According afforded plenty of respect – Friday’s Cheltenham tips

A typically strong pre-Christmas Cheltenham meeting kicks off on Friday with a belting card that just has to be enjoyed. It’s that time of year when ordinarily sane people have a few too many and go bertie, so watch out if you’re heading to the races tomorrow:

After misbehaving in Wolfsburg Lord Culcheth has been deported by the German authorities just in time to make his seasonal debut at Prestbury Park.

All I can say is you’ve got to hope the stewards here don’t take the same dim view of him dismembering a cougar in full view of the locals that saw the Germans decide he’d overstayed his welcome.

Alarmingly his hapless sidekick Borres is also threatening to make the trip south, you’ll be able to spot him as it’s tough to distinguish where he’s a boy or a girl, with an alice band and wavy blonde hair a huge giveaway.

On with the punting though, and I can’t wait to get fired into Malcolm Jefferson’s According To Pete in an exciting looking extended 3m 1f handicap chase at 1.50pm.

An eight year old rated 139 he gets in here with a handy racing weight of 10st 7lbs, and with conditions to suit and the underrated Phil Kinsella on board he can take this at likely odds of around 6/1.

Three times a winner over fences he certainly won’t lack for stamina on this rain-softened ground, is a clean jumper of a fence, and what I really liked was his effort first time up in the Paddy Power four weeks ago.

Fair enough there were 15 lengths dividing him in an eventual and creditable fifth and winner Tranquil Sea, but an error at the ninth cost him valuable momentum, and he can be expected to improve a great deal for his first run over fences since Doncaster in January.

It’s the time for giving, and the handicapper has even got in on the act following the Paddy Power by loosening his grip on According To Pete to the tune of 3lbs.

What’s really pleasing is how that race has worked out though; the second Poquelin is high in the sponsor’s list for Saturday’s Boylesports Gold Cup, fourth Ballyfitz won a very competitve handicap hurdle last Saturday, and sixth Our Vic got back to winning ways at Warwick on Sunday.

Naturally in such a competitive race dangers lurk everywhere, not least in Welsh National hopeful The Tother One, lightly weighted hat-trick seeker Any Currency, Cheltenham lover Joe Lively and local hope Beat The Boys.

That said According To Pete can make his mark here, and should be backed each way as I think he’ll make the frame at the very least.

Later on in the boylepoker.com Handicap Hurdle I expect bookmakers to send Paul Nicholls’ Earth Planet off as favourite and rightly so.

This likeable type is still only seven despite having missed an entire year with a tendon injury, and he definitely needs a trip nowadays so three miles on this ground looks tailor made.

He did really well before his injury, winning a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham in April 2008 in the hand of Rupert Walsh, and returned with all his old zest when second to Lie Forrit here over a shade further a month ago.

He’s come on a bundle for that, and it shouldn’t be forgotten how well that form has panned out: winner Lie Forrit went in again in some style at the Hennessy meeting, third Great Endeavour scored at Towcester, and seventh Le Beau Bai (who jumped the second last upsides in a line of seven) returned to fences to demolish a quality field at Chepstow and is now clear favourite for the Welsh National.

Back Earth Planet to seal the form of his comeback race with a win here. Eleven stone is a comfortable racing weight and Ruby’s back in the plate.

Good luck!

Friday’s Cheltenham tips:

1.50 – Neptune Investment Management Handicap Chase – 7 According To Pete (each way)

3.00 – boylepoker.com Handicap Hurdle – 6 Earth Planet (win)