Paul Nicholls has tried on numerous occasions to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup, which is the feature event on a superb card at Cheltenham tomorrow.

The champion trainer has saddled 13 horses in the past 10 years and only three of those have been placed in the race.

The Ditcheat handler relies on a high-class trio this time - Chapoturgeon, Poquelin and Tatenen - three of the top five in the sponsor's betting market for the £150,000 2m 4½f chase.

Poquelin has the services of the stable's top jockey Ruby Walsh aboard. A winner here over course and distance last month, he would prefer quicker ground but it is already on the soft side and the weather forecast is unfavourable.

Chapoturgeon was an impressive winner of the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase at Cheltenham last March but jockey Timmy Murphy admits that the David Johnson-owned gelding needs to improve after disappointing in his last two starts last season, falling at the first at Aintree before being beaten as an odds-on favourite on his return to the Prestbury Park track in April.

That duo still both have solid claims. But 8-1 shot TATENEN is the one that can break the Nicholls hoodoo.

One of last season's top novice chasers, the five-year-old was sent off a warm favourite for the two-mile Arkle Trophy at the last Cheltenham Festival but was unfortunate to fall early on. He then went to Aintree, only for Kalahari King to have his measure in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase.

The key is the distance. Tatenen has been crying out for a longer trip and gets it tomorrow. Christian Williams's mount also likes soft ground and has previous winning form at the track.

Owner Andy Stewart believes that Tatenen, who is having his first outing since he finished fifth to Barker in the Grade 1 Swordlestown Cup at Punchestown in April, is by no means the stable's third string.

He said: "If you have a look at his campaign last year, he fell at the third at Cheltenham but we had him spot on for that.

"Then he had a very hard race behind Kalahari King at Liverpool where Ruby Walsh had to be quite forceful to be second. So Punchestown was a race too many.

"We'll plod along in handicaps with him as I don't think that he is a horse that can win the Ryanair Chase as he's not quite that good.

"But the Paddy Power would look like an ideal race for him at this stage.

"The ground looks as though it will be okay for him."

There has not been an Irish-trained winner of this Grade 3 event since 1980 but with Eddie O'Grady's horses in supreme early-season form, Tranquil Sea holds a major chance, particularly if the ground is testing.

While he has a bit to find with Chapoturgeon on their Jewson form, he landed a two-mile chase with ease at Naas two weeks ago and O'Grady has earmarked this race as his target for some time.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Ballyfitz, who relishes soft ground and the track, has been supported from 10-1 last night to 13-2 this morning.

If you fancy the nine-year-old, it is worth backing him with the sponsors, for Paddy Power will give losing punters their cash back if a Nicholls-trained horse wins the big race.