In the 2m 0-135 Handicap Chase at 4.15pm Wheels Up can continue his consistent streak in the hands of crack 3lb conditional Richie McLernon.

The galloping Welsh track will suit him down to the ground, and after he won going away at Newbury a fortnight ago I expect him to be too good for the opposition here despite a 6lb rise.

Later in the day at 4.50pm the 3m Chase can fall to Quattrocentro for the Peter Bowen stable – he’s won on both visits to the track and will relish the decent ground.

Back them both to win.

Good luck!

                          

However, with 87 minutes on the clock and Albion leading 5 – 3 the game turned on its head once again with Cheltenham scoring 3 late goals!

I’m hoping we can get back to winning ways today with another home tie against Chesterfield who were also involved in a remarkable game themselves losing 5 – 0 at home to Port Vale.

As I put in my column, I fancied Vale to come away with at least a point but could not have predicted that scoreline.
This Week’s Division 2 games all look to be tight affairs but I expect Bradford to come away with all 3points at Hereford.
Bradford have good away form and should prove too strong.

Bradford are best priced 6/4 with Bet365.

I’m tempted to go with Notts County who have made a great start under Steve Cotterell and could keep the run going with a win at Crewe, but Rotherham are my selection who entertain Bury.

I don’t predict a glut of goals but Rotherham will be hoping to confirm their Play off place and also gain points on their opponents.

Rotherham best priced 11/8 with William Hill.

I’m due a longshot to come up trumps and this week it’s in the hand of Grimsby who host Bournemouth. The Mariners are fighting for their lives to keep league status and might just scrap out a draw at least.

Draw best priced 12/5 with Ladbrokes.
Grimsby win best priced 12/5 with Victor Chandler.

Good Luck

Saley

                          

Good Luck

Read Tom’s full preview and Tips of Friday’s Cheltenham Races at our Festival sister site

JCB Triumph Hurdle

Carlito Brigante (win) @ 9/2 with Ladbrokes, Victor Chandler and Sportingbet.

Vincent O´Brien County Handicap Hurdle

Oldrick (each way) @ 12/1 with Boylesports and Paddy Power both of whom are paying 5 places in the each way market.

Albert Bartlett Novices´ Hurdle

Bet1 – Enterprise Park (each way) @ 7/1 with Sportingbet who are paying 4 places
Bet 2 – Silver Kate (each way) @ 20/1 with at Totesport.

3:20 Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup

Cooldine in the the betting without the ‘big two’ @ 2/1 with Bet365.

Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase Challenge Cup

Green Belt Elite (each way) @ 10/1 with Boylesports and Bet365 who are bothing paying 5 places for each way backers.

                          

Thursday’s Cheltenham Festival tips:

1.30 – Jewson Novices’ Novices’ Handicap

Dave’s Dream (each way) @ 12/1 with Paddy Power.

Tom predicts that the ‘well weighted’ Dave’s Dream can make the frame at 12/1 with the ground and trip to his liking and continute the good run of form at the Festival for the Henderson yard.

2.40 – Ryanair Chase

Poquelin (win) @ 7/2 with Bet365, Ladbrokes and William Hill.

Tom is siding for the trustry Nicholls and Walsh partnership for this one. He is one of the rising stars at Ditcheat and has been improving all season before being put away for this race after December’s course and distance success.

3.20 – Ladbrokes World Hurdle

Bet 1 – Lie Forrit (each way) @ 50/1 with Bet365.
Bet 2 – Powerstation (both each way) @ 40/1 with Bet365.

Although he think Big Bucks will win, Tom is happy to swerve the short price favourite in this one and after the first two days, who can blame him? Instead, he has plumed for two seperate each way bets on Lie Forrit and Powerstation in the hope they can run in to a place at generous odds.

4.00 – Byrne Group Plate

Watch My Back (each way) @ 8/1 with Bet365 and Paddy Power.

Following a win at Doncaster in December, Watch My Back has been put away with this race in mind by his shrewd trainer, Ferdy Murphy. and Tom thinks the yard who saddled Poker De Sivola to victory in Wednesday’s National Hunt Steeplechase cna score again in this race.

                          

Read Tom’s Full Day Two Cheltenham Preview and Tips

1.30 – 140th Year Of The National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup

Mobaasher each-way  @ 12/1 with Ladbrokes and Sportingbet.

Tom predicts that this useful ex-Paul Nicholls runner who is versatile in terms of both going and trip, and is still improving over fences, has a great chance of making the frame off level weights with the field given he’d only be conceeding weight to just three of today’s rivals if this was a handicap. It is also encouraging that current trainer, Venetia Williams, claims that Mobaasher is her best chance of a winner at the Festival.

