Sky Sports News HQs Alex Hammond provides a race-by-race guide to Friday at the Cheltenham Festival. 1.30 JCB TRIUMPH HURDLEI was always a fan of Aidan OBriens Ivanovich Gorbatov and felt he deserved another chance after his defeat at Leopardstown. However, there are one or two that have raised their heads over the parapet and, if the better ground doesnt bring about an improvement, he could be vulnerable. I tipped up Paul Nicholls Zubayr before he ran in the Adonis at Kempton and he is a serious contender. He has improvement to find to emulate Zarkandar, who took the same route for the stable but, as he cost connections 380,000 euros, he needs to win this and then go on to win the Champion Hurdle next year to recoup his massive purchase price. Another horse that has been given positive mentions is Sceau Royal, who is progressing with every start for Alan King and brings more experience than some into the race. Its Zubayr for me as he will have improved significantly for his hurdle debut. Alex thinks Zubayr has bright prospects in the Triumph Hurdle 2.10 VINCENT OBRIEN COUNTY HANDICAP HURDLEGreat Field represents Willie Mullins. This will be his handicap debut after one run for Mullins, where he won impressively over 2m 2f despite being too keen. But that was his first run for around 16 months so he may settle better with the freshness out of him and, dropping in trip, they will go much quicker here. Blue Hell won on his debut for Alan Fleming and was raised 22lbs for that success. I imagine they havent dare run him again for fear of a further rise in the weights. Dan Skeltons Superb Story was raised 9lbs for finishing runner up to Old Guard in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle and hasnt run since. He won on debut for the stable and there looks to be more improvement to come. A Hare Breath could be well-handicapped in the County Hurdle 2.50 ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICES HURDLESpeaking of Ben Pauling, he has a chance of a quick double with Barters Hill in the following race. This horse keeps getting the job done, but gives the impression of being a bit quirky. Hes got a proper engine though and seems as tough as teak. He had to pull out all the stops to win at Doncaster last time and hell hopefully have learned from that. This will be a real test of his ability to race prominently and keep finding more over three miles round here though. As a result, Ill be taking him on with Neil Mulhollands Shantou Village. He is a horse I really like and the step up to three miles shouldnt cause him any problems. By running here he avoids a re-match with Yanworth, who beat him at Cheltenham on his last outing. He was unbeaten prior to that and has a likeable attitude. He must have good ground though. Willie Mullins has Gangster towards the head of the market. The horse has no stamina doubts as he won convincingly over this trip at Fairyhouse in December. That was on heavy but he handles better ground too. Shantou Village looks to have a good chance in the Albert Bartlett 3.30 TIMICO CHELTENHAM GOLD CUPIve changed my mind like the weather in the run-up to the Festival regarding this race. One thing I know is I wont be backing Cue Card, because he wont stay. Don Cossack is the glamour horse in this, hes Barcelona FC, Lionel Messi, Novak Djokovic, Sir Ian Botham, Johnny Wilkinson, the Leicester City of the race! Ive backed Djakadam, but that was before he hit the deck in the trial in January. Last years runner-up looked like another season on his back would help him go one better, but hes got it to prove now. It would be a fairytale for owner Jean Bishop if Cue Card could add to his Haydock and King George wins and pick up the £1m bonus. How is he going to stay up the hill though, and over an extended three and a quarter miles? Cue Card would be a popular winner - but will he stay the trip? The more I look at the race, the more I fancy Don Poli. He has all the attributes of a Gold Cup winner. He is lazy, slow (ish) and keeps a bit for himself. Only joking of course, but he stays and Im not sure we have got to the bottom of him yet. He has the ideal temperament for a Gold Cup too, as he isnt highly strung and should take it all in his stride. An added bonus is the fact he has already won twice at the Cheltenham Festival. Smad Place will evoke memories of Desert Orchid if he can win for Alan King. Id have said he had no chance after the Hennessy and his run in the King George would confirm that. However, his trailblazing win in the trial, with his great attitude to boot, gives connections a glimmer of hope. I dont think Many Clouds was at his best that day though, so it may not be as strong as it looked on paper. He surely cant beat a couple of these can he? This blog is taking so much time, as I keep stopping to have a bet! Its definitely Don Poli in the Gold Cup.4.10 ST JAMESS PLACE FOXHUNTER CHASE CHALLENGE CUPThe same course and distance as the Gold Cup, but there the comparison ends. The race that allows the professional jockeys a chance to celebrate/commiserate after the Gold Cup. There are of course a handful of very experienced amateurs and they are usually worth their weight in gold. Im hoping for a clear round for Victoria Pendleton on Pacha Du Polder who has done magnificently to get to the level required to ride