THE jump stars are being rolled out at Cheltenham this weekend and some major gambles have unfolded in the big race (2.35pm) in the shape of Piraya and Imperial Commander.

The former is trained by David Pipe, whose father farmed this race before handing over the reigns, and he really interests me.

He is only a five-year-old and reminds me of Cyfor Malta who Pipe Snr sent out to land a major gamble in this race back in 1998 when sent off the 3/1 favourite.

Piraya joined the Pond House team after contesting top-class races in France and will relish the forecasted soft going at Prestbury Park.

Add to that the fact that his trainer stated this week that he was a horse for “bookies to be wary of” and it’s obvious to see why he has been punted down from 16/1 into single figures.

He looks sure to go well but in Nigel Twiston-Davies’s Imperial Commander he faces an opponent who may be a real blot on the handicap.

The seven-year-old always runs well first time out, rattled up two wins over the stiff Cheltenham fences last season and has been aimed at this race for a long, long time.

He has to be good each-way value against the red hot favourite Silverburn, who for me still has a lot to prove.

The fact he is trained by Paul Nicholls probably reflects why he is so short in the market as the Ditcheat maestro can do nothing wrong at present.

However in my eyes the horse definitely has his quirks and I would not want him on my side if it turned into a slog up the famous Cheltenham hill.

On Sunday, all eyes will be on David Pipe’s Ashkazar who makes his eagerly awaited seasonal reappearance in the Greatwood Hurdle (2.20).

The five-year-old looked a really progressive horse last year and put up a cracking performance when narrowly beaten by current Champion Hurdle second favourite Crackaway Jack in the Fred Winter at the festival.

He has apparently improved a lot during the summer and his connections are already talking him up as a potential Champion hurdle winner.

As a result he has been backed down from 20/1 into 14s for next year’s hurdling crown, and those odds will surely shorten more if he wins in style.

On the football front it has been terrific to see Bolton land back-to-back victories when they beat Hull last weekend.

Gary Megson’s side certainly rode their luck that day and owed victory to a fantastic string of top-class saves from Jussi Jaaskelainen.

The much underrated keeper had me on the edge of my seat with some of the best saves I can remember for a long time, and fans will be hoping that he is on top of his form again this weekend when the visitors to the Reebok are Liverpool.

The Reds are not surprisingly 8/13 favourites to win the game, with Bolton 4/1 to get another three points and the draw a 12/5 chance.

However, I can see Wanderers causing an upset and reckon they could pose a few problems for Rafa’s men in their current form.

If I was forced to have a bet I would probably go for the draw, but if I was a Bolton fan I would be tempted to back them at 18/1 to win the game 2-1.

Either would be a good result and enable Bolton to continue their rise up the table and away from the dreaded relegation zone.