2.05 – Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle

Quel Esprit (win) @ 7/2 with Bet365 & Paddy Power

Fourth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last year, this Willie Mullins inmate has made the transition to hurdling and Tom passes on the strong word that connections fancy him to win this and with Ruby Walsh doing the steering who can argue?

2.40 – RSA Chase

Punchestowns (win) @ 11/4 with William Hill.

Tom has been hugely impressed with Punchestowns on his two starts as a Novice Chaser and even goes as far as to suggest he could be a future Champion in the making and takes the Nicky Henderson runner to beat the other market principles of which he raises question marks about.

3.20 – Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase

Kalahari King each-way @ 9/2 with bet365, Paddy Power or Ladbrokes.

Tom is happy to take on strong favourite Master Minded in this race, question whether the Paul Nicholls runner will be able to recapture the form which has seen him land this race for the last two years. With this in mind, his selection is Kalahari King who has Cheltenham form in the bag and made a winning return at Doncaster last month and coupled with promising noises from connections, this Ferdy Murphy runner makes a solid each-way claims.

4.00 – Coral Cup

Mamlook each-way @ 20/1. Take advantage of 5 places with Paddy Power.

Tom predicts that Mamlook will relish in this race given his love of big field handicaps. He has been in good form recently and a big run can be expected at a handsome price.

5.15 – Weatherbys Champion Bumper

Drumbaloo each-way @ 15/2 with bet365 who are paying 4 places.

This selection for the final race of the day has been subject to support  in recent weeks and Tom think the James Lambe runner can make the from for each way backers with Choc Thornton in the saddle.

                          

Below is a summary of the tips for each of the six races on the opening day.

Good Luck!

1:30 – Spinal Research Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

Get Me Out Of Here (each way) @ 5/1 with Bet365 and William Hill

2.05 – Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase

Somersby (win) @ 4/1 with Ladbrokes and Victor Chandler

2.40 – William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase

The Package (each way) @ 13/2 with Sportingbet

3.20 – Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle

Bet 1 – Go Native (win) @ 9/2 with Ladbrokes or Wiliam Hill
Bet 2 – Khyber Kim (each way) @ 8/1 with Victor Chandler or Paddy Power

4.00 – Glenfarclas Handicap Chase (Cross Country)

Garde Champetre (win) @ 9/4 with Sportingbet or William Hill

4.40 – David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle

Quevega (win) @ 2/1 Bet365, Ladbrokes and William Hill

                          

Bookmakers are keenest on improving Qaspal for Philip Hobbs and AP McCoy; the six year old needs to win here to get a penalty which would carry him ironically into next week’s Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle and a tilt at the £75,000 bonus.

This lightly raced type has got it together the last twice, winning at Kempton (when he wasn’t overly fluent at his hurdles) and then hacking up over further at Sandown.

Dropping back in trip in a vastly more competitive contest here this will be by far the biggest field Qaspal has encountered, and what’s more the handicapper has had his say, slapping him with a stone rise to a mark of 124.

On those grounds I’m happy to pass him over, but I won’t be looking too far down the list, with only two of the last eight winners of this race boasting a double figure SP.

The one that catches my eye is Paul Nicholl’s high achiever Pepe Simo, a classy type who did so well pre-Christmas he earned a pop at the Christmas Hurdle.

Earlier in the campaign easy wins at Wincanton (twice) and Haydock helped earn him a mark of 140, which means he races with 11st 5lb on his back here.

Ruby Walsh is again on board, preferring him to Nicholls’ other runner Pistolet Noir.

The winner of a bumper at Taunton during his debut campaign he was considered good enough for a shot at the Champion Bumper 12 months ago (finishing 9th behind Dunguib), and the upgrade to hurdling has been a largely positive one, with three wins culminating in his best display at Haydock where he had a real cut at his hurdles and really looked to have got the hang of the job, putting several lengths daylight between himself and the chasing pack.

He wasn’t good enough to trouble Go Native and co in the Christmas Hurdle, but he might be next year and this is far easier.

Given that my selection is by Victory Note out of Vallee Doree heaven only knows where they got the name Pepe Simo from, although possibly it was influenced by that immaculately dressed buffoon Lord Culcheth, who has been known to return from Matalan with the odd pair of orange Pepe jeans in his bin bag.

An entry in the County Hurdle means Nicholls also has the option of fishing for the £75,000 bonus if he can win here and at the Festival, but no doubt he’ll be more than satisfied if they can claim Sandown’s big pre-Cheltenham prize.

As with any big field handicap there are a stack of alternative options, but Pepe Simo looks to have excellent claims.

Good luck!

