SWINDON’S Wayne Hutchinson is looking forward to the prospect of getting his first taste of the Gold Cup when he rides Smad Place this afternoon.

The race, at 3.20pm, is the pinnacle of the four day festival and with the ground getting softer after 5mm of rain overnight the course could play into the hands of the 25/1 outside shot.

“It will be my first ride in the race and I am very much looking forward to it,” said Hutchinson.

“They have had 5mm of rain overnight and it is still drizzling a little bit here but that shouldn’t affect Smad Place in any shape or form.

“He is here in good form and needs some luck and hopefully we’ll be competitive.”

Hutchinson had mixed fortunes on the third day of The Festival as his best chance for a winner , Balder Succes, struggled to seventh place, but the Swindon jockey picked up a third place on The Tourard Man and a fifth place on Hollow Penny.

“Balder bolted the second fence from home and he was flat out. He got his vision taken from Eduard, who slightly jumped across us, we’ve landed in the second and race over unfortunately," he added.

“You are not able to do that in your championship races.

“The Tourard Man travelled great, run well, and galloped all the way until the line and I thought he had run very well for a 25/1 shot and he was good value.

“The other lad, Hollow Penny, has really enjoyed himself.

“He has travelled great, jumped well, and I thought I was going to have every chance turning in but unfortunately he just found one or two too good but he has run a good race to finish fifth.”

Hutchinson has two further rides today with 20/1 shot Karezak in the JCB Triumph Hurdle and 16/1 shot Grumeti in the last race of the festival, the AP McCoy Grand Annual Handicap Chase.

“Karezak has mixed it with the best all season and he has got very strong form," said Hutchinson.

“With the rain it will turn it more into a stamina test and he has proved he is a stayer and hopefully the nature of the race and the way it will be run we will find that little bit more improvement to turn the tables on the top horses in the betting that he has been beaten by.

“For Grumeti it is his first time in a handicap and he is running off a mark of 143.

“He has got blinkers on and hopefully that will sharpen him up and get him jumping quicker and travelling better and he could run well.”