PAUL WEBBER is looking forward to Time For Rupert’s debut over fencesin this afternoon’s Steel Plate And Sections Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

But he realises he faces a still take in a race that has produced two Gold Cup winners in the last four renewals.

Webber’s stable faces nine rivals including Grade One-winning hurdler Reve De Sivola, Jewson runner-up Othermix, Nicky Henderson’s smart hurdler Quantitativeeasing and David Pipe’s Mr Thriller. Webber said: “It looks a cracking race if you are an observer but it will be a nervous race if you are an owner or trainer!

“If he’s as good as we hope and think he is going to be, we need to see him prove it.

“He’s done all his schooling well. He went to Towcester a couple of times and had a school most of the way round there and his jumping seems very good. Now is the time to put it all to the test.

“Some very nice horses have won this race but there are no easy races at this time of year. He’s always run well around the course. Hopefully he might go back to that course again another day so we thought we may as well start off there. Will (Kennedy) rides him as no-one else ever has, they have great faith in each other.”

Owner Paul Duffy said of Reve De Sivola: “I think it was always the plan to take him chasing. Even though he was a Grade One winner over hurdles, there was no real temptation to stay over them and take on the likes of Big Buck’s as we’ve always seen him as a potential chaser and we wanted to start him off as soon as was appropriate. He won well at Punchestown and ran very well at Cheltenham behind Peddlers Cross, who is some horse. It looks a very good race but we wanted to give him experience of Cheltenham as we hope to return there in March. From that point of view, we just want to make sure he enjoys it and gets round safely. He’s got plenty of scope and we wouldn’t be doing it unless we thought it was the right thing.”

TODAY’S NAP: Time For Rupert (4.05pm Cheltenham).