Tom Scudamore looks ahead to Cheltenham

Coral ambassador discusses his Festival preparations andrides

The loss of Sandown’s Imperial Cup card will be a blow toconnections of runners who needed to win to book their place at the Festival.

We all hate missing out on the chance of a winner, but interms of our match fitness if you like, an extra day or two off won’t make anydifference to how we go into Cheltenham week. 

For me, it means I can spend some time with the girls, whichis a bonus, ahead of what is the biggest, most important four days of the year.

I do stillfeel the butterflies when I walk into the course on Tuesday morning, and I’mcertainly excited by it. 

Riding a winner here is not easy, it matters so much toeveryone involved, but as one of the senior members of the weighing room now, Idefinitely have a different focus than I did as a younger rider.

There are less doubts, I know I’ve proved myself here, and Ican approach the meeting knowing exactly what to expect.

I also have aset routine each day now, we’re kept nice and busy which does help, gives meless time to think about what could go wrong! 

I’ll come in, walk the course, then visit the Pipe’s marquee,the Coral box, and with those commitments met, it’s back to the weighingroom. 

There’s a special buzz around the weighing room as well, it’sthe one time of the year when the lads from Ireland are over, some of the Northern-basedlads who we don’t see much of are there.

It’s busy, there’s lots going on, but it all adds to thefeeling that this is a special week.

Looking ahead to some of my rides, I have to start with Israel Champ in the Bumper. I had a difficult choice to make here, as Panic Attack has obviously joined Dave’s [Pipe] team, she’ll get the mares’ allowance which will clearly be a huge advantage.

However, the feeling Israel Champ gave me at Ascot last time,winning under a penalty, was something I couldn’t dismiss, and it would havebeen very hard to desert him.

Ramses De Teillee has surprised me this season without doubt. I thought he might win a couple of little novice hurdles, but the manner of his wins at Cheltenham, Doncaster and Haydock mean he’s a worthy Albert Bartlett contender now, and it’s a race that should really suit him.

Finally, one at a bigger price is Night Edition in the Boodles. Like all the handicaps it will be a fiendishly competitive race, but he’s got graded form (second in a Cheltenham Grade 2) which you need for these races as the handicap is so condensed, and I’m hopeful he’ll run well.

Tom