Daryl Carter's Tips: 16/1 Party can do the Business at Cheltenham

• Thoughts on no-bet races

• NAP Pay The Piper can confirm form with rivals at Kelso

• Party Business can get back on track at Cheltenham

It's easy to get overexcited and overindulge with the return of Cheltenham despite perhaps not fancying a great deal. Here are a few thoughts on the races I decided to leave out despite potentially missing out on some winners against my better judgement.

In the opener at 13:15, Haddex Des Obeaux 5/23.50 could be a prime example. I have no doubt he is the best-handicapped horse in this race, and I won't list all the reasons why, but he could have upwards of ten pounds in hand. However, it is his seasonal return; the ground is constantly quickening, and he has never been up the Cheltenham hill. All factors made me question whether he was a bet 5/23.50.

Ultimately, I was torn but decided to let him go with Jamie Moore's comment that he is a soft finisher over 2m, his trainer's runners seemingly needing a run in recent weeks, and his tame finishing effort on return last year. That doesn't mean I want to back against the best-handicapped horse in the race.

Notlongtillmay would be of interest if I knew this move back to 2m was by design and not because he will need the run before his entry in the Paddy Power a few weeks over 2m4f. Even so, he was flattered by his second in the Turners when well positioned off a slow pace. Still, he is a two-miler and could have a good year over that trip, but I don't think the trainer thinks that way.

Triple Trade was second on my list after the Gary Moore horse, but again, he needed the run last year on return. His latest at Kempton run was an improved performance. Time is on his side, though; perhaps one for next time.

The market priced the 13:50 correctly with Blueking D'Oroux at the head of the affairs, and they haven't missed Gary Moore's Spirit D'Anunou either.

I almost had a good bet in the 16:10 Novice Chase at Cheltenham, headed by Flooring Porter. Flooring Porter is the big attraction here on chase debut, and he is worthy of plenty of respect for his exploits over hurdles. He is effectively 21 lbs clear of Weveallbeencaught, who I expected to get bigger than 10/34.33 about, but there may be a reason the Betfair traders are ducking him.

Still, Nigel Twiston Davies' runner could have the tactical advantage in this race, with his Broadway Boy likely to try and shake up the front-running Flooring Porter from the off.

I doubt whether Broadway Boy and front-running Toss Again have the pace to match Flooring Porter early, but Gavin Cromwell's star is different from the typical type to take to chasing. From my experience, stiff fences usually punish those with a gun-ho approach in this discipline, although he hasn't always been a front-runner (including when last seen in France).

Still, it would be a surprise if he were not to go forward after a below-par season last year (figures say he is almost a 10lbs inferior to his pomp). This switch to Novice Chasing looks like an afterthought, having conceded that he won't win another Stayers Hurdle, and it's easier to go Novice Chasing. After all, he would be running against 160 horses if making his seasonal debut over hurdles.

This has always been the plan for the six-year-old Weveallbeencaught, who, indeed, anything he did over hurdles was a bonus. I might get involved, but I wanted 5/16.00, not bloody 10/34.33. Stay calm if Flooring Porter wins this, and don't get all My Mate Mozzie on me!

The final race to touch on quickly was the 13:29 at Kelso, where Corach Rambler makes his seasonal return. If you take this horse on, it has to be now, having been well beaten in last year's reappearance. Elvis Mail and Empire Steel were each of two, and the most interesting runner was Highland Hunter on the first start for Fergal O'Brien, in a first-time tongue-tie and returning from a 629-day absence.

Interestingly, this is Fergal's only runner on the card and Paddy's only ride. It seems silly to travel all that way to Kelso from Cheltenham for one that's undercooked, especially when he has a good record fresh, and it's not to be forgotten he was second in the Welsh National two starts ago off four pounds higher. Is he the same horse as a ten-year-old? Time will tell, but with a horse this age that has had his issues, you'd expect him to be fit and ready to roll, and any prize is a prize at this stage.

14:25 Cheltenham - Back Lord Accord @ 9/25.50 1pt

Neil Mulholland has surely targeted this race again for his runner Lord Accord - 9/25.50 on the Betfair Sportsbook - having been impressive in winning this race last season.

Today's contest is deeper than that, but he won with such authority he is very hard to find fault with as today's conditions continue to dry in his favour.

The eight-year-old has had a similar prep to last year with a spin over hurdles, and he is another who likes to be ridden on the pace which suits this contest. He makes plenty of appeals only one pound higher in the handicap, particularly as Richie McLernon probably hit the front too soon on him in this race last year.

The selection would have surely won the Badger Beers at Wincanton last year if not for walking through the last when delivering a powerful late burst to attempt to catch the front-running Frodon, and he is lower in the weights today.

