You have to start at a sprint and keep it up for two and a half miles until the fellow on top stops kicking you in the guts. And there is no extra hay even if you win.
It is a hard race but, as we get ready for the 40th running, it is by no means an unfair race The record shows that it is not a haven for outsiders. In the last 26 runnings, 22 of the winners have started at 15-2 or less Good horses win. To appreciate that, one needs only look down on the past victors which will parade today.

Another Coral, Tipping Tim, Bradbury Star, Dublin Flyer and Senor El Betrutti will be reminders of breathless times past.The most promising newcomer in today’s Murphy’s is Majadou, the winner of last year’s Mildmay of Flete Chase on only the fourth outing of his British career. He attempts to give Martin Pipe a record-equalling fourth win in the race.As Majadou’s main market rival is Call Equiname we are afforded an early rut between Pipe’s old stag and the growing pretender in Paul Nicholls. Call Equiname is also a Festival winner, having collected the Queen Mother Champion Chase in March He has never been beaten over fences at Cheltenham. The grey carries 11st 10lb rather than 12st because Nicholls rather foxily used the system and originally entered See More Business to keep the weights down.Nicholls believes CALL EQUINAME (nap 2.50) may eventually prove to be better at this extended trip than his championship distance of two miles and it is worth betting on the trainer’s beliefs.Whatever the result, it will be worth booking an overnight hotel in the Cotswolds to return for tomorrow’s third and final day of the meeting. If you win big today, then there is the option of rerouting to Paris and watching the Prix Renaud du Vivier at Auteuil. This pounds 64,000 contest brings together Hors La Loi III (not to be confused with Hors La Loi who makes his jumping debut at Uttoxeter this afternoon), the winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle now with Francois Doumen, and Katarino, Nicky Henderson’s Triumph Hurdle victor..

THE DESTINY of two of England’s senior clubs currently fallen on difficult times could rest in the the hands of two Seoul Olympic gold medallists. Do not be surprised if a third, Hounslow’s Jon Potter, does not once again respond favourably to the cry for help. East Grinstead, Hounslow and Havant, who between them provided seven gold medallists, are now struggling – all three relegated from the Premier League. Richard Leman, Britain’s inside left in Seoul, returned to League hockey last weekend at 40 and as sweeper played a significant part in East Grinstead’s first win of the season when they beat Indian Gymkhana 3-2.
Today Grinstead meet Hounslow for the first time since the two clubs were relegated, and have again dug deep into the past, recalling their former ace goal poachers, Dutchman Bram Van Asselt and Richard Organ, both nearing their forties. David Faulkner is the third Olympian who has taken over as Director of Coaching at Havant and is captaining their second eleven.Back in the Premier, leaders Reading travel to Canterbury, managed by Britain’s Seoul goal hero, Sean Kerly, while Guildford entertain last season’s champions Cannock, who are just beginning to return to form.. THE BASKETBALL League has heated up the war of words in the “club versus country” battle surrounding England’s preparation for the European Championship games later this month.

The dispute surfaced when an English Basketball Association press release “regretted” the League’s inability to rearrange fixtures to allow England to take a full squad for a tournament in Portugal next weekend, prior to the championship fixtures beginning against Switzerland on Wednesday week.
The EBA’s chief executive, Simon Kirkland, said: “It’s very disappointing we can’t now take a full squad to Portugal and that our coach [Laszlo Nemeth] doesn’t have the same co-operation that Kevin Keegan enjoys from Premiership clubs.”Stung by this perceived criticism, the League’s chief executive, Mike Smith, replied: “The owners are extremely upset with the criticism being levelled at them as they have made very effort to support the England programme.”Kirkland said: “It is the League that’s the problem, not the owners,” and insisted “We are not criticising, just making observations.”. JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL came from a set down to edge the big-serving Mark Philippoussis 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 yesterday in the quarter-finals of the Stockholm Open. Gambill, an American ranked 71st in the world, won the match as Philippoussis double-faulted, by smashing a hard second serve well out. Gambill also had a match point moments earlier at 30-40, but then the Australian produced a typical ace to get himself out of trouble.
Gambill will play the veteran Magnus Gustafsson in the semi-finals today.