THIS year’s Cheltenham Festival heads towards a thrilling climax today with a host of Dorset runners in action in Gloucestershire at jump racing’s premier fixture.

After a hectic Champion Hurdle day from a local perspective, yesterday can rightly be regarded as the eye of the storm – the only Dorset runner of note, Bob Buckler’s The Sawyer, was withdrawn before breakfast.

Elsewhere on the card we saw a potential Gold Cup star in the making as Sir des Champs oozed class in winning the Jewson Novices’ Chase for Willie Mullins, his third victory of a meeting which has not been notable for its Irish successes.

The highlight was unquestionably Big Buck’s entering the pantheon of four-time festival heroes with a redoubtable performance in the World Hurdle.

In a moment without precedent in recent years, he was led twice around the parade ring to rapturous cheer – generous evidence of the affection in which he is held.

Win, lose or draw we can expect something similar when Kauto Star brings the meeting to a fever pitch today.

Colin Tizzard’s runners include Hell’s Bay (Vincent O’Brien Hurdle, 2.05), Grand Vision (Albert Bartlett Hurdle, 2.40) and Oiseau De Nuit in the final race (Grand Annual, 5.15).

Of these, Hell’s Bay (50/1) has little realistic prospect of success whereas Grand Vision looks to have each-way claims off the back of two recent victories at Huntingdon and Haydock.

The latter of these was in a competitive Class Two handicap on testing ground over today’s trip.

He beat 18 rivals that day so the 33/1 on offer for the Bertie Bartlett seems generous.

Oiseau De Nuit’s participation in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual recalls last year’s heroics.

The 2011 festival culminated in a thrilling climax for followers of the Tizzard yard as the popular nine-year-old routed a competitive field to defy his 40/1 price.

Having already proved he can handle the job, the 14/1 predicted odds for today’s renewal seem a little on the generous side.

Although seven pounds higher in the handicap today, he is only carrying 3lbs more in his saddle cloth and is piloted by the same 7lb claimer who was instrumental in his 2011 victory, Steven Clements.

Elsewhere on the card, Richard Barber sends out the ever-popular Chapoturgeon in the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase (4.00).

The eight-year-old comes into the traditional amateur race for registered hunter chasers in good form with two wins this season, the latter an impressive 16-length victory in a strong Newbury hunter chase in January.

He has some creditable Cheltenham performances to his name, some of them in Group Three class, and bags of stamina to boot.

It comes as no surprise then that he shares favouritism (6/1) with Salsify, trained by Rodger Sweeney, and Cloudy Lane of Donald McCain’s, whom he trounced at Newbury.

The Foxhunter Chase follows hot on the heels of the Gold Cup itself, run over the same distance of three miles, two furlongs and 110 yards.

The running of the festival’s blue riband event calls to mind March 19, 1998 when the county had a Gold Cup winner to celebrate.

Cool Dawn’s handler that day, the much-admired Robert Alner, is a figure whose presence in the parade ring has been missed since retiring in 2010.

Alner’s genuine warmth and astonishing courage in fighting his way back from life-threatening injuries in 2007 mark him out as a man with qualities that glint and inspire.