He is the one in this field who is fully tuned up for this as an early-season target.

I am keen to be against the race-fit Quick Draw, given I did that race in depth at Ludlow and couldn't find anything to make a case for, so that will tell you what he beat, while the runner-up has been beaten significant distances on all appearances to date.

It's worth mentioning a couple of others. I want to back Undersupervision at Doncaster - he likes it there, and the Sky Bet Chase is on my radar with him. Last year's runner-up, The Wolf, makes too many mistakes, and although capable when fresh, this is not his ideal course, and his mark is about right now another year older.

I fear Henry De Bromhead's Amirite is back on a sounder surface, but a lot has been made of the fact that he went off favourite for the Irish National. He needs to jump better at the moment but is lightly raced, and his mark may prove within range this season.

I want to have Kinondo Kwetu on the side, who is remarkably consistent, and his form in defeat at Aintree to Midnight River last term is enough to see him make his presence felt here. He should not be a bigger price than his Uttoxeter conquerer Twig, given the constant errors he made on the way around and the three-length defeat margin.

He looks good to put in an each-way double today but is the shortest price with the Betfair Sportsbook across all bookmakers, so he stays out of the column.

14:39 Kelso - Back Pay The Piper @ 5/23.50 2pt win (NAP)

Pay The Piper - 5/23.50 on the Betfair Sportsbook - looked in good nick at Wetherby on his reappearance before unseating at halfway, and he is taken to get back to winning ways at the chief expense of Gold Des Boi, whom he had held twice last season.

Ann Hamilton's runner is the form horse in this field with a line through Gold Des Boi, tying in both Cedar's Hill and Bollingerandkrug, suggesting he has the beating of that trio.

There's little doubt his rating is well within reach, having been a ready winner at Musselburgh off five pounds lower (Gold Des Bois 5th) and going agonisingly close at Doncaster off of today's mark (Gold Des Boi 4th). Another piece of form adds to the theory he is on a workable mark, having off 140 in a Novice Handicap Chase at Wetherby in 2021 when beaten a neck by Midnight River, who is now rated 21 lbs higher.

The selection is best during the early part of the season. Pay The Piper should take plenty of beating in this company back to 2m with a good time figure under his belt when last at this venue behind Dreams Of Home despite a less-than-ideal round of jumping (Cedar Hill in sixth), so with stiffer tasks likely down the line, he gets a good vote of confidence back under Danny McMenamin.

14.45 Doncaster - Back Ballymount Boy @ 9/43.25 3pt win

This looks like a fantastic opportunity (if it's on) for Ballymount Boy - 9/43.25 on the Betfair Sportsbook - to gain a deserved success outside of Maiden company. He can easily be forgiven for how the race panned out in Paris when he tried in Group 1 company, but he wasn't disgraced, and today represents a far easier assignment than his last three runs.

He returns to soft ground, an excellent second to Vandeek in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood when last tried and is returned to six furlongs to mimic the exact conditions of his career-best run.

He is well clear on ratings, with Esquire's mark flattering him after just two outings, and his York run when well held by the useful Purosangue also made him look better than he is.

He was on the pace in a slowly run affair and was legless at the death with the 84-rated Jehangeer only a couple of lengths behind him (that has strangely been raised to 93 since then).

This should be a point-and-shoot job for connections, and the market hasn't reflected his body of work. I'd make him a 11/102.11 favourite for this, so I want to play him strongly.

15:00 Cheltenham - Back Party Business @ 16/117.00 0.5pt e/w

Party Business - 16/117.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - is worth a small each-way bet here, with the Betfair Sportsbook paying five places. He must have had some issues during the off-season last term, given it took until February earlier this year to make his return to the track.

Connections seemingly desperately tried to qualify for the final of the Pertemps in two attempts, which came in quick succession to no avail. Still, he ran much better at Aintree in April despite being beaten 12 lengths and then again when caught too far out of his ground at Haydock in May.

Those were small steps back in the right direction, and now, with that under his belt, he could be more than ready on return to capitalise on the handicapper's relent.

Last season is well worth forgiving on the evidence of his excellent fifth here in the Martin Pipe in 2022, having been badly hampered on multiple occasions throughout the race but finishing off to brilliant effect over 2m4f off two pounds lower.

He scored for this column at the Aintree meeting that same season when only looking like the winner entering the home straight, but he took care of a good field in the process.

Today, he makes his seasonal return, having had a wind surgery, and he has gone well fresh previously (Warwick when the Stewards looked into his tender handling).

He is handicapped to have a big say and should be finishing this race off strongly, given the abundance of pace in the race.

He looks worth a small chance at 14/115.00 or bigger with six places on offer.

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