Gold Cup Preview: Cheltenham expects the coronation of a great horse today and it won't be just dewy-eyed sentimentalists who hope that Best Mate pulls off his historic Gold Cup treble.

The former Irish point-to-pointer, born into the cold Meath winter of 1995, has attracted more than the usual share of schmaltz from besotted fans in Britain as he has ascended the steeplechase ladder.

These floweriest extremes sometime irk the supposed hard-core in Ireland but even the flintiest eye can recognise the substance behind the spin and how headlines of achievement will sit much easier on a sport that has had to endure some very negative attention in recent weeks.

Talk of bent jockeys and betting scams will count for nothing when Best Mate lines up alongside nine others and tries to join the game's immortals.

Only Golden Miller, Cottage Rake and Arkle have ever before won chasing's blue riband three times in a row and they constitute the benchmarks of 20th century racing.

Theoretical discussions about where Best Mate ranks in relation to such legends can wait until the first champion of the 21st goes through the motions of hooking up with destiny.

Or at least that's the theory. Best Mate looks the best horse in the race, has the best Gold Cup pedigree and possesses the clearest form chance.

Whether it's a 1 to 2 chance, as the bookmakers are predicting, is something between you and your bank manager.

Arkle was 1 to 10 when he completed his own treble back in 1966 but by then there was competition in name only. Even still, he managed to almost uproot a fence en route.

Jim Culloty will be on his guard against mistakes or potential fallers bringing Best Mate down but there is also the reality of some opposition that will be a lot different to the four scrubbers Arkle kicked out of the way 38 years ago.

Truckers Tavern and Harbour Pilot were second and third respectively last year and can hardly be expected to significantly improve on that.

But while the connections of the opposition have publicly acknowledged Best Mate's superiority it still hasn't stopped them showing up.

Nicky Henderson has a festival pedigree that is second to none but still says Irish Hussar is the first real Gold Cup type horse he has had in his care.

Jonjo O'Neill continues to preach the faith in Keen Leader despite the horse's diabolical record at Cheltenham, an unfortunate tendency towards hitting the dirt and a lacklustre effort last time out that provoked a change of jockey. Dry ground isn't helping him either.

Then there is the novice Therealbandit, the physically revitalised Beef Or Salmon and the proven Grade One winning French star First Gold.

Liverpool might be regarded as the Doumen horse's preferred track but he has also won at Punchestown and at odds of around 20 to 1 he could be the each-way value of the race.

For much of the 60,000 at Cheltenham today, however, the Gold Cup will not be about each-way value or a way of getting the favourite beaten.

Best Mate will have Culloty on his back but a tidal wave of goodwill at his back pushing him forward, towards the finishing line and history.

Defeat by the ill-fated Jair Du Cochet at Huntingdon back in November proved that the Henrietta Knight-trained horse can be beaten, even though connections put that down to holding ground on too quick a track.

There will be no such excuse today, and if Best Mate really is the great horse he looks to be, then no excuse will be needed. The true greats usually don't need them.