton at the moment, therefore he's probably best left alone until showing signs of a revival. Turgeonev, on the other hand, does seem to be coming to the boil just at the right time.

There's also further encouragement to be gleaned from the fact that the bold-jumping steel grey has been the subject of some positive stable vibes recently and is definitely worthy of serious consideration.

In keeping with tradition the County Hurdle brings the curtain down on yet another stunning three days of jump racing at its very best.

Yesterday's easy winner of the Coral Cup, Xenophon, has been declared to run, although he's by no means certain to be in the line-up. He could take all the beating if he does take part, however marginal preference if for Non So (5.45), saved specifically for the ultra-competitive two-mile handicap hurdle by his astute handler, Nicky Henderson.

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