Form is temporary but class is permanent - or so the saying goes. In which case Tony McCoy should not be trading at 7-1 to top the jockeys' pile at Cheltenham's Paddy Power meeting, which opens on Friday. With 31 winners in nine years, McCoy has dominated the three-day fixture as he has the jockeys' championship itself.

However, the Paul Nicholls-Ruby Walsh axis is so strong that Walsh is a 4-5 chance with VC Bet. His rides look good on paper and include Denman's full brother, Silverburn, who is a warm favourite for the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday. Yet McCoy is hardly bereft of chances. He has sound prospects in the feature aboard Don't Push It, who has some striking bits of form.

“Don't Push It actually got Denman off the bridle in a novice chase two years ago,” Frank Berry, racing manager to J.P.McManus, who owns the horse, said. “He was favourite for the Paddy Power last year but pulled muscles and had to miss the race. Although he hasn't had a run, he is in good form and goes well fresh. Hopefully, we have him back to his best.”

Straw Bear runs on Sunday after being rerouted from yesterday's meeting at Exeter, where the ground would have been against him. And another attractive mount for McCoy is Aigle D'Or in Sunday's Greatwood Handicap Hurdle. He disappointed badly when favourite for the 2-mile novice hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

“We couldn't put our finger on it,” Berry said. “The horse was lifeless after the race but Nicky [Henderson, who trains Aigle D'Or] is very happy with him. It's a tough race, but a nice one to start him back in.”

Aigle D'Or's presence in the Greatwood means that Franchoek, also owned by McManus, bypasses the race for a less demanding assignment at Ascot this month. “Franchoek is only a four-year-old, small with it, and he had a big weight,” Berry said.

Alan King, who trains Franchoek, will be two-handed in the Paddy Power with Il Duce, last year's runner-up, and Ouzbeck, who has surprised King with his rapid progress this term. Ouzbeck has won four times from as many completed starts over fences, which he only saw for the first time at Bangor six months ago.

Despite his inexperience, Ouzbeck ran away from a big field over course and distance last month and the three who followed him home - Yes Sir, Bible Lord and Private Be, are all expected to renew rivalry in the Paddy Power. “He has amazed me, to be honest,” King said. “This is by far his toughest task as he went up 11lb for his last win. He'd be a better horse on decent ground, but whatever the going, he deserves to take his chance.”

Other King flag-bearers scheduled to run at Cheltenham include Halcon Genelardais and Saticon, a three-year-old whose entry on Sunday is for a race his trainer has won for the past two years. And despite Franchoek's absence from the Greatwood, King will still be represented by King's Revenge and possibly Squadron.

The Greatwood has become a significant pointer to the Champion Hurdle in recent times. Rooster Booster completed the double in 2002-03, while the last two winners, Detroit City and Sizing Europe, both started favourite for hurdling's blue riband.

Sizing Europe, who finished lame in March, is due to reappear at Fairyhouse on Sunday. “He strained a joint at Cheltenham,” Henry de Bromhead, his trainer, said yesterday. “He seems to be moving spot-on but I do think he will come on a lot for the run.” Opposing Sizing Europe is Jered, an 8-1 chance for the Champion Hurdle after his Down Royal victory last month.