1:30 BALLYMORE NOVICES’ HURDLE

Long-time favourite Champ comes into this off the back of four straight wins and a victory at Grade 1 level courtesy of his Challow Hurdle success at Chepstow over Christmas. However the form of that contest has been let down recently and he looks worth taking on.

The other Grade 1 winner in the race, Battleoverdoyen, looks the obvious port of call. He won the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle at Naas, however the horse he beat that day, Sams Profile, could be the one worth chancing. He only has just over two lengths to find with Gordon Elliott’s horse and he actually would have finished a lot closer to him but for suffering interference turning into the straight. His trainer Mouse Morris is well known for his ability to prepare a horse for the Festival and at 12/1 Sams Profile looks worth playing.

Brewin’upastorm has four lengths to find with Champ on his Challow Hurdle fourth but he looked like he improved on his latest start, where he was upsides Birchdale jumping the last in a Grade 2 race in January. However the Irish look to have a strong hand and City Island is one of the principals. He has a bit to do on the form book but has looked really professional on each of his three starts over hurdles.

SELECTION: SAMS PROFILE

ALTERNATIVE: CITY ISLAND

2:10 RSA INSURANCE NOVICES’ CHASE

DELTA WORK is many people’s nap of the meeting and he can get it done in the RSA Chase. Last year’s Pertemps Final winner has a well accomplished profile - three from three over fences, a Grade 1 winner over two different distances and a previous Cheltenham Festival winner. His Festival win also came on soft ground and in all, he just looks really solid.

Santini, reported to be lame after losing a shoe during a piece of work last week, was opposable even before that news considering he finished behind Topofthegame in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton. Paul Nicholls’s gelding finished second in the Coral Cup last season and can give the selection most to do.

A bigger-priced alternative is the Rebecca Curtis-trained Drovers Lane who comes up in trip. He has progressed in lowlier events this season but ran a big race on figures last time when winning over half a mile shorter around this course. It was a big shout for connections to come up in trip so it might be that he improves again for three miles.

SELECTION: DELTA WORK

ALTERNATIVE: DROVERS LANE

2:50 CORAL CUP HANDICAP HURDLE

URADEL has been all the rage for this race since his run to finish fourth to Off You Go at the Dublin Racing Festival. That came over a likely inadequate two-mile trip and that’s exactly how the Willie Mullins-trained gelding ran, staying on late in the day to get to within five lengths of the winner. Rated 102 on the flat after an excellent run in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket, he still looks really well treated over hurdles now off a British mark of 137 and coming up in trip should do the trick.

Lil Rockerfeller ran a lot better than he had been last time when third in the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell and the former Stayers Hurdle runner-up shouldn’t be ruled out. Dermot McLoughlin’s Canardier is also one to note. He has been trained for this race all season ever since winning impressively over the course and distance way back in October.

SELECTION: URADEL

ALTERNATIVE: CANARDIER

3:30 BETWAY QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE

This has possibly been the least previewed race of the entire week due to ALTIOR’S domination of the division. Nicky Henderson’s chaser has been superb again this year and fully deserves to secure a second Champion Chase and fourth straight Festival win. Soft ground, good ground, left or right handed, he maintains his performance and barring accidents, he should go in again.

Min put it up to him last year and actually traded long odds-on in the run. He has had two runs this season and secured two Grade 1s. He looks by far the most likely to take advantage of Altior has an off day.

SELECTION: ALTIOR

ALTERNATIVE: MIN

4:10 GLENFARCLAS CHASE (CROSS COUNTRY)

Tiger Roll returns to Cheltenham bidding to win his fourth race at the Festival and his second win over the banks and hedges. Since his win here last season he added the small matter race of the Grand National and most recently and somewhat remarkably, a Grade 2 win over hurdles at Navan, a race which was supposed to be just a prep for this. While he faces a totally different discipline next week, that run shows he is in as good, if not better form than ever and there is no doubt he is the one to beat again.

Auvergnat can give him most to do. Enda Bolger’s gelding won the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and interestingly the British handicapper only has 1lb between him and Tiger Roll.

SELECTION: TIGER ROLL

ALTERNATIVE: AUVERGNAT

4:50 BOODLES JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE

Band Of Outlaws has been all the rage for this race ever since the weights came out. He was impressive the last day at Naas but there wasn’t much pace on that day and in a truly run race at Cheltenham, he might just be caught for stamina, considering he only once raced beyond a mile as a flat horse.

CIEL DE NEIGE is interesting. He had three runs in France and this will be his first start for Willie Mullins which suggests that his mark of 132 was minded for this contest. Ruby Walsh takes the ride and it would be no surprise if he ran well. The same train of thought applies to Fox Pro, who runs for Jane Williams while there have also been good vibes for Lethal Steps, who is another highly-rated flat horse and still open to improvement despite failing to set the world alight on his three hurdle runs.

SELECTION: CIEL DE NEIGE

ALTERNATIVE: LETHAL STEPS

5:30 WEATHERBYS CHAMPION BUMPER

Envoi Allen sets a fair standard in this but it has been well documented that Gordon Elliott was reluctant to run him in this race, the owner preferring to have a go. The Irish challenge in this contest doesn’t look as strong as recent years and this might be one for the home team. MASTER DEBONAIR is the most interesting. He is a course winner, has plenty of experience and both his trainer and jockey have been keen on his chances in the last week. Ask For Glory is another to consider. He cost £280,000 after winning a Bartlemy point-to-point and he was seriously impressive on his racecourse debut for Paul Nicholls at Chepstow

SELECTION: MASTER DEBONAIR

ALTERNATIVE: ASK FOR GLORY