Standard's horse racing columnist Sam Hoskins reviews a new season (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Standard's horse racing columnist Sam Hoskins reviews a new season

CHELTENHAM is under way at last, kicking off with racedays on Tuesday and Wednesday, too late to report on at the time of going to press, writes Sam Hoskins, the Standard's horse-racing correspondent.

The meeting included a champagne lunch on the Tuesday at the Racecourse's new purpose built Centaur centre, first enjoyed by racegoers at last season's Festival, with a chance for guests to watch The Centaur Novices' Hurdle.

Now begins the long road to the Festival in March where scenes will be quite different to the relaxed country feel of this October meeting.

Saturday is jump racing's traditional start date as Wetherby hosts the Charlie Hall Chase.

Progressive second season novices, such as Lord Sam and Nil Desperandum, look set to take on the big boys such as old-timers Marlborough, Grey Abbey and even Grand National hero Amberleigh House.

But local interest will be swayed towards the John Smith's Hurdle where Crystal D'Ainay and Sh Boom renew their growing rivalry.

Alan King's and Jonjo O'Neill's charges endured two dour battles at Cheltenham last season with honours eventually even but feelings certainly bitter.

Chepstow holds a crackerjack card on the same day, with big local guns Knowhere, Progressive and Manners all entered.

However, I am personally very excited if Jonjo O'Neill's Very Optimistic is allowed to take his chance, having been declared to run at the five-day stage.

A handicap mark has yet to be advertised but I suggest he is kept a careful eye on, as my ten to follow suggested last week.

The future for local trainers seems very bright at the moment with winners gushing around the Cotswolds where Nigel Twiston-Davies leads the way.

Horses such as Ardaghey, Lord Gale, Naunton Brook, Red Georgie, Baron Windrush, Barneys Lyric, What Do In and Ollie Magern have all won in the past two weeks and all of them, except Barneys Lyric, are still novices in their disciplines.

This bodes well for the dual Grand National winning trainer.

Not far away, Jonjo O'Neill placed promising novices, The Rising Moon and Monte Vista, to win easily in their respective heats at Aintree on Sunday.

The former is a member of my ten to follow and I felt smug as he romped home by ten lengths, hard held.

He is a serious horse and connections must be drooling at the prospect of sending him chasing next year.

Alan King has a nice novice hurdle prospect in Salsalino who won at Exeter last week, while he has a nice chaser called Massac who is due to run at Wetherby on Friday.

He is highly thought of and is owned by the Million In Mind Partnership which has been very successful in recent seasons with the likes of Mister Banjo and Garde Champetre.

We are bound to hear a lot more of Mr King's inmates in the months to come. Happy racing!