This weekend's Cheltenham Open meeting sees the jumps season get into full swing and
Simon Milham marks your card for the new campaign

Carruthers

Cooldine

Seven-year-old gelding (Willie Mullins)
Last season's RSA Chase winner is being aimed at the Cheltenham Gold Cup and is expected to make his next start in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown on 6 December. He may also take in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day, though going right-handed is a question mark. Could go to the top.

Gullible Gordon

Six-year-old gelding (Paul Nicholls)
Big Buck's, Master Minded, Denman, Kauto Star, Tricky Trickster . . . the list of top names from the champion trainer's stable are obvious. But this one can make his presence felt in the top novice chases. He is an assured jumper, despite unseating Ruby Walsh in Saturday's Rising Stars' Novices' Chase at Wincanton.

Hurricane Fly

Five-year-old gelding (Willie Mullins)
Champion Hurdle favourite and is expected to deliver the goods come March. The triple Grade 1-winning hurdler missed the race last year due to a setback. He will make his seasonal debut at Punchestown on Sunday and has reportedly strengthened up, so there's no reason why he shouldn't progress.

Kalahari King

Eight-year-old gelding (Ferdy Murphy)
A top prospect for 2m chases and will head straight to the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon on 19 November for his seasonal debut. He followed up his Arkle defeat by Forpadydeplasterer with victory in the John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree last April and if all goes well, he will be a leading Champion Chase contender.

Lidar

Four-year-old gelding (Alan King)
Has had just three starts in bumpers and won a valuable 2m1f sales race at Doncaster in January, before he didn't get an ideal run when finishing second in Aintree's Champion bumper.
Long-term, chasing will be the game for this imposing gelding who should develop into a leading player for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Punchestowns

Six-year-old gelding (Nicky Henderson)
This high-class staying hurdler has always looked the type to become a very good novice chaser but, due to the dry spell, the World Hurdle runner-up is yet to jump fences. Nonetheless, he can rattle up a few victories en route to Cheltenham, where he could be a likely candidate for the RSA Chase.

Riverside Theatre

Five-year-old gelding (Nicky Henderson)
Should progress quickly in the novice chasing ranks. Owned by actor James Nesbitt, he was fourth in a Grade 2 novices' hurdle at Aintree and then ended his season when third to Hurricane Fly in the Grade 1 Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle. By King's Theatre, he would want good ground or faster. He has schooled well, looks a smart prospect.

Starluck

Four-year-old gelding (Alan Fleming)
Fourth in last season's Triumph Hurdle, he showed his wellbeing back at Cheltenham last month with a professional display, prompting jockey Timmy Murphy to say that “he's as good a two miler as I've sat on in a long time”. He is expected to run in the Greatwood Hurdle at the same track on Sunday.

Tarotino

Seven-year-old gelding (Alan King)
Jumping is this horse's greatest strength and though he has not had a run since winning on his handicap chasing debut at Bangor in style last May, he heads to Saturday's Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham with a leading chance. He schooled well over fences on Thursday and looks sure to pick up a decent handicap chase or two this season.

Titus Andronicus

Four-year-old gelding (Ben de Haan)
This French-bred son of Act One has had just the one run — a 35-length romp in a Market Rasen bumper in April for Ronnie O'Leary, and was then sold for £70,000 at the Doncaster Bloodstock Sales. He didn't beat a strong field, but when he goes novice hurdling he could be the one that puts his new stable back on the map.  

Tocca Ferro

Four-year-old gelding (Emma Lavelle)
While Crack Away Jack and Kangaroo Court are more obvious ones to follow from the yard, this once-raced grey clearly is capable of winning some decent prizes in the novice hurdle division. He has progressed well over the summer, having won a bumper at Wincanton in March, and his trainer will ensure he fills his potential.