Cheltenham Festival Antepost Tips: Be Aware looks the number one handicap pick

• Support for Be Aware's chances in Coral Cup now as the 9/25.50 favourite

• Il Est Francais can back up the King George run in the Ryanair

• Alan Dudman picks out tips at 15/28.50, 9/25.50 and 3/14.00 for the big races  

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Wednesday - Coral Cup: Back Be Aware @ 9/25.50

Be Aware was part of my antepost tips team for Dan Skelton. A few weeks ago, he was at 7/18.00 and as of Friday he is holding sway as the favourite at 9/25.50.

I tend to be drawn to the handicaps anyway as I don't think you need me to tell you Galopin Des Champs and Constitution Hill have good chances and the four Championship races has three hotpots.

Firstly, we need a good mark, and Be Aware off 137 is a massive tempter for a trainer who has a recent hegemony in this race courtesy of old favourite Langer Dan, whose campaigns usually teeter on the brink of catastrophe until Cheltenham. But hey, we have a new kid on the block.

Be Aware's run in the Greatwood earlier in the season looks better and better every time I delve into it.

He finished half-a-length behind the now 150-rated Burdett Road at Cheltenham, over 2m to boot, and was conceding ground against the presser as Be Aware attempted to weave himself from the back to get himself into a winning position. He challenged up the inside but couldn't quite get there. Immediately, and no word of a lie, I thought "Coral Cup".

He was disappointing, yes, in the Ladbroke Hurdle in December from his new mark of 137, but it looked a run where he had had enough of 2m and shorter trips and was ready for the 2m5f. With spring ground, and more so with the forecast increasingly dry, he is right up there in terms of a rating and a trip and I think he's a huge player.

Wednesday - Grand Annual - Back The King Of Prs @ 15/28.50

Wednesday is the most interesting day of the Festival for me with the handicaps. While I am disappointed that it appears Gordon Elliott's Touch Me Not is Arkle bound on the Tuesday (although he is 10s for both races), the other Grand Annual horse on my list has been Gavin Cromwell's The King Of Prs.

And while I tear my hair out, okay eyelashes as no hair left, at the last-minute swticheroos and multiple entries even in the remaining days to the festival, The King Of Prs has the one entry and he is well weighted from a mark of sub-140.

Cromwell cleaned up in the Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase when last seen netting a one, two three in the race and his consistency was rewarded for that big pot at Fairyhouse.

I outlined the Touch Me Not hopes previously as he is such a good jumper, and likewise The King Of Prs who put in a pretty good round of leaping in Ireland in that valuable Dan and Joan Moore Chase. The heart never sank as he made good progress on the inside in a race run at a strong pace and he was equally as strong in the finish.

Thursday - Ryanair Chase - Back Il Est Francais @ 3/14.00

The most competitive Grade 1 in terms of betting is the Ryanair Chase on Thursday and Il Est Francais looks tailor-made for the intermediate distance of 2m5f.

While he holds an entry in the Champion Chase, Noel George said he is "90 per cent certain" to line up in this and his dashing brio and panache can get them all at it.

For sheer excitement levels, his performance in the King George was electric bar winning. He had built up such speed and momentum - approaching four out he was seven lengths ahead at that fence and that was the scene of one his mightiest leaps of all as he simply soared over it under James Reveley.

His final fence jump as he went through the top might have been one of a tired horse, and while 3m at Kempton is as sharp as anything, you do need to stay well. Banbridge got a peach of a ride from Paul Townend and the rest were out of sight.

Remember, the stars of the past, such as Vautour, Un De Sceaux and Allaho, were all aggressive front-runners. Noel George the trainer said: "I didn't think the New course versus the Old course was a huge factor but the fact horses that go from the front and dominate in the Ryanair have a great record played a big part."

George is not averse to a bit of bombast. Reveley schooled him and put him through his paces in Avilly Saint-Leonard on Tuesday and all is well. We're dealing with a top notcher with conditions primed for him, as George said: "The weather forecast is in his favour and the fact that the Ryanair will be run on fresh ground on Thursday is a big advantage too."

The 3s looks a fair price and the favourite Fact To File looks short enough at 6/42.50.

It was a painful one for me at Kempton as I had put him up for the column and seeing him trade at 1.331/3 to be picked off by a horse who I didn't believe could stay was agony. But with Banbridge taking on the supreme Galopin Des Champs, the selection has surely got some of the best form on offer with his Timeform rating in the high 150s.

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