Colin is already looking ahead to the Festival in March, even though it is only November

The 2008 Open Meeting at Cheltenham is nearly upon us.

It all starts with countryside day. Oh boy I do like this day. It is great fun walking around up to 80 trade stands. Add in all the thrills of the top class racing with over 25,000 people there and whoopee is the only word I can use to describe it.

Mrs Tipster only lets me go because the day raises money for the Gloucestershire air ambulance and the countryside alliance!

On the track, look out for Ring the Boss in the novice chase, He won for us at the Showcase meeting in October.

Day two is Paddy Power Gold Cup Day and I will not sleep on Friday night, will you? If you think I am mad, you are not alone - Mrs Tipster would agree with you.

But this day is a really good one. The main race has been going since 1960, although it has had several sponsors since it began.

What is going to win the big one? Well, Silverburn, who is trained by Paul Nicholls, is the 7/2 favourite as I write this. But he is not the one for me because he has always needed his first run of the season.

I like Alan King's Ouzbeck as an each-way bet, but what is going to win it you ask?

Imperial Commander at 10/1 is the one for me. His trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies has had a fantastic start to the new season, the horse regularly wins first time out and his loveable trainer has laid him out for this one, now ridden by Paddy Brennan. So my advice is to get on him!

Hopefully on day three we will not get the rain that we had last year. Oh boy did it rain. They could not run the last race because it was too wet.

The big race of the day is the Greatwood Hurdle: Rooster Booster, Detroit City, Westender and Sizing Europe have all won this race in the past, so that shows you need a good horse to win it.

Snap Tie at 16/1 looks good value and trainer Philip Hobbs knows how to win this race, but look out for David Pipe's entries. His horses are winning now so he could have a very good meeting.

All 3 days are a must for me - I think it is as good as the festival. Oh boy, whoopee!

Horses to follow

Three winners already, whoopee! That is not bad is it? Colin the Tipster

Of the horses to follow that trainers gave us for October Philip Hobbs' Ring the Boss has won for us at Cheltenham and Shorearces who is trained by Brendan Powell, who won at Huntingdon. He is 40/1 in the ante-post market for the Supreme Novices Hurdle which looks a good price to me.

Jonjo O'Neill's tip Wichita Lineman also won at Chepstow for us. Three winners already, whoopee! That is not bad is it?

The other horses those nice trainers have told us to watch out for are: Kanpai (John O'Shea), King Jack (Richard Phillips), Otage de Brion and Songe (Charlie Longsdon), Quws Law (Lucinda Russell), Quicuyo and Rays Rock (now trained by the likable Peter Monteith) Glenstal Abbey (Charlie Swan) and Perdur (Christian Der Recke) so let's hope they all win.

Cheltenham's meeting takes place from 14-16 November (Friday-Sunday).

Gloucestershire trainers championship 2008-09 handicap:
Season runs 17/10/2008 - 17/04/2009

Tainer

Yard

Points per win

Jonjo O'Neill

Jackdaws Castle

10

Nigel Twiston-Davies

Naunton

15

Tom George

Slad

30

Richard Phillips

Adlestrop

40

Kim Bailey

Andoversford

50

Charlie Longsdon

Sezincote

60

John O'Shea

Westbury-on-Severn

90

Shaun Lycett

Bourton-on-the-Water

90

Tohn Tuck

Didmarton

90

David Bridgewater

Stow-on-the-Wold

100

Susan Nock

Icomb

100

Mary Hambro

Sezincote

100

Julian Smith

Tirley

100

Jim Wilson

Charlton Kings

100

Billy Grassick

Winchcombe

100

Giles Smyly

Winchcombe

100

Tracey Barfoot-Saunt

Condicote

100

Rob Matthew

Burford

100

Mrs A Barclay

Moreton-in-Marsh

100

Mc M McMillan

Fossbridge

100

Mr G McPherson

Stow-on-the-Wold

100

Mrs S Richardson

Andoversford

100

Clive Bennett

Dymock

100

Arthur Whiting

Dursley

100

Peter Wegmann

Maisemore

100

Martin Wilesmit

Dymock

100

A trainer's points per win handicap is based on the number of horses he or she has in training. They score points for each win, with double points on offer for winners at Cheltenham and at odds of 25/1 or longer.

Nigel has made a fantastic start to the championship with three wins at Cheltenham's showcase meeting and 14 victories in total so far, Tom George, Charlie Longsdon, Jonjo O'Neill and Richard Phillips have all also had winners so far.

It is still early days and I will update the table each month as we go, good luck to you all for the season.

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