Kalahari King is in grand order enthuses Murphy

The nine-year-old, runner-up in last year's Arkle Trophy, is in the form of his life, according to the North Yorkshire trainer, and is primed to mount a mighty challenge against the hat-trick seeking Master Minded, the odds-on favourite.

Murphy, the Yorkshire Post's guest tipster this week, is also buoyed by the good going at Cheltenham, another factor which offers grounds for optimism.

"He's in grand order and we're looking forward to it," said Murphy last night.

However, the West Witton handler knows that Kalahari King, and big race jockey Graham Lee, will have to beat the mounts of perennial Cheltenham heroes McCoy, and his great rival Ruby Walsh, if they are to conquer this two-mile test of speed and agility.

McCoy rides Forpadydeplasterer, the imposing Irish-trained horse that beat Kalahari King in last year's Arkle. And, ominously, Walsh, who rides Master Minded, warmed up for today's contest by repeating last year's success in the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle on Quevega in the finale to record his 25th Festival triumph number and match the post-war record of Pat Taaffe, Ireland's all-time racing hero.

Walsh will be expected to surpass Taaffe today after Quevega battled up the Cheltenham hill to beat Carole's Legacy, the 20-1 outsider ridden by Malton's Andrew Tinkler who earlier had finished a creditable third to Binocular.

For Tinkler, his reward is a series of rides today at unheralded Huntingdon while Walsh has six chances to become Cheltenham's most successful rider.

If champion trainer Paul Nicholls has his way, his stable jockey will make history on Master Minded who has recovered from a rib injury. "I think he is back to where he was when he won the race two years ago," said Nicholls.

As for Murphy, he is just proud to have a horse – a bargain buy – that has the potential to take on the big-spending stables which have become so pre-eminent and all-encompassing.