Well Chief can give Martin Pipe a flying start to the Paddy Power meeting at Cheltenham by clinching a comeback victory in one of tomorrow's feature races.

Pipe was bullish about his prospects for this weekend at a media open day on Tuesday, even encouraging punters to back him at 11-8 to be top trainer at this three-day meeting.

Well Chief makes plenty of appeal in the £30,000 Beards Jewellers Cup Handicap Chase.

The gelding won the Arkle Trophy on this course last March, followed-up in another big event at Aintree and looks a horse capable of troubling the best this term at up to two-and-a-half miles.

He faces a stiff challenge on his seasonal reappearance, but fitness is rarely in short supply for the Pipe runners and it will be surprising if he turns out anything less than straight enough to do himself full justice.

The Rising Moon, trained by Jonjo O'Neill, one of Pipe's main rivals for top honours this season, gets my Nap vote in the £35,000 Sharp Novices' Hurdle.

The Rising Moon, highly-rated in the O'Neill stable, had only two races last term and returned to action in a blaze of glory at Aintree last month, winning as he liked under Tony McCoy.

He faces a much sterner task tomorrow, but this exciting gelding is expected to prove equal to the challenge.

Few trainers have their horses in better form than Nigel Twiston-Davies, who can land the Steel Plate And Sections Novices' Chase with Ollie Magern.

Unbeaten in three starts this season, Ollie Magern completed his hat-trick at the expense of the much-vaunted Comply Or Die at Cheltenham last month. He looks the real deal and is hard to oppose.

Irish challenger Spot Thedifference, an experienced performer over a variety of obstacles, should acquit himself well in the Sporting Index Chase, a cross-country race which puts the emphasis firmly on jumping.

Up at Newcastle, Paddy The Piper comes under the microscope in the BBC Radio Newcastle Beginners' Chase.

Len Lungo's gelding, a prolific winner over hurdles last season, unseated his rider on his chasing debut at Ayr last Saturday with a silly early mistake. But he remains an exciting proposition and is expected to put the record straight here with Tony Dobbin again in the saddle.

Tomorrow's tips:

Cheltenham

1.10 Tom's Prize, 1.45 The Rising Moon (Nap), 2.20 Spot Thedifference, 2.55 Well Chief, 3.30 Ollie Magern, 4.05 Yourman.

Newcastle

1.00 Habitual Dancer, 1.35 Paddy The Piper, 2.10 Scotch Corner, 2.45 Naunton Brook, 3.20 Silver Sedge, 3.50 Lauderdale.

Tomorrow's other meeting is at Wolverhampton.

Updated: 11:12 Thursday, November 11, 2004