Timmy Murphy said today that leading Paddy Power Gold Cup hope Chapoturgeon will have to improve to land Saturday's big race at Cheltenham.

The Grand National-winning jockey has a host of top rides for the three-day Open Meeting beginning tomorrow, including the five-year-old, who is 6-1 joint-favourite with the sponsors alongside Edward O'Grady's heavily supported Tranquil Sea.

But Murphy is hopeful Chapoturgeon, one of a trio in the extended 2m4f Grade 3 handicap chase trained by Paul Nicholls, will be fit enough on his seasonal debut.

The French-bred grey won the Jewson Novices' Chase impressively at the Cheltenham Festival in March. But the David Johnson-owned gelding disappointed in two subsequent runs, falling at the first at Aintree before being beaten when odds-on favourite on his return to Prestbury Park in April.

Murphy admitted: "This will be his first run of the season but Paul is happy with him. He has to improve on last year and I'd be disappointed if he didn't recapture his old form, because it tailed off a bit after he won at Cheltenham. He's got a good chance if he does."

The 35-year-old Irishman will also partner Greatwood Hurdle fancy Ronaldo Des Mottes on Sunday.

A leading trial for the Champion Hurdle, Skybet saw "significant money" for the David Pipe-trained four-year-old last night and is an 8-1 chance with the firm. Bought from France last year after showing decent bumper form, Pipe blamed himself for Ronaldo Des Mottes's poor run at Cheltenham when down the field in the Fred Winter.

He said: "It was a rush to get him qualified for Cheltenham and three quick runs took their toll."

But he goes off a mark of 135, 1lb lower than he carried in the Fred Winter, and Murphy hopes he can exploit it.

He said: "He's on a fair mark. He was a very weak horse last season but he's strengthened up. He's a talented little horse and, though I haven't schooled him, he is apparently in tip-top form."

Paddy Power Gold Cup (sponsor's odds): 6 Chapoturgeon, Tranquil Sea, 7 Poquelin, Tarotino, 8 Tatenen, 9 My Petra, 10 Northern Alliance, 10 Ballyfitz, 14 others.