Fergal O’Brien heads for Cheltenham Festival Trials Day with a spring in his step.

The Cotswolds trainer has recently gone past 100 winners for the season, the third time in a row he has reached the landmark.

Last season’s tally of 128 – his best so far – is now firmly in his sights with his business partner, Cheltenham-based Chris Coley, saying: “The target is always to beat the season before.

“To record three 100s in a row is very rare unless your name is Mr Nicholls or Mr Henderson.”

Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson have been setting the standard for a good many years, of course, and their runners will be out in force at Cheltenham on Saturday (first race 11.40am).

O’Brien, who has matched the 104 winners he recorded a couple of years ago, was successful at this meeting 12 months ago, winning the Novices’ Handicap Chase with Imperial Alcazar. 

Imperial Alcazar went on to finish second in the Festival Plate Handicap Chase a few weeks later, one of two second-placed finishes for O’Brien at last year’s Cheltenham Festival.

The other was with Alaphilippe in the Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle, leaving O’Brien still looking for that first Festival winner.

“We want to go one better this year,” said Coley. “We’d love a Festival winner, the dream is still alive.”

Neither Alaphilippe nor Imperial Alcazar have run this season but the stable still has plenty of good runners heading to Cheltenham on Saturday, including the impressive Carl Philippe who is entered in the Paddy Power Handicap Chase.

“He’s in the big race, he’s 14-1, he’s a really good each-way shot,” enthused Coley. “It’s a big field and an open race. It would be nice to put down a marker.”