Saturday’s Sandown Park tip:

3.05 – Paddy Power Imperial Cup – 4 Pepe Simo (each way) @ 7/1 (Skybet, Totesport, Victor Chandler)

n.b. at lesser odds both Bet365 & Paddy Power are betting 1/4 odds 1-2-3-4-5 on the race

                          

Burton entertain Cheltenham at the Pirelli, and following a great win at Aldershot last weekend the boys are full of confidence going into today’s clash

Grimsby was a coupon buster last weekend with their emphatic home win against Shrewsbury but they will find it tough at Morecambe who still have an outside chance of a play-off spot.

A £20 double on Burton and Morecambe pays £67.50 with Coral.

For this weeks long shot I’m looking for Port Vale to come away with at least a draw at Chesterfield.
The Valliant’s have a great defensive record away from home, only conceding 17 goals.

The draw is best priced 13/5 with Skybet

Good luck fellow punters !

Saley.

                          

I can pass on a good word for Sue Smith’s top weight Work Boy, a nine year old who hasn’t shown too many flashes of brilliance just yet in his short career, but is thought to have improved sufficiently after a reasonable effort last time at Sedgefield to get his head in front here.

West Yorkshire based Smith has employed the services a decent conditional to make the job easier to the tune of 5lb, and with second placed finishes in the bank at Market Rasen and Sedgefield he can go one better here.

I’d love to be able to sign off with a flourish and tell you he needs to win this to get into one of the handicaps at the Festival, but April 1st is still three weeks away, so just back him to win at 5/1 with Bet365 (who offer Best Odds Guaranteed) or if you have a Sportingbet account, you can take the 11/2, which is the best available.

Good luck!

                          

A field of 15 are set to head to post for the Donny showpiece (live on C4), and the one to be on is market leader Possol who lines up for Henry Daly and Richard Johnson on his first chase start since April 2009.

Daly sends him north from his Shropshire base safe in the knowledge the handicapper can’t do any damage to his already published Grand National weight of 11st 3lb however well he performs, and despite a big weight to shoulder here his trainer can now unleash one of his stars with his sights firmly set on winning this on the way to Aintree glory (he’s best at 20/1 for the National, a price that might be worth a small interest before post time at Doncaster).

A class horse for connections since being bought from France in 2007 Possol saw off subsequent National winner Mon Mome over fences at Haydock in the autumn of 2008, before performing with real credit behind Nacarat in last year’s Racing Post Chase.

Things didn’t pan out for him in the William Hill Trophy at the Festival, but he signed off the 2008/09 campaign with a 22 length demolition of Ollie Magern at Perth, and his shrewd trainer has shyed away from running him over fences ever since with a view to protecting his mark of 151 for the National.

Instead they’ve been making hay with easy novice hurdles wins at Ascot and Doncaster from Possol – he positivly hacked up on both occasions to prove his wellbeing, and he even has a cheeky entry for the Albert Bartlett at the Festival.

This race isn’t just a stepping stone though, with over thirty five grand going to the winner, and I really fancy him to bag this on the way to the National.

Decent ground and a strong stamina test allied to Donny’s left handed galloping track will suit him perfectly, and although Wogan and Mill Side appear as obvious dangers, Possol can defy a big weight to take this.

At Newbury I’m looking forward to taking in the snappily titled Blue Square Supporting Greatwood Veterans’ Handicap Chase at 2.35pm.

I’m a big fan of these senior citizens races, and you only have to have a chat with my no nonsense associate Lord Culcheth to know that advancing years shouldn’t be a barrier to true love.

There’ll be a mighty cheer if Trabolgan can roll back the years and repeat his 2005 course and distance Hennessy win, and although he missed three years with injury he looked like his old self and ready to win last time out when going well at Doncaster before a mistake robbed him of his chance.

Generally he’s a very clean jumper despite that bad error, and it’s fair to say the handicapper may have given him a real chance now on a mark of 137.

A stone lower than his finest hour he is 12 nowadays, but when you consider he doesn’t have the miles on the clock of some of today’s rivals and represents the in form Henderson camp who continue to fire in the winners, he looks to hold all the aces in this contest.

To complete the set with another chaser I reckon can strike on Saturday afternoon, look no further than Sa Suffit in Kelso’s totesport.com Premier Chase at 3.35pm.

He handles very testing conditions the best of any of rivals, is well suited by the conditions of this race, is improving fast and can take this in the hands of Denis O’Regan.

Finally, breaking new ground for this column, a strong recommendation for Saturday’s Super League fixtures: back Huddersfield Giants to win at a shade of odds against away to Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.

Good luck!

Saturday’s tips:

2.35 Newbury – Blue Square Supporting Greatwood Veterans’ Handicap Chase – 5 Trabolgan (win)

3.25 Doncaster – sportingbet.com Grimthorpe Handicap Chase – 2 Possol (win)

3.35 Kelso – totesport.com Premier Chase – 4 Sa Suffit (win)

Super League – Huddersfield Giants to win at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats