Timeform / 03 February 2010 Free Bet View Market

This year's renewal of the Arkle is already shaping up to be one of the hottest races at this year's Cheltenham Festival.

A trio of the leading contenders have already locked horns, when Sizing Europe, Osana and Captain Cee Bee lined up in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown on St Stephens' Day. Sizing Europe took his unbeaten record to four over fences, though whether he would have done so had Captain Cee Bee stood up at the last is a moot point.

Captain Cee Bee has already tasted victory at the Festival, having landed the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in 2008, and seems to have returned as good as ever from a setback that kept him off the track for over a year and a half. He'd taken a Navan maiden earlier in December and was practically upsides Sizing Europe and travelling the better when crumpling on landing at the final fence. Encouragingly he had jumped really well prior to that and to our eyes looks the strongest of the Irish contingent at this point.

Somersby currently sits towards the head of the ratings of the leading British-trained runners in this division. Henrietta Knight's six-year-old finished third to Go Native in last season's Supreme and has made a virtually seamless transition to the larger obstacles this term. He again really impressed with his jumping when making it two from two in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown.

Timeform Ratings for leading contenders (weight-adjusted)

166 CAPTAIN CEE BEE
165 SIZING EUROPE
163 OSANA
162p ROBERTO GOLDBACK
159p SOMERSBY