BARTON, winner of his last four races by a staggering aggregate of 83 lengths, steps up to the premier league next week when he carries the hopes of Ryedale at the all-important Cheltenham Festival.

His target at National Hunt racing's most prestigious fixture is the £125,000 Irish Independent Arkle Chase and bookies make him the 5-1 second-favourite behind the Martin Pipe-trained Seebald, unbeaten this season in seven races.

Barton, successful over hurdles at Cheltenham three years ago, when he became Tim Easterby's first Festival winner, will be bidding to span a 19-year gap for the Easterby family at Habton Grange, near Malton.

Back in 1983, Peter Easterby, Tim's legendary father, won his third Arkle Chase with Ryeman, who was following on from Clayside two years earlier and Alverton back in 1978.

Easterby snr, 72, who stepped down seven years ago to allow his son to take over the training reins, is in no doubt that Barton has what it takes to win the Arkle.

"He'd be a better horse than any of my three winners of the race. He's different class," says the man, who trained 13 Festival winners, a tally which included two Gold Cups and a record five Champion Hurdles.

In the hot-seat at 2.35pm on Tuesday is Tony Dobbin, the top northern jockey, who has been a favourite of Sir Stanley Clarke - owner of Barton - ever since they joined forces to win the 1997 Martell Grand National with Lord Gyllene.

Dobbin shares in the confidence behind Barton. "The way he travels through a race and the gears he's got, he reminds me very much of One Man," says the jockey, referring to the top-class chaser on whom he won the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.

While Barton is the major local hope at Cheltenham, he's certainly not the only horse making the journey from this corner of North Yorkshire to Gloucestershire.

Norton trainer Brian Ellison is optimistic about the chances of Latalomne in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, especially if the weather remains dry between now and next Wedneday. "He's a much better horse on good, fast ground," says Ellison.

The useful Turgeonev, trained by Tim Easterby, also holds an entry in the Queen Mother, as well as the Grand Annual Chase. The latter is the principal option of Ellison's dual-winning novice Batswing, who has further options in the Arkle Chase and the County Handicap Hurdle.

Easy ground (which is looking increasingly unlikely now) could well see Malcolm Jefferson's prolific winner Moss Harvey lining-up for the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Chase, while Tom Tate, based at Hazlewood near Tadcaster, intends to step-up the smart Europa in distance and saddle him in either the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Chase or the William Hill National Chase, both over three miles.

Temple Dog, also trained by Tate, will go for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper after an impressive 25 lengths success at Ayr last month and is not a horse to underestimate.

Updated: 11:49 Saturday, March 09, 2002