SIDING with a couple of talented grey horses, Tribal Venture and Arcalis, could prove the key to making a profit on day one of the Cheltenham Festival.

Although Arcalis (3.15) is first on stage, as far as investment purposes are concerned Tribal Venture (4.40), who goes for the cross-country Sporting Index Handicap Chase, is marginally preferred as the nap selection.

Described by one droll scribe as akin to playing "crazy golf at the USA Masters", the 16-strong field all have to negotiate a variety of 32 obstacles, including hedges and banks, as well as the traditional steeplechase fences.

It's not the purists' cup of tea, but Ferdy Murphy is a dab hand at unearthing the right one for the job, so it might pay to take heed of the fact he's specifically prepared Tribal Venture to tackle the unique test.

"He schooled fantastically and is 100 per cent ready," said the genial Wensleydale trainer, not one to over-enthuse about his team unless they have a cracking chance of getting in the money.

Don't be put off by Tribal Venture's latest reverse in January when he was reported to have "refused" at the last in a white-hot 0-145 3-mile handicap.

It was much more a case of being badly hampered and denied a clear sight of the fence, rather than an act of sheer mulishness.

Price-wise it looks as if Tribal Venture is going to start around 14-1, whereas Howard Johnson's Arcalis is much shorter at 13-2 for the big race of the afternoon, the two-mile Smurfit Champion Hurdle.

Arcalis is one-from-one at the meeting, having snapped up the opening Supreme Novices Hurdle under a wonderfully judged waiting ride by Graham Lee last year.

"The distance he put between himself and the opposition was really something and I'd like to think he's improved enough to win the Champion," explained Lee, last year's leading jockey at the Festival.

Owner Graham Wylie, who enjoyed a fabulous Festival last year with three winners, has a few live chances again this week, starting with Arcalis.

''I'm looking forward to it but I'm not expecting too much,'' he said.

''He just needs that bit of luck in running. It's only his third run on the big stage so he still has it to prove really. Fingers crossed he'll put in a clear round and he is fit and well.

''Last year he won the Supreme in a time two seconds slower than the Champion Hurdle but he has strengthened up since.

''I think if he runs his race he will be in the shake-up. The ground quickening up a bit will help because we've had really soft ground all winter, which everyone knows he doesn't like.

''He really surprised us with the way he quickened up the hill last year because we thought he was a pure speed horse coming off the Flat and it was his first time on an undulating track.''

Until a few days ago there were nagging doubts about the health of Howard Johnson's Crook stable, but he knocked in a cracking double at Carlisle on Thursday.

Trying to emulate Arcalis and get the north off to a flyer for the second year in a row is the pride of Malton, Crow Wood (2.00).

John Quinn's progressive seven-year-old, a high-grade 12-furlong handicapper on the Flat, has taken to the jumps game like a duck to water, and should not be under-estimated despite the powerful Irish challenge.

Middleham's Patrick Haslam has serious cause for optimism surrounding the prospects of Model Son (4.00), best priced at 20-1 for the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase.

Formerly with Heather Dalton, who always spoke glowingly of the eight-year-old, Model Son ran an absolute blinder for his new handler when runner-up in Haydock's Red Square Vodka Gold Cup.

Not content with bagging nearly £27,000 for that sparkling performance, there could be even more cash to be banked with Haslam's smart recruit, a spectacular jumper when in the mood for battle.

There's surely never been such a wide-open Arkle Challenge Trophy, generally regarded as one of the most exciting races of the entire four days.

Without fear of exaggeration, it's possible to make solid claims for at least ten of the 20 horses engaged in the two-mile thriller.

My particular pin came down on Henrietta Knight's Racing Demon (2.35), second to No Refuge in last year's SunAlliance Hurdle, and unbeaten in three starts since over fences.

With Best Mate sadly no longer with us, Henrietta is seeking a natural replacement for that great star. Racing Demon's no Best Mate yet, but his show-stopping 15-length demolition of Cornish Sett at Exeter simply had to be seen to be believed.

* Janus (Colin Woods) has kicked off Cheltenham Festival week in scintillating style by napping Coursing Run (3-1) to win at Warwick on Sunday, followed by yesterday's 6-1 Taunton scorer, Sitting Duck.

*Cheltenham have changed the going to good for the opening day of the Festival.

Clerk of the course Simon Claisse was expecting rain overnight but conditions have quickened up a little after a dry day.

''I have changed the ground on the chase and hurdles courses to good this afternoon after a dry day,'' he said last night.

''It was only good to soft for about half a furlong going down the hill this morning.

''We could have five to seven millimetres of rain just before and during racing on Tuesday."

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