<text>  Holywell Cheltenham, 3.20 is a horse that polarises opinion, but his Festival record is beyond criticism and he can silence his doubters with victory at the highest level in Fridays Betfred Gold Cup. Victories in the Pertemps Final and in a fiercely competitive handicap chase at the past two Festivals endorse the view that Jonjo ONeill is a master at bringing the eight-year-old to a peak in the spring and, after a couple of modest efforts, he looked on good terms again with a better round of jumping last time in a small-field Kelso event. Holywell polarises opinion but can silence his doubters with victory in Fridays Betfred Gold Cup . Wins in the Pertemps Final above in the past two Festivals handicap chase endorse his Cheltenham form . Jonjo ONeill is a master at bringing the eight-year-old Holywell to a peak in the spring . The bare form of that success is miles away from the requisite level on Friday, but when Holywell is good he is very good, as he was at Cheltenham last year when beating Thursdays Ryanair Chase runner-up Ma Filleule. A subsequent Aintree success was arguably more impressive where the selection destroyed Don Cossack and fellow Gold Cup contender Many Clouds, among others in the Grade One Mildmay Novices Chase, a display which truly announced him as a potential Gold Cup winner. He must progress again to trouble King George Chase hero Silviniaco Conti, who sets a lofty standard for his 17 rivals to surpass, but the ante-post favourite must exorcise the memories of a capitulation after the last fence a year ago, where he faded to finish fourth. Paul Nicholls is convinced the stomach ulcers and breathing problems which beset Silviniaco Conti are behind him and he remains a huge danger to all, even granted his modest course record. Paul Nicholls Silviniaco Conti has a modest course record but still poses a danger to the field . Stablemate Sam Winner was an honourable third to Road To Riches in the Lexus Chase, and looks a huge price given he has tons of track form and just three lengths to make up with Noel Meades charge. The form of his gritty defeat of The Druids Nephew here before Christmas has taken a sizeable boost this week with that rival bolting up and the tongue tie and cheekpieces are utilised in combination for the first time, which appears a shrewd move. His handler has sent out 36 horses to contest the Gold Cup and 18 have won or been placed, so he merits real consideration for a tasty each-way wager. 