in this race. I take my hat off to her. Victoria Pendleton will be in action in the Foxhunter Chase 4.50 MARTIN PIPE CONDITIONAL JOCKEYS HANDICAP HURDLEThis often throws up a really good performer and trainers tend to send some smart horses here, so dont be afraid of a horse towards the head of the handicap. There are not too many of Gordon Elliotts horses that the bookies are taking any chances with and Squouateur is one of the Elliott horses with a great shout. Talented conditional Jack Kennedy will ride. Hes a progressive horse with just five starts to his name. Qualando is trained by Paul Nicholls and was ridden by Harry Cobden at Taunton last time out in a getting to know you mission. He won the Fred Winter at last years Festival and should be competitive off 139 here. Better ground than he has experienced of late will suit. Qualando will bid for a second Cheltenham Festival win in as many years Qualando will bid for a second Cheltenham Festival win in as many years 5.30 JOHNNY HENDERSON GRAND ANNUAL CHASE CHALLENGE CUPThe getting out stakes! Next Sensation is bidding for back to back wins in this for Michael Scudamore and he is just 1lb higher in his bid to repeat the win. Jessie Harrington trains Rock The World who won a novice chase at this track back in October and hasnt run since. He has been freshened up and would appear to prefer better ground. Velvet Maker is trained by Alan Fleming for owner Barry Connell and he has plenty to recommend him on his first ever run in a handicap. He won on his chasing debut back in November and has twice since come up against Douvan in Grade 1 company. This trip suits well as he has plenty of pace and I fancy his chances. Lough Kent is Nicky Hendersons only entry in the race named after his father. His mark of 138 is attractive and he hasnt had too much racing since winning his first race in the UK at Warwick back in May. It seems likely that his has been laid out for this race, which is obviously one Henderson likes to target, but its Velvet Maker for me in the last race of the week. Also See: Bet now at Cheltenham! Video replay library Full racing results First race of the day offer £10 free bet Adidas Nmd r1 Ebay Uk . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. Adidas Nmd Wholesale China . The veteran safety was a starter for the Bengals from 2008-2012. He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season. http://www.nmdukonlinestore.com/ . During the athletes parade, the 23-strong Ukrainian team was represented by a lone flagbearer in an apparent protest at the presence of Russian troops in Ukraines Crimean peninsula. Discount Adidas Nmd . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. Ultra Boost Trainers Uk .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. TOKYO -- How much did Nintendo pay to land that dream marketing opportunity at the Rio Olympics closing ceremony, where Japans prime minister popped out dressed as the red-hatted plumber Super Mario?Zero.The Japanese video game maker behind Pokemon and Zelda got the coveted stage that corporate sponsors pay millions for after they were approached by those creating the festivities for cooperation, not the other way around, says Nintendo Co. spokesman Yasuhiro Minagawa.I want to make that clear. We did not pay, he said in a telephone interview. And we are not going to become Olympic sponsors either.Prime Minister Shinzo Abes emergence in a Super Mario costume was the highlight of the handover section for Tokyo, the host of the 2020 games.The segment was so favorably received in Japan as surprisingly playful and tasteful, given the staidness usually associated with Japan Inc., that Abe earned a new nickname, Abe-Mario.Tokyo city official Masahiro Hayashi said Japans top advertising company Dentsu Inc. was tapped to produce the handover segment, with a total budget for the Rio Olympics and the Paralympics of 1.2 billion yen ($12 million).He refused to say how much Dentsu was paid, or give other details.The city of Tokyo and the organizing committee are under intense pressure to trim costs, which have ballooned over thhe years, partly because of the weakening yen but also because planning fiascos, such as decisions to redo designs for both the main stadium and the Tokyo 2020 logo.dddddddddddd.Organizing committee spokesman Motoki Okumura would not give details of the spending for the closing ceremony. Dentsu also declined to comment.Top Olympic sponsors pay millions of dollars to the IOC for permission to promote their brands to a massive global audience. Nintendo just did it for free. With Japans prime minister as their pitchman. Easily the marketing coup of the Rio games, said Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing analyst and creative director at Baker Street Advertising of San Francisco.Purists might feel the commercial branding was a bit overdone, and argue for other ways to promote Japanese culture, according to Dorfman, who has lived in Japan.But gaming and anime are certainly major aspects of modern Japan, and Mario is a universal icon. As someone who doesnt take sports or the Olympics too seriously, I found the whole thing pretty funny and entertaining, he said.---Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyamaHer work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/yuri-kageyama ' ' '