Mark Milligan Antepost Tips: Take Rewired to be electric in Morebattle at 12/1

• Mark Milligan stands in for Tony Calvin

• He has a pair of selections at Kelso

• He's also backing one at Newbury

• We're now NRMB on all 28 Cheltenham Festival races

Kelso Saturday 14:50 - Back Rewired each-way

Kelso and Newbury are the two Premier Racedays on Saturday, and the former hosts its biggest meeting of the year, with the £120k Morebattle Hurdle over 2m (14:50) taking centre stage at the borders venue.

As often where the big weekend races are concerned, we have several who hold double entries, so it makes narrowing the field down that bit trickier.

Current favourite Under Control isn't one of those, though, so we can probably take it as read that Nicky Henderson's mare will line up on the day.

However, I'm not absolutely convinced by her prolife and the 7/24.50 she's priced up at on the Sportsbook makes little appeal about a mare who's had several recent breathing operations.

Kerry Lee's Black Hawk Eagle is second favourite, and he brings a much more positive profile into the race, having won his last two starts at Wincanton and Hereford, the latest of which came in comfortable fashion.

That was off a mark of 116 and his revised perch of 122 looks far from insurmountable; he'd make much more appeal to me at the prices than the fav.

There's another progressive type at a bigger price that I want to side with, though.

Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole's Rewired brings a similarly progressive profile into the race, having also won his last two starts at Doncaster and Taunton.

Decent on the flat for David Menuisier, the son of Power his proven to be at least as good over hurdles and the tight track at Kelso should play to his strengths.

Given his flat pedigree, it would probably help if Kelso didn't have too much rain in the build up to the race, though it's worth noting when he won at Doncaster in December the official going was good to soft, whereas Timeform called it soft, and I'd be much more inclined to trust their times-based assessment.

Rewired also performed creditably a couple of times on testing ground on the flat for his previous trainer, though a test of speed on better ground here would probably favour him more than some of his rivals.

I'll happily take him each-way at 12/113.00, while giving an honourable mention to last year's winner Benson, who again comes here in decent form attempting to retain his crown, though will likely find life tougher under top weight this time around.

Kelso Saturday 15:25 - Back Monbeg Genius win only

The extended 2m 7f Premier Chase (15:25) wouldn't ordinarily be the kind of race I'd bet in at this stage, but I'm finding it hard to get away from Monbeg Genius and he could well go off shorter on the day than the currently available 9/43.25.

He may be eight but Jonjo O'Neill's gelding appears to still be on an upward curve and he ran an absolute cracker when last seen in the 'Hennessy' at Newbury in December.

Finishing third to Datsalrightgino, he was patiently ridden by young Jonjo before creeping into the race five out, staying on gradually all the way up the straight.

That third was added to his fine run in the Ultima at Cheltenham where he occupied the same position behind Corach Rambler, and it's a very positive sign that Timeform have retained the 'p' on his current rating of 149, suggesting he can rate even higher still.

If that's the case, course specialist Empire Steel will have his work cut out trying to contain an opponent who is a bit classier than the normal foes he faces around here.

The dashing grey loves this course and is a credit to connections, and he'll surely have plenty of supporters amongst what will be a bumper crowd, though whether he has enough in the tank to contain a classy opponent such as Monbeg Genius remains to be seen.

Aye Right and Elvis Mail are others to consider, but I'm more than happy to side with Jonjo O'Neill's charge at this stage in a race that looks an ideal opportunity for him.

Newbury Saturday 13:55 - Back Thunder Rock each-way

There's obviously a chance that the double-entered Thunder Rock turns up against Monbeg Genius and co in the Premier Chase at Kelso, but he also holds an entry in the 2m 4f Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury (13:55) and I'm happy to back him for that as it seems the best option for Olly Murphy's eight-year-old.

His defeat of Mahler Mission at Carlisle on seasonal bow at Carlisle in November was franked in no uncertain terms when that rival went on to finish runner-up in the aforementioned Coral Gold Cup (Hennessy to us old timers) next time.

Thunder Rock's next run at Cheltenham was an absolute write-off, as he jumped so poorly that I'm prepared to accept he just wasn't 100% on the day, and he was much more like his old self fitted with first-time cheekpieces last time.

He jumped much better in that valuable handicap at Musselburgh, deserving plenty of credit to finish second in a race where he was the only one to make up any significant ground from the rear.

Musselburgh is a notoriously difficult track for hold-up horses, so that run can be upgraded, and on a reading of that defeat of Mahler Misson at Carlisle, I suspect Thunder Rock is still a well-handicapped horse off a mark of 146.

Current favourite Demnat could be handicap blot off 132, such was his demolition job on his first start for Venetia Williams at Ludlow three weeks ago, but that came following a near three-year layoff and he has to be a bounce candidate backing up quickly after that.

Daryl Carter's Tips: 11/2 Bowen and Murphy can land a Leicester winner