Sir Peter O'Sullevan is looking forward to savouring another Cheltenham Festival

Sir Peter O'Sullevan is looking forward to savouring another Cheltenham Festival after being allowed to return home in time to enjoy his 97th birthday.

'The Voice of Racing' has had to endure an extended hospital stay in recent months, but was well enough to go back to his London home ahead of today's celebrations.

He said: "When you get to 97, you can't expect not to have a few impediments!

"It is good to be back home. I've had five months in Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and King Edward VII Hospital, so it's just lovely to be back home."

O'Sullevan has long attended some of the world's biggest racing occasions, famously driving himself to Paris for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, until his health curtailed his racecourse visits.

While O'Sullevan has not been able to make it to the track, he has been following all the latest Festival news and is eager for the meeting to get under way, with the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle on Tuesday.

"I'm certainly looking forward to the Festival, it's always very special and I'm sad to be missing out this year, " he said.

"There are some very interesting races to look forward to and I just hope the weather is kind."

Much of the pre-Festival talk has been dominated by the Stan James Champion Hurdle, with Faugheen hot favourite to see off fellow Willie Mullins inmate Hurricane Fly.

However, while O'Sullevan is not too sure about Faugheen's claims, he feels Bobs Worth could be a good bet in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup as he tries to reclaim the title he won in 2013.

He said: "I think the Champion Hurdle is one of the most fascinating contests of the meeting - there are so many permutations for the race. It's very, very hard to predict.

"One has to wonder how good the favourite (Faugheen) is as he's not run against the very best yet, so there are question marks.

"Hurricane Fly is a fantastic horse - his record speaks for itself. He seems to really relish it there and is a proper battler.

"I think Bobs Worth is something of a forgotten horse in the Gold Cup. He could run well if everything falls right for him. He's got everything going for him as long as the ground is not too heavy.

"I don't really have an opinion on the Queen Mother Champion Chase, but I do love the relationship between Jamie Moore and Sire De Grugy.

"They seem to get on so well as individuals and I love the way he just has such confidence in his ability."

Tony McCoy will be enjoying his last Festival in the saddle and O'Sullevan acknowledges it would be a universally popular result if the 19-times champion could sign off with a Cheltenham victory.

"It would be tremendous if he could have a winner or two. I think his decision to retire was fairly spontaneous and it would be a very popular result if he were to have a winner," he said.

"He kindly came to see me in King Edward's the other day. He's a man who has really grown in stature over the years and he has done so much for the sport.

"He has been a great ambassador and it would be lovely if he could find another role in racing."

In direct contrast to the impending high jinks at Prestbury Park, O'Sullevan was set for a low-key and alcohol-free birthday as his health does not allow for even a solitary glass of champagne.

He added: "It's going to be a very quiet day. Unfortunately I am not allowed to have an alcoholic drink as I am anaemic and the little blood there is cannot take the alcohol - it would leave me drier than the Gobi Desert!"