Racing: Papillon too fleet for old warriors

IT IS time to put away childish things, the Flat-racing apparel of sunglasses and blazers. Now comes the real game, the National Hunt season of big men and even larger dry-cleaning bills.

Some believe that the jumps season begins only at the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in a fortnight's time. Yet there is much to admire about Cheltenham's mud-spattering first serious meeting of the fresh campaign, highlighted today by the Murphy's Gold Cup.

The body of the Flat season may still be twitching, but the Prestbury Park executive has gone to considerable lengths to ensure racing's followers skip gaily across the bridge from one code to another.

The theme of today's card is an early skirmish between the British and Irish, a confrontation which reaches its ultimate conflict in these environs in March. The biggest Irish raiding party for a meeting other than the Festival has swarmed over, tempted both by useful prize-money if they win and funds even if they do not (travel incentives of pounds 750 a horse have been splashing around).

When it comes to winter racing, though, nothing sells the sport like the participants themselves. Red-faced trainers, who are either coloured by the dark morning starts or the medicines they take to survive them, will be interviewed, along with their jockeys, before start of play in the winners' enclosure. And then, of course, there will be the horses.

In the parade ring just before racing, spectators will be able to marvel at the past Murphy's Gold Cup winners Tipping Tim, Very Promising and Bradbury Star (a dual victor). About two hours later they can also witness two other horses who have won the race and remain in active service.

The Murphy's (or Mackeson to the old-stagers) was the launching pad last year for a horse trained just up the road at Smenham Farm, Icomb, on the fringes of Stow-on-the-Wold. Wilbur, as he is known is his yard, competes under the stage name of Senor El Betrutti and won this as well as Cheltenham's other early-season bauble, the Tripleprint Gold Cup, last season.

The grey, who is becoming milkier by the month, must now repeat his performance with an extra two stones in the saddle. "Senor El Betrutti is in excellent form," Susan Nock, his trainer, said yesterday. "He has schooled well and I am pleased with him.

"I walked the course on Monday and it looked in good shape so we are hopeful, even though we realise it will be difficult with so much more weight this time."

The runner-up 12 months ago was a gelding whose name provokes instant cheer and loathing among punters depending upon when you have backed him. If Russia had never existed it would have been Challenger Du Luc to which Winston Churchill referred to as "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma".

The eight-year-old frequently competes as if he is part of an equine care-in-the-community programme, throwing away victory in the most improbable of circumstances. Yet it must be remembered that he has consistent form in this race, as he also won it in 1997 with Richard Dunwoody in the saddle.

Tony McCoy's association with the Challenger has been conspicuously less fruitful and he switches to Martin Pipe's other runner, the progressive Cyfor Malta. Dunwoody is reunited with his old chum. Both, however, can be overlooked if you consider the recent record of their trainer. Pipe, as usual, is charging ahead in the jumps championship, but his strike- rate of late is not what we expect from the little man.

A more reliable selection could be a beast ill-named for the rigours of National Hunt racing. PAPILLON (nap 2.55), though, has already proved he is sturdier than his name might suggest by finishing second in an Irish Grand National. The seven-year-old has also won around this terrain and falls into the improving category which usually surrenders the Murphy's winner.

Elsewhere on the Cheltenham card there are possibilities about Strong Chairman (next best 3.30) and the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained pairing of Ashley Muck (2.20) and Borazon (4.05).

Channel 4 also offers racing from Ayr and a particularly attractive limited handicap chase. By neat coincidence Sparky Gayle (1.45), last year's Murphy's favourite, has a chance in this. Among his rivals is Seven Towers, whose main target comes at the end of jumping's many feasts, in next spring's Grand National. The first drop of the real hard stuff is taken today. Enjoy.