It’s been a busy time preparing for next week’s Cheltenham Festival, and it looks like I’m going to be sending the biggest team we have ever assembled to the meeting.

They all, touch wood, seem in great form and here are the six for you to look out for…. 

Ar Mad  – Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Wednesday 3.30)

We have given him plenty of time to get over some niggles, and I’m delighted to say that he seems in cracking form and all set to take his chance next Wednesday. 

He has not been seen since finishing third in the Tingle Creek at Sandown, but we have done plenty with him since then and I’m looking forward to seeing him back on a racecourse. 

He has done loads of work, been away for a racecourse gallop and is exactly where I want him to be. 

This looks a tough assignment on paper with the likes of Altior, Min and Douvan, but I’m hoping he can go really well. 

I’d be delighted if they get the forecast rain and it’s a case of the more rain the better with him. 

Benatar – JLT Novices’ Chase (Thursday 3.30) 

Another one of ours who hasn’t been seen on a racecourse since December, but he’s in great shape and heads to the JLT next Thursday. 

We could have run him the other day, but I opted against it and I’m glad I did as he seems to go so well fresh. 

It wouldn’t have been ideal having a hard race just before the Festival and he showed us first time at Ascot that he goes well after a break. 

He is another who would relish soft ground if the rain comes and I’d have to say that he is our best chance of the week. 

Casse Tete   – Ultima Handicap (Tuesday 2.50) 

We have a couple in this, but I reckon Casse Tete will be our most likely runner. 

He won nicely at Warwick last time and has gone up another 5lbs for those efforts. 

I’m hoping the step up in trip will help him, but we won’t know until we try. 

The Flying Sofa  – Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Wednesday 5.30)

It looks like we will run The Flying Sofa in the Bumper on Wednesday after he won nicely at Fontwell a few weeks ago. 

This is obviously a huge step up, but he ran really well to finish third behind Nick Gifford’s Didtheyleaveuoutto at Ascot on his debut and is a lovely horse. 

That horse looked a bit special that day and may be a tough nut to crack. 

Traffic Fluide  – Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate (Thursday 4.10) 

He was good enough to run in last season’s Betway Champion Chase and we will more than likely run here now that his handicap mark has slipped to 145. 

On the pick of his form I’d like to think he’d be very competitive off this mark in a race like this, so I’m hoping he can bounce back to his best. 

Sussex Ranger  – Triumph Hurdle (Friday 1.30) 

Last, but not least, is Sussex Ranger who is set to take his chance in Friday’s Triumph Hurdle. 

This looks a red hot Triumph, but he goes there in good form having had a spin on the all-weather a fortnight ago. 

He should go nicely, although there are some very talented looking juveniles in there against us.