High profile owner Andy Stewart believes that talented French Import Long Run will have to win Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup if he is going to have any chance of success at the highest level this season.

Stewart’s famous colours have been made famous by the likes of Big Buck’s and Celestial Halo in recent years, but Saturday will see Poquelin and Gwanako bid to carry them to glory in the Cheltenham feature.

Nicky Henderson’s Long Run has been all the rage in the ante post betting for the race and it could be a sign of things to come if the classy five-year-old lands the National Hunt season’s first big race.

It is believed that the RSA Chase third will then be aimed at the King George on Boxing Day, where he will tackle the sensational Kauto Star.

"If Long Run is going to be a Grade One horse, firstly he has to jump properly, and secondly, off a mark of 158, he should be able to go and win the Paddy Power easily," Stewart revealed.

"We've done him a favour keeping Poquelin in because otherwise the weights would have gone up 6lb and that could make the difference.

"If they think this horse is going to win a King George and give Kauto Star a run for his money, he has got to be winning this and the same goes for the Ryanair Chase or the Gold Cup.

"You need a horse rated 175/180 to be winning the King George."

Meanwhile, Stewart had a few things to say about his own chances in the race, explaining:  "When Poquelin ran last year it came up soft and that probably cost him the race.

"Of course, there is rain around Cheltenham again and it's very difficult to win off top-weight, despite Ian Popham claiming the 5lb.

"Of my two, I think Gwanako is a silly price compared to Poquelin as Gwanako is a 33-1 chance, while Poquelin is 14-1."