C4 Racing Tips: Four bets for a busy Saturday at Cheltenham and Wetherby

No time or space for contrived or flowery intros today - I think Bradley is the best value bet of the day at odds of 9.08/1 or bigger in the 13:50 at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Now, it is not usually best punting practice to back or tip a horse that is 4lb out of the handicap, but I'll make an exception in this case. Because I still think Bradley is fairly-treated, and has a lot going for him.

He was only beaten a neck in this race last season, by the subsequent Welsh National winner Monbeg Dude, and that performance was all the more meritorious given it was on more testing ground than is ideal. I know he has won in the soft but I think that he is a better horse on better ground, and he will get that today.

He shaped really well when fifth over 3m here last month, and he took in that very race before just being touched in this last season. He has excellent claims of going one better here, and is too big a price.

We were on the wrong end of yet another inspired Tony McCoy ride when he wrestled Conquisto past Astracad at Aintree last time. But that was still an excellent effort from Nigel Twiston-Davies' 7yo and, at surprisingly big odds of 32.031/1, I have to stay loyal to him here in the 14:30.

He remains on a decent mark, is well suited by track, trip and good ground, and I can't let him go unbacked at the price. He didn't look to do a lot wrong to me at Aintree, but it is interesting to see that the trainer puts a visor on him for the first time, and I hope that proves an inspired move.

I will take two against the field as I think Champion Court is the most solid horse in here, and he has drifted out to a backable price at 9.28/1.

He may not be the potential blot on the handicap that one or two of these may prove to be, but everything looks in place for him to run a very big race.

I briefly thought that he was going to win the King George last December - along with a few others, as he actually traded at 1.511/2 in running - and he is only 2lb higher than when beating Menorah here back in April.

We are relying on his trainer Martin Keighley having him cherry ripe first time up, but he is certainly making the right noises and I suspect that Champion Court could outclass these.

But he is the type of horse who can find less than expected, so if you are backing him, I would stick in an in-running lay at around the 5-4 mark.

Elsewhere on the Cheltenham card I was very tempted to take a flier on Greyfriars Drummer in the 15:00, but for my other bet of the day I am going to Wetherby.

Initially it was going to be two bets at the meeting, until I saw that trainer Caroline Bailey is 0 from 46 this season, so that ruled out Denali Highway in the 14:05. Watch that one sluice up now.

So I am going to rely on Zaplamation in the handicap hurdle at 15:15. Back him at odds of 15.014/1 or greater.

He is fit from the Flat, where he ran some fair races in the early summer, and I think that he is on a winning mark judged on his course and distance third over hurdles last season.

John Quinn has his horses in good form, as witnessed by Levitate winning at Doncaster last weekend, and 7lb claimer Dean Pratt boasts an excellent 25 strike rate in the past three seasons.

Recommended Bets
Back Bradley at 9.08/1 or bigger in 13:50 at Cheltenham
Back Astracad at 32.031/1 in 14:30 at Cheltenham
Back Champion Court at 9.2 in 14:30 at Cheltenham
Back Zaplamation at 15.014/1 or bigger in 15:15 at Wetherby