I AM writing on the eve of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival and we have an exciting week of racing ahead. Unfortunately, both our horses in the Fred Winter were balloted out so no runners on Tuesday for the team, nor on Wednesday as No Walkover also missed the cut for the Champion Bumper by one.

It seems this year that the Festival races have been harder to get in than has been the trend in recent years. We keep strong records here at Pond House and historically we know roughly what is likely to get in after the confirmation stages but not this time around.

We will definitely have two runners at Cheltenham on Thursday, however. Kingston Queen will run in the mare’s novices hurdle with Jack Tudor on board and Gericault Roque will run in the Kim Muir handicap chase with top Irish amateur Brian Lawless in the saddle.

All the talk is about Bambino Fever in the mare’s novices hurdle and while she may prove very difficult to beat we are certainly going to give it a good go!

Gericault Roque has been very fragile in recent times since picking up a tendon injury when finishing third in the December Gold Cup at Newbury in November 2022 and hasn’t run many times since but he ran a cracking race to be second last time in a competitive race Ascot. With a bit of luck he also has a very good each way chance.

Away from Cheltenham we have runners at Huntingdon on Wednesday, Saccary and Best Night and on Friday we could be heading to Fakenham with Cinammon Coco who missed the cut in the Fred Winter but could make his stable debut at the Norfolk track.

At the weekend we have Thanksforthehelp and Jurancon entered at Uttoxeter on Saturday and on Sunday, Walkadina and Jaipaletemps have entries at Chepstow. Keep checking the Daily News on the website for all the latest news on the stable runners.

It has been a good few days for the yard with the horses in good form and some winners along the way. Royal Mer made it back to back course wins at Wincanton on Thursday with another fine display of jumping under Rian Corcoran. Penn Avenue ran well at Wincanton to finish third and will be winning over hurdles soon.

Harry Junior returned from a winter break with a nice front running performance to win at Exeter on Friday with Jack Tudor on board, while Way of Stars got his first win over hurdles at Taunton on Monday afternoon,

On Sunday it was a family outing to Charlton Horethorne point to point and I am a very proud dad after Jack won his first race pony racing.

The course, near Wincanton, was shrouded in thick fog all morning but then it lifted a little and it was decided it could go ahead.

Jack got the start right and after a prolonged duel inside the final few furlongs he just edged on towards the line.

We have had so many messages congratulating Jack and he was particularly chuffed to get one form A P McCoy and Jamie Spencer to name a couple! I enjoy and appreciate every winner but this one was just that extra bit special and I hope there is more to come.

Dave Pipe was speaking to Richard Walsh