If you've ever wondered what it might be like to ride in a race, a jump race, a Champion Chase, you likely brew imaginations of hustle, bustle, speed, running tight for room, soaring over fences, roars of crowds.
Well, yeah, that's the Champion Chase, the most extreme experience in horse racing.
A field of nine will let rip to the first, clocking something like 35mph, going just about as fast as a steed can go.
Gentleman De Mee is most likely to set those fractions, sporting a hood to help Mark Walsh curb his excessive eagerness. When you're going that speed you'd like your horse to relax somewhat, have some respect for that fast approaching fence, Gentleman De Mee does not have as much of that as you would like.
In fact most good two-mile chasers lack some amount of respect for the subject of their profession. And to some extent it has to be that way. Hesitate you lose, take aim at that fence and go for it.
The great jumpers, like Sprinter Sacre, had amazing scope to just stand off and fly, no matter what stride they met the fence on, some could dance with quick feet to add a short stride without slowing.
The others, well they take a chance, it's why the likes of 27-time winner Moscow Flyer came a cropper on six occasions. He was brave enough to take that risk time after time.
Much has been made of El Fabiolo's jumping, the most notable degrading shot coming from Nico De Boinville. The rider of main rival Jonbon claimed, 'to be the best chaser in the country you have to be a phenomenal jumper and I don't think El Fabiolo is a phenomenal jumper'.
Nico, who looks like he escaped from a scene in Blackadder, may just be prodding the bear, but Nico, I disagree.
The best jumpers are often not phenomenal or flamboyant, over two miles they are forward, fast and fearless, El Fabiolo is all of those three. He does get in too deep sometimes, and rubs one too close for comfort, but comes in to his own at full tilt, the better the race the better he jumps for Paul Townend.
The market leaders will slot in behind the pacemakers, Nico a length or two off Paul. Two jockeys at the top of their sport, immersed in this frantic furore, will somehow be cool, calm and so calculated.
WEDNESDAY'S CHELTENHAM RACECARD
Mapping every move, every jump, as every inch along the way counts, every ounce of energy spared, then all going to plan, the pair will draw clear of the pack turning the bend, from there may the best man win, or at least the best jumper.
In that event Walsh will be there to be picked off. But it's hard to see him being picked off aboard Fact To File though in the Brown Advisory Novice Chase. Second here in the bumper last year, Willie Mullins didn't spend a year hurdling, knowing this is top class chaser in the making.
And class we know he has plenty of, stamina however is a toe dipped in to the unknown. Two victories at Leopardstown over 2m5f is a positive indicator but 3m1/2f is a step up once more. Walsh will drop in towards the rear of the six runner field. Finding a spot from which he can settle the son of Poliglote, relax, no charging this time, just pop, just pop.
It's a long way around on soft ground, this is more a case of slow and steady. He will pick them off as those who struggle drop away, down the hill Walsh will slowly close, it's not time yet though, the Clane man never panics.
At the back of the second last he will take aim, Rachael Blackmore, Harry Cobden perhaps Jack Kennedy in his sights, pulls the trigger and we will see, can they charge the hill and in to next year's Gold Cup fray?
Fact To File and El Fabiolo are both team Mullins, they are represented in the Gallagher Novices Hurdle by Ballyburn. Owned by potato tycoon Ronnie Bartlett and football agent David Manasseh, this looks a good thing.
Very easily accounted for Slade Steel at the Dublin Racing Festival who won the Supreme. He bares heavy on Paul Townend's arms but Paul says he is relaxed doing so and isn't burning needless energy, a step back up in trip may put him even further ahead of the pack.
With nine in the bumper, it's possible they could repeat the Dublin Racing Festival and claim all four Grade 1s on the card.
Follow a live blog on all four days of the Cheltenham Festival from Tuesday to Friday on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app
