Monkerhostin can make the most of his light weight by bagging the biggest prize of the day at Cheltenham tomorrow.

The Philip Hobbs-trained gelding figures at the foot of the handicap in the £110,000 bonusprint.com Gold Cup and is fancied to provide jockey Richard Johnson with a bumper success in this red-hot event.

A former high-class handicap hurdler, Monkershostin finished an excellent third in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham last month to Celestial Gold, with Thisthatandtother in second place.

Monkershostin is now 5lb better off with the runner-up, which might be enough to reverse the placings, especially as Thisthatandtother is set to carry 11st 5lb, a hefty burden in a race where horses carrying less than 11st tend to make most appeal.

The fly in the ointment could well be the all-conquering Martin Pipe's Our Vic, a horse who developed into a leading novice chaser last season.

The vibes from the Pipe yard seem to be very encouraging and, as fitness is seldom a stumbling block for his runners coming back from a break, Our Vic merits plenty of respect.

Nicky Henderson, who has won the last two runnings of this race, is doubly-represented by Fondmort and Scots Grey, but my vote goes to Monkerhostin, who was far from disgraced in finishing second over hurdles last time out and whose previous effort in the Paddy Power left the impression that he has what it takes to clinch a major prize.

Monet's Garden, who beat Monkerhostin in a Grade 2 hurdle at Windsor three weeks ago, has the £20,000 Relkeel Hurdle as his Cheltenham target.

Trained in Cumbria by Nicky Richards, Monet's Garden did well to win at Windsor, on his seasonal debut, and in a race which developed into a speed test. He can follow-up tomorrow before developing into one of the stars of the staying division.

Back In Front can hopefully live up to his name in the totesport Bula Hurdle.

Edward O'Grady's high-class gelding was forced to play second-fiddle to Harchibald at Punchestown last month, but there was no disgrace in that defeat on his seasonal debut, and against a rival, who has since won the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in impressive fashion.

The feature race at Doncaster is the £20,000 Worthington's Creamflow Neville Crump Memorial Handicap Chase over three-and-a-quarter miles.

Rosie Redman, trained at Helperby near Easingwold by Jim Turner, is my Nap selection after her dour winning effort over this course and distance a fortnight ago.

There is more to come from this improving mare, who will again be partnered by Malton jockey David O'Meara.

The promising Once Seen (1.45) and recent Newbury winner Mighty Strong (2.20) are also worthy of support on Town Moor.

Tomorrow's tips:

Cheltenham

12.20 Regal Setting, 12.55 Non So, 1.30 Monet's Garden, 2.05 Persian Waters, 2.40 Monkerhostin, 3.15 Back In Front, 3.45 Jiver.

Doncaster

12.40 Prins Willem, 1.10 Le Royal, 1.45 Once Seen, 2.20 Mighty Strong, 2.55 Rosie Redman (Nap), 3.30 Torrid Kentavr.

Tomorrow's other meetings are at Lingfield, Wolverhampton and Southwell.

Updated: 12:37 Friday, December 10, 2004