Cheltenham Tips 2024: Timeform ratings and form analysis for Tuesday

• Timeform's ratings picks for day one of the Cheltenham Festival

• Find out about the Betfair Beacons on the Exchange

• Bet safely at the Cheltenham Festival - read more here

• Serial Winners Fund - We're paying £10k for every Rachael Blackmore winner at Cheltenham

• Claim your completely free racing multi each day of Cheltenham here!

Rachael Blackmore Superboost

Rachael has a good chance on Quilixios in the Arkle Chase at 14:10 today, and if you fancy the horse to run well you can back it at the super-boosted price of 6/42.50 (from 4/61.67) to finish in the top top four.

Graded-race fancy

Cheltenham - 13:30 - Back Slade Steel

Slade Steel proved no match for a potentially top-notch novice in Ballyburn who beat him seven lengths at the Dublin Racing Festival. There was no disgrace in that defeat but, understandably, connections aren't keen to take on the winner again in Wednesday's Gallagher Novices' Hurdle which explains Henry de Bromhead's decision to keep him to two miles for the Supreme instead.

While Slade Steel, a winning pointer who had dug deep to win the Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle in December over two and a half miles, shaped as though he'd be suited by a return to further at Leopardstown, he nonetheless ran his best race to date last time, jumping fluently and pulling seven lengths clear of the third King of Kingsfield whom he'd also beaten when making a successful debut over hurdles over two miles at Naas in November.

Slade Steel has Ballyburn's promising stablemates Tullyhill and Mystical Power to beat this time but he can improve again, with the combination of the stiff finish and a well-run race on soft ground likely to make it an adequate test.

Handicap Hotshot

Cheltenham - 14:50 - Back The Goffer

The Goffer was only a novice when prominent in the betting at 7/1 for last year's Ultima and he turned in a career-best performance to finish fourth in a high-class renewal. He shaped even better than his final placing too, jumping to the front two out and joined soon after but tying up only inside the final furlong as Corach Rambler and Fastorslow fought out the finish, one the subsequent Grand National winner and the other a leading Gold Cup contender this year.

The Goffer had already proven himself in the hurly-burly of a big-field handicap when winning the Leopardstown Handicap Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival on his previous start.

The Goffer wasn't in the same form earlier this season, but that means he's 2 lb lower this year and he's effectively coming here fresh since the autumn for what has no doubt been his target for a while, though he did have a warm-up last month when winning a charity race at Punchestown.

Under The Radar

Cheltenham - 16:50 - Back Latin Verse each-way

While Latin Verse has a 10 lb hike in the weights to contend with after winning last time, he wouldn't have got into the field for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle without it and he warrants respect from near the foot of the weights for all that this is a stronger race.

A winner on the Flat when trained by Ralph Beckett, Latin Verse was having his first start for Syd Hosie when off the mark at the third attempt over hurdles in a juvenile at Catterick in November, jumping better than previously.

He then had two runs in better company for Anthony Charlton, including when coming up against the useful Kabral du Mathan at Huntingdon when running without his usual cheekpieces. But back with his previous trainer and with the headgear refitted, Latin Verse looked a different proposition in a handicap at Ludlow three weeks ago.

Travelling strongly throughout, Latin Verse was produced to lead on the home turn and stayed on strongly to win by 19 lengths from fellow four-year-old Royal Deeside. That effort places him behind only Lark In The Mornin on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings and means he is well worth his place in the field.

Now read: Timeform's Supreme Novices' Hurdle runner-by-runner guide