Zarib to shine at Cheltenham

London - Dan Skelton can achieve a career peak by saddling ZARIB to victory in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham today.

In only his second season with a licence, the former assistant to Paul Nicholls hit the 50-winner mark on Monday and is about to double his rookie season tally. In the former Aga Khan-owned Zarib he has a horse with outstanding qualities for this Festival second day challenge.

Between success at Newbury and Wincanton Zarib finished 12 lengths behind Triumph Hurdle favourite Peace And Co, but a strict interpretation of that effort makes the gelding look particularly well treated.

Like his father, Olympic Gold Medal-winning show jumper Nick, Dan Skelton is a winner. Here is his chance to step up to the plate and deliver at the showcase of National Hunt racing. I think he can.

Alongside Skelton and in only his third season training, Harry Fry has emerged as a new kid on the block to be taken very seriously.

Fry emerged from the same Nicholls stamping ground and has gone a long way in cutting the mustard and progressing to a high echelon in his profession.

Today the mild mannered Fry has a major chance of Festival success when he puts the saddle on ACTIVIAL in the Coral Cup.

In his placings in the competitive Ladbroke and Betfair Hurdles ACTIVIAL has looked like a horse that wants to go further, doing all his best work at the business end. The step up in trip should be just the ticket, and with Noel Fehily on his back the five-year-old is in the safest pair of hands. This outstanding combination represents cracking Eachway value.