THERE'S no better jockey to have on your side when having a bet at Cheltenham than Tony McCoy, who is fancied to lift the feature race on day one of the Festival aboard Essex (3.15) in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.

Although Barry Geraghty was in the saddle when the Irish-trained raider cruised to a ludicrously easy success in Newbury's Tote Gold Trophy, he's committed to partnering Mac's Joy in the £300,000 showpiece, leaving Tony to swoop for one of the all-time great spare rides.

Essex, a magnificently bred son of 14-times champion Flat sire, Sadler's Wells, out of a Rainbow Quest mare, is a five-year-old with an immaculate Flat pedigree, yet has the National Hunt world at his feet.

The fact that Sadler's Wells was also responsible for the recent three-time winner of the "Champion", Istabraq, can only bode well for McCoy's mount, whose trainer, Michael O'Brien, is confident of a bold bid from his charge.

"The horse is in great form and I just hope we have a bit of luck. Tony McCoy is on for the first time, but Essex is straightforward enough," said O'Brien.

In the opening Supreme Novices Hurdle, the first of Howard Johnson's plethora of runners, Arcalis (2.00), steps out on the hallowed turf at Prestbury Park.

"He felt great when I rode him work the other day," reported Graham Lee of the 2004 York John Smith's Cup hero, attempting to break the Festival duck of owners Graham and Andrea Wylie.

After switching from the level, Arcalis won his first couple of hurdle races, prior to being slightly below par at Kempton and Newbury. He's been freshened up with a long break, and at 20-1 seems a perfectly viable each-way wager for a wide-open event.

One of Martin Pipe and David Johnson's bankers of the week, Contraband, lines up in the £140,000 Arkle Challenge Trophy.

Contraband has been laid out specifically for the two-miler and knowing Pipe's skill at preparing such coups, nothing short of a first-rate performance is expected from the gelding.

It's normally wise to have an each-way saver in heats like the "Arkle", a responsibility which rests squarely on the shoulders of the immensely consistent Supreme Developer, recommended by his trainer, Ferdy Murphy, to be an outsider worth supporting.

In the William Hill Trophy Handicap, Kelami (4.00), who might well have won at the course but for sending his hapless pilot into orbit at the fourth fence from the finish in December, is the confident choice.

Francois Doumen's smart chaser produced a career-best effort when third to Forest Gunner at Haydock last time out, a superb run that gives him a blinding chance at this afternoon's weights.

Sedgefield's race-goers will be able to see all of the Cheltenham action on a specially installed "big screen", which is a massive bonus in view of the spectacular stuff on offer.

Local backers seeking an edge should consider investing on Ravenscar (2.50) for the Novices Chase.

The official figures suggest Green Ideal has the beating of the selection, but he's become disappointing, whereas Ravenscar continues to progress nicely, despite a very busy campaign to date.

* The Cheltenham track may have to be watered tomorrow evening. The ground remains good, and Clerk of the Course Simon Claisse said: ''There is an 80 per cent chance we could get between five and six millimetres throughout Wednesday.

''However, temperatures are also due to rise so, should the rain not materialise, there must be a strong possibility that we will have to water."