Paul Nicholls is adamant ante-post favourite Silviniaco Conti is the one to beat in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Although the nine-year old failed in two previous attempts to win the blue riband of jumps racing, the Ditcheat handler feels it could be a different story back at the Festival on March 13.

Since losing on his seasonal reappearance at Wetherby, Silviniaco Conti has gone from strength to strength, winning the Betfair Chase at Haydock and a second William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton.

Nicholls said: "He's been unlucky at Cheltenham in the past.

"He run well when beaten in the International Hurdle and he was travelling when when he fell in the Gold Cup two years ago.

"Last year he jumped the last in front but he was just not finishing his races.

"He looks way better than he did this time last year and he is in really good order.

"He won the Betfair Chase in first-time cheekpieces, then he won the King George in what was probably a career-best performance.

"If he wins a Gold Cup he will cement himself as one of the best."

The Ditcheat handler also believes his other representative, Sam Winner, could creep into the Gold Cup frame at a big price.

Nicholls said: "Sam Winner loves Cheltenham and runs in the Gold Cup.

"He has done nothing but improve this year.

"He will love the better ground and fast gallop and he will be fresh."

Nicholls plans to take a smaller team to Cheltenham than last season, but is convinced quality is not in short supply.

He said: "We are a bit light on the novice hurdlers this year, but I would probably say it is as good a squad as we've had.

"We have some nice chances in the chase races and it is great to have these sort of horses again.

"Touch-wood, they are in great form and they look great.

"We have got a great team and we are very happy with them.

"This year I don't want to run horses at the Festival just for a day out so I will have a more select team and certainly less than the 36 runners I had in 2014."

With 19-times champion jockey Tony McCoy set to retire at the end of this season, the door will be open for a new name to appear on the roll of honour.

Perennial runner-up Richard Johnson is likely to start favourite to end up at the top of the table in the post-McCoy era, but Nicholls believes stable jockey Sam Twiston-Davies has the right credentials to be a future champion jockey.

He said: "Sam has won more prize-money than any other jockey this season and you can see how well he is doing.

"Some people said it was the wrong decision to take him on but I never thought that.

"He's made the odd mistake, but he's improved and the ride he gave Rocky Creek on Saturday (at Kempton) was one of the best he has given.

"He's a nice lad and everybody likes him. He's an investment for the future and he's turned out a very good one.

"I think his dad (Nigel Twiston-Davies) will help him and I will help him, he just needs to get a few more outside rides.

"I have always thought he could be champion jockey one day and if he gets those outside rides he's definitely going to be right up there."