Pipe dreams of a Cheltenham super Sunday – today’s tips

The sun’s out, the scene’s set and Cheltenham’s buzzing in anticipation if a truly super Sunday. Today’s card contains a bit of everything – perfect!

With the ground against the odds on favourite in the opener I fancy Irish challenger Fosters Cross to make his mark (1.10pm).

He looked very good in beating Loosen My Load over hurdles at Tipperary in October (Loosen My Load won well here on Friday), before making the switch to fences at Galway, where he handled the stiff uphill finish in style to see off Schelm, conqueror of Paul Nicholls’ Free World at Warwick, earlier in the week.

Fosters Cross will clearly prefer the ground too – snaffle a bit of the 9/4 readily available with totesport, Betfred, Sportingbet or Skybet.

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Next up the big duel everyone’s salivating about – Master Minded v Well Chief at 1.45pm. I’ll be nicking a slice of the 21/10 about the brittle but brilliant Well Chief netting a deserved big race success.

It’s more of a sporting than a confident selection, but he’ll also handle the ground better than his odds on rival, he returned from a 23 month injury layoff to put the frighteners on Master Minded in March, and this could be his day.

Paul Nicholls has been quick to point out he’s “left plenty to work on” with the his two mile champion, and although it might seem nigh on blasphemous to oppose him, Well Chief could well have hit the same dizzy heights had injuries not played their part.

David Pipe can celebrate again at 2.20pm when his hugely talented four year old Ronaldo Des Mottes lines up in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle.

I’m not sure he’s as adept at stepovers as his Portuguese namesake, but he’s got a serious engine, can handle the ground, and looks on a fair mark for a tilt at the race his yard won in both 1999 and 2001.

Take 6/1 with any of Boylesports, Stan James or Ladbrokes.

The last one to take an interest in is Silk Affair in the Intermediate Hurdle at 2.55pm – the winner of the Fred Winter this is a never say die filly who’ll enjoy the step up in trip, loves the track, and has some decent recent Flat form to prove her fitness.

She does have plenty of weight on her back but nonetheless I’m going to back her to win at 10/1 with Sportingbet.

Good luck!

Sunday’s Cheltenham tips:

1.10 – Independent Newspaper Novices’ Chase – 1 Fosters Cross (win) @ 9/4 (totesport, Betfred, Sportingbet or Skybet)

1.45 – Connaught Chase – 5 Well Chief (win) @ 21/10 (Sportingbet)

2.20 – Greatwood Handicap Hurdle – 11 Ronaldo Des Mottes (win) @ 6/1 (Boylesports, Stan James or Ladbrokes)

2.55 – Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle – 3 Silk Affair (win) @ 10/1 (Sportingbet)