PAUL Nicholls will take some stopping as he bids to become top trainer at the Festival for the fifth in a row.

His stable in Ditcheat, near Shepton Mallet, houses a formidable team of equine talent, headed by Kauto Star and Denman in the totesoport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Big Buck's is hot favourite for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and Master Minded is also odds-on to win the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase for the third year in a row.

Nicholls, the leading trainer at the Festival for four of the last five years, said the duo were his best chances of adding to his 25 winners at the Festival.

"If I had to nail it right down, it's a close between Big Buck's and Master Minded.

"They've both got big chances."

Big Buck's has carried all before him since powering to victory in last year's World Hurdle.

Unbeaten in his past six races, he will one of the bankers of the meeting for many racegoers

"He's a bit of a character and he's the sort of horse who'll win an ordinary race as well as he'll win a good race," said Nicholls.

"When he's fresh he's very effective.

"One day he might get himself beaten because he switches on and off the bridle and he doesn't want to be in front too soon, but in Ruby Walsh he's got the right man on board.

"He stays on strongly up that hill at Cheltenham and on what he's done so far he's going to be very hard to beat."

Master Minded has reigned supreme in two-mile chases for the past two years.

He was treated for a rib injury after he suffered an unexpected defeat at Cheltenham in November and won easily at Newbury last time.

Nicholls said: "He looked half-invincible at Newbury.

"He travelled really well and did it nicely, apart from trying to demolish the last fence.

"I don't think we ever had him right last spring but at the moment he's in best form we've had him for a long time.

"When he won at the Festival two years ago it was a phenomenal performance.

"Whether he can perform like that again, I don't know, but we just want to win the race and he will be hard to beat."

It would be no surprise if Nicholls saddled the first two home in the Champion Chase, with Twist Magic also tipped to go well.

His three previous visits to Cheltenham have ended in failure, but Nicholls is expecting a better showing next week.

"He's done very well this year," he said. "He's been a bit unlucky at Cheltenham.

"He was going as well as anything there three years ago and Ruby was adamant he would have won if he'd stayed up."

Nicholls is optimistic Celestial Halo can return to his best form and provide him with his first victory in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

Celestial Halo finished a close second in the race last year but has struggled to reach those heights this season.

Nicholls said: "He's just beginning to come to himself and he's a great horse in the spring.

"He's had to content with deep ground through the winter and he's best on decent ground.

"I'm really hopeful that on 'okay' ground he'll run really well in the Champion Hurdle.

"I think he's got an outstanding chance in what looks a very open race."

■ Tomorrow: Jonjo O'Neill