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THE rains are set to come tumbling down across the country courtesy of Storm Claudia this weekend which is certain to turn the ground testing at the Prestbury Park track. The Gold Cup has always been a devilishly difficult handicap chase to win at Cheltenham and with this year’s renewal not having an awful lot of strength in depth, I suspect top weight Jagwar could be in the thick of things if ready to following a 247-day break.

Winner of the Plate at the Festival around the stiffer new course, this will still be a real test in the prevailing ground and if he is to take higher rank in the chase division then a mark of 148 should not be beyond the progressive six-year-old. I expect that the youngster will drift in the market place on the day, but even still he has been well found in the market place, but at the weights I still prefer the likes of Coming Up Easy and HOE JOLY SMOKE.

The former has rattled up a hat-trick of wins over fences and was particularly impressive when landing a Listed handicap chase at Killarney in August. This has been the aim ever since and he must play a major role here despite a hefty 10lbs rise in the weights.

He looks the biggest danger to the selection who made the perfect start to his season with a strong running on third of 18 behind the impressive Three Card Brag over an extended three miles here last month. Not the strongest of finishers, I am not sure that he really got home that afternoon and a stern test over this trip on deeper ground may well prove to be his optimum set-up.

The opening Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle has some very interesting contenders with Precious Man and Parchment trying to give the weight away to 10 other rivals, the pick of which could well be the Irish raider SECRET FORCE.

Trained by Gavin Cromwell, this son of Frankel jumped brilliantly on his hurdling debut at Punchestown and is held in high regard by his former farrier handler. This has been the aim since then and anything in the region of 6/1 will do for me.

The Amateur Riders Handicap Chase at 1.10 looks sure to be run at one heck of a pace despite the likely testing ground and that could very well play into the hands of thorough stayer HUNG JURY. Very lightly raced under rules (five starts) following 21 races between the flags, the 10-year-old was teed up nicely for this event when a never nearer eighth of 18 behind Smugglers Haven.

This deeper ground looks sure to suit the selection so much better and he is taken to get the better of the likes of old boy Plan of Attack and Take All, who makes his debut this afternoon for Ben Pauling.

With the ground turning I fancy that Dan Skelton can keep his good run going with BE AWARE (1.45) in the November Novices’ Chase.

A 137-rated hurdler, he took to fences nicely on his chasing debut at Stratford when despite just the one mistake at the sixth fence, he breezed home by four lengths from Cerendipity.

The staying handicap hurdle at 2.55 could turn into a right old slog as the other races open up the ground and Gowel Road at the top edge of the field is bound to try and run the finish out of his rivals. Patriotik has fallen back down to a mark of 123 and is capable of making a play here, but the narrow vote goes to KIKIJO.

The Hobbs/White runner was initially outpaced at the top of the straight at Aintree following a spell on the sidelines before running on again after the last flight. That outing should have put the five-year-old straight and he looks sure to be involved alongside light weight and outsider Good Luck Charm.

The Intermediate Handicap Hurdle looks all set to go to ROYAL INFANTRY (3.30) who I noted staying on nicely at the back end of the Silver Trophy at Chepstow last month. The field simply didn’t go quickly enough for him that day and he was predictably left behind from three hurdles out. I actually don’t think we will see the best of this fellow until he returns to three miles, but on the likely stamina sapping ground he should be able to give the weight away to Royal Rambler and last year’s winner Hamsiyaan.

MEETMEBYTHESEA (Wetherby, 2.00) makes his chasing debut in the Novices Handicap Chase and I think will go a long way in this sphere. He ran up a sequence in novice hurdle events last year before a third in the big EBF Final at Sandown Park. However, you can upgrade him on that run as he scoped badly afterwards.

Later on, ROCHEVAL (2.35) can make up for a below par effort last time out at Kelso where he was pulled up early after losing his action. He can bounce back here and show that a handicap mark of 119 is well within his reach.

Heltenham looks sure to go well under top weight in the book ending two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase at 3.43, but he wouldn’t want too much of the forecast rain to hit the track and for that reason I have fallen down on the side of CERENDIPITY.

Rain is also expected at Uttoxeter on top of the already soft going and such conditions should suit BRUCIO (1.52). The daughter of Authorized found the ground way too quick when last seen at Chepstow in a Listed contest and this ease in both the grade and the ground can see her bounce back and see off Lunar Discovery and Passing Kate.

The Novice Hurdle at Navan looks sure to see the hat-trick seeking I’ll Do That go off a short priced favourite. However, he may well be usurped by MA JACKS HILL (1.35). Following a wind operation he was impressive at Gowran Park, and although he is most definitely a chaser in the making, I think the son of Famous Name can continue on the upward curve over timber.

The Lismullen Hurdle could well see Elliot double up with the odds on favourite The Yellow Clay, but I am going to go out on a limb with JETARA (2.10). The selection arrives here fit from an outing on the flat and will not mind any further rain which is likely to fall at the track.

The Fortria Chase has some famous winners in the roll call and FOUND A FIFTY (2.45) can add his name to the list by making the most of the 4lbs he is set to receive from the Champion Chase hero Marine Nationale.