It’s surprising that champion jumps jockey Sean Bowen is still looking for his first winner at the Cheltenham Festival and so it would be fitting if he rode it for his former babysitter, trainer Rebecca Curtis, in today’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (4 p.m.)

The Grade 1 race over more than three miles and two furlongs is the highlight of the whole week, four days of superb racing which, however, continue to be blighted by problems at the start that have frustrated jockeys and many others besides.

Hopefully, Bowen’s mount in the Gold Cup, Haiti Couleurs, put up each way at 14-1 two months ago, will get away at the front of the field and stay there. This nine-year-old gelding is a game front runner and a superb jumper so he is always going to be a difficult horse to pass. The overnight rain will play to his abundant stamina.

It could be quite a week for the Bowen family from south Wales. James Bowen, Sean’s younger brother, also went into this meeting without a festival winner but he now has two, courtesy of victories on both the first and second days for his Nicky Henderson yard.

In the first race today, the JCB Triumph Hurdle (1.20 p.m.), I hope MINELLA STUDY will retain his unbeaten record over hurdles for his Northumberland trainer Adam Nicol and his Scottish Grand National-winning jockey Ryan Mania.

There was certainly plenty to like about the style of his victory at this course and distance in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle in December and Minella Study can see off........

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