1.30 NEPTUNE NOVICES HURDLE

Much like last year, this race looks to have developed into a match between two - Neon Wolf and Bacardys. The former looked impressive for Harry Fry at Haydock last time. Bacardys stayed on well to win the Deloitte Hurdle at Leopardstown and should be at home over this longer trip.

However, the one I like at a bigger price is Shattered Love. The novice hurdling mares in Ireland have looked good this season and Gordon Elliott’s mare has got form that ties in with the very best of them. She is closely matched with both Airlie Beach and Let’s Dance and she is probably underrated because her last two wins have come when her main market rival Asthuria has twice fallen late on. There is nothing to suggest Shattered Love would not have won anyway and in any case she clocked a good time on both runs. Brelade, also trained by Gordon Elliott, could make the frame at a big price. He is closely matched with Bacardys on their Deloitte form, and the step up in trip should suit him as well.

SELECTION: SHATTERED LOVE NEXT BEST: NEON WOLF LONGSHOT: BRELADE

2.10 RSA CHASE

This is a bit of a head-scratcher as the main contenders for this race have fairly big questions to answer. Alpha Des Obeaux is trained by a genius in Mouse Morris who will always have his horses in top condition at Cheltenham. However, he burst a blood vessel when pulled up at Leopardstown over Christmas and that is a worry. Bellshill is coming here off a fall while the substance of Acapella Bourgeois’s 32-length win at Navan last time out has been hotly debated. Whisper has struggled on both of his tries over hurdles at three miles at Cheltenham, and Royal Vacation was going to be well beaten by Might Bite in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton over Christmas.

That brings us to the favourite, Might Bite, who many have accused of being a flat track bully but who has actually won around Cheltenham before. Nicky Henderson’s gelding showed no ill effects from his Kempton fall when dotting up at Doncaster on his latest start and, considering how impressive he was going to be at Kempton, any price around the 5/2 mark looks fair in what looks like a below average renewal. Our Kaempfer ran well in the Pertemps last season and was an impressive winner over fences at Kempton on his most recent run. He looks worth a go if you’re looking for a bigger-priced selection

SELECTION: MIGHT BITE NEXT BEST: ALPHA DES OBEAUX LONGSHOT: OUR KAEMPFER

2.50 CORAL CUP

The top four in the betting for this race are all Irish-trained so there must be a decent chance we can win this race for the sixth time since 2003. Tombstone is an obvious place to start given connections were about to supplement last season’s Supreme fourth for the Champion Hurdle but were tempted back down the handicap route after Phil Smith rated the gelding 149.

This looks ultra-competitive though and the one I like is Taquin Du Seuil who loves it around Cheltenham and who comes back over hurdles off a 12lb lower mark (148). He won the BetVictor Gold Cup earlier in the season and he has performed with credit at the top level since. There are any amount of dangers including Willie Mullins’ Tin Soldier and Peter Fahey’s Peregrine Run but for the longshot selection, have a look at Tim Easterby’s Hawk High who is a previous festival winner and who has most likely been laid out for this race.

SELECTION: TAQUIN DU SEUIL NEXT BEST: TOMBSTONE LONGSHOT: HAWK HIGH

3.30 QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE

This race could end up a watching brief for many with Douvan so short in the betting. The seven-year-old has an impeccable record for Willie Mullins and not many horses have been able to give him a proper race. Saying that, he may well be facing his toughest task yet with the likes of Fox Norton and God’s Own set to have a crack at him. The latter-mentioned is often an underrated horse but is a three-time Grade 1 winner and ran well in this race last season. He can give the favourite the most to do. Many will look to the ‘betting without Douvan’ market for this race and Top Gamble could be the one for that. He has run particularly well on his previous two starts which were both at Cheltenham and he has the services of Davy Russell in the saddle.

SELECTION: DOUVAN NEXT BEST: GOD’S OWN LONGSHOT: TOP GAMBLE

4.10 GLENFARCLAS CROSS COUNTRY CHASE

It is rare an Enda Bolger-trained horse doesn’t start favourite for this race but although the trainer has a solid record in cross country races at the course, his festival record hasn’t exactly been bombproof in recent seasons. Josies Orders (who was only awarded the race after Any Currency was later disqualified for a banned substance) has been Bolger’s only winner in the last seven renewals. Cantlow will be his main hope and he has solid credentials having won around the course before and he will not have to face the French-trained Urgent De Gregaine who beat him here on his previous run.

Cause Of Causes is a remarkable horse going for his third win in a row at the festival and is interesting with Jamie Codd back on him again. However one at a bigger price that makes plenty of appeal is Usuel Smurfer, who ran really well behind Auvergnat at Punchestown but is more than twice the price of that rival. Alan Fleming’s horse has scope to improve on the cross country circuit and he can run well with Denis O’Regan booked for the ride.

SELECTION: USUEL SMURFER NEXT BEST: CANTLOW LONGSHOT: ALELCHI INIOIS

4.40 FRED WINTER JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE

A bit of a minefield. But let’s start with Paul Nicholls who has an excellent record in this race having won the last two renewals and he also won here in 2010. He saddles Dolos and Dreamcatching and interestingly stable jockey Sam Twiston-Davies will ride the former. Stan Sheppard comes in for the ride on Dreamcatching who looked impressive when winning at Wincantion on his latest start. Nicky Henderson is also double-handed with impressive Market Rasen scorer Domperignon Du Lys and Divin Bere who conquered subsequent dual winner Master Blueyes at Huntingdon. That looks like very strong form now given that Master Blueyes is now rated 150 and is major player in the Triumph Hurdle. Divin Bere gets in here off a mark of 137 so he must go close. For those looking for a bigger price, Dino Velvet looks to be first choice of a string of four runners for master juvenile trainer Alan King, which is a tip in itself.

SELECTION: DIVIN BERE NEXT BEST: DREAMCATCHING LONGSHOT: DINO VELVET

5:30 WEATHERBYS CHAMPION BUMPER

This probably isn’t an ideal last race of the day if you’re looking to get your money back. Nevertheless the race does hold a relatively strong favourite in the Sheikh Fahad al Thani-owned Carter McKay who is two from two in bumpers this season and who easily accounted for West Coast Time at Naas most recently. However, with so many unknowns it may prove wise to look further down the betting and Fayonagh was the most interesting one for me. Previously trained by Richie Rath, the six-year-old mare moved to Gordon Elliott’s yard and then won a listed mares’ bumper by 20 lengths at Fairyhouse. She will get an allowance against the geldings and in what doesn’t look like the strongest renewal, she looks worth taking a chance on.

Western Ryder has plenty of experience, having raced four times already and although beaten last time out he did have to concede 21lbs to the well-regarded Daphne Du Clos. Quick Grabim would be a fantastic story for trainer Robbie McNamara and he is far from a no-hoper. He reportedly hung towards the stables at Exeter last time after which his rider Noel Fehily was keen for McNamara to let him have another chance in this race.

SELECTION: FAYONAGH NEXT BEST: WESTERN RYDER LONGSHOT: QUICK GRABIM