CHAMPION trainer Paul Nicholls expects an open Gold Cup race at the Cheltenham Festival tomorrow.

The former Marlwood School pupil, who grew up in Olveston, has four horses gunning for the prestigious prize, but is in the unusual position of not having the favourite after enjoying huge success in previous years.

Previous winners Kauto Star and Denman are trailing last year’s winner Imperial Commander - trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies - and King George VI Chase champion Long Run with the bookmakers but Nicholls is happy to have the pressure taken off his stable.

“The pressure’s off us and on Nigel’s team,” Nicholls told the Gazette.

“You’ve always got to respect the champion and Long Run is a very good horse - he’s probably the one to beat.

“Kauto Star and Denman are not getting any younger, but it’s a very open race and I’ve got four good chances.”

Kauto Star’s chances have been boosted by the return of stable jockey Ruby Walsh, who only made his comeback at Newbury earlier this month after breaking his leg in November.

Walsh rode the 11-year-old to Gold Cup glory in 2008 and 2010 before a fall ruined his chances of retaining the crown last year, but with conditions drying out before the big race this year Nicholls says he cannot be discounted.

“The dry races are coming at the right time for him,” he said.

“Ruby has won the big races on him so it’s a massive plus for him to ride him.”

Although Nicholls says 2009 champion and the runner-up from the last two years Denman, who will by Sam Thomas, would “like the ground to slow down a bit”, he believes the conditions should suit outsider What a Friend under Daryl Jacob.

Nicholls is using a tactic which proved successful with his first Gold Cup winner in 1999 on the eight-year-old, which is part-owned by Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

He said: “I’ve got What a Friend, and if it stays dry I can see him running a big race at a big price.

“We’ve put blinkers on him for the first time, which we did with See More Business when he won the Gold Cup, so it’s an attractive bet.”

Completing Nicholls’ quartet is the Robert Thornton ridden Neptune Collonges, who finished third when the trainer had the top three horses in the 2008 Gold Cup.

Follow Gold Cup day live at gazetteseries.co.uk/sport tomorrow