RACING: Cyfor Malta can continue to turn back the clock in the £100,000 Tripleprint Gold Cup at Cheltenham today.

Martin Pipe's nine-year-old was a major Tote Gold Cup hope at one time but suffered a number of irritating setbacks since winning the Pillar Chase here in early 1999.

However, he looked tremendous when winning the Thomas Pink Gold Cup at this track last month. The form of that race was given a boost when runner-up Poliantas took a valuable intermediate chase at Wincanton.

Cyfor Malta had hinted a return to his old self last season and ran a fine second to Florida Pearl in the Martell Cup at Aintree. He was pulled up in the Scottish National afterwards but was never likely to be suited by the extreme trip and was probably feeling his Liverpool exertions.

The two mile, five furlong distance of the Tripleprint is his optimum and now he has got back to winning ways it would be folly to oppose him again.

Rooster Booster is very much on the upgrade and continue his unbeaten season in the Victor Chandler Bula Hurdle.

Philip Hobbs' grey took the County Hurdle at the Festival in March and laughed at the useful Mr Cool on his reappearance at Kempton in October.

He followed that up with victory in a competitive handicap here last month Champion Hurdle claims in what will be a serious examination of his title aspirations.

Don Fernando is hard to oppose in the Tripleprint Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.