Cheltenham Daily Multiple Tips: Duffy and Ebasari for an each-way starter on Day 1

Just what the Doctor ordered - a big price Charles Byrnes pick

Back Doctor Duffy @ 33/1 in the 14:50 at Cheltenham - The Ultima Handicap Chase

Lady Alavesa finished placed at a BSP of 24 yesterday for the Monday warm-up, hopefully that can be some sort of prelude to a couple of big prices as the five places on the Extra Place Special has lured me to Doctor Duffy - a 33/1 chance for the Ultima. I usually have a punt in the National Hunt Chase, one of my favourites, but with six runners and all the modifications, the race is fast losing its lustre.

Back to Doctor Duffy. He unseated late in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown last time, a race won by Death Duty with Floueur in third. Both of those two are prominent in the betting for this, and yet Doctor Duffy was going just as well over the far side as both of those two before pecking and nodding on landing and getting rid of his rider.

It's been a poor season for Charles Byrnes' 9yo, and has jumping hasn't always been the most fluent, so that's a slight worry tackling tough fences. But the 33/1 compensates that, and one of his best performances came in a Beginners' Chase back in 2020 when he easily beat Enjoy D'Allen. The ground was good to yielding on that occasion, and with some better going on Tuesday, I am encouraged on that front.

Rated 145 over hurdles, there's still a malleable mark with the claim of Liam Quinlan. And with five places, hopefully we can get a run out of him as he does stay well.

Headgear and ground to spark a big run for Ebasari

Back Ebasari @ 12/1 in the 16:50 at Cheltenham - The Boodles Handicap Hurdle

Taking on the best handicapped horse of all time in Gaelic Warrior is my foolhardy task for the Boodles, but if you need me to tell you about Gaelic Warrior, you must have been hiding in a cave for the last few weeks since the weights were allotted.

With 22 runners I am going down the Extra Place Special route with Ebasari, who is rated 2lb higher and could be interesting on a return to a quicker surface.

He looked a decent horse on his Gordon Elliott debut at Cork earlier in the season, turning over a Willie Mullins 1/4F with a nice smooth travelling style and the front two were a long way clear. The horse he beat (Adamantly Chosen) boosted the form nicely in a Thurles benefit by winning 27L.

He disappointed on his second start, but perhaps that came too soon, and seemed to travel well enough behind Brazil at Naas last time, only to see his effort peter out and he fluffed a hurdle late on. That could have been down to the soft ground, but he's got a nice way of going through a race.

I do like these ex-Aga Khan horses over jumps, and with the first-time headgear, I think he can travel better than a 12/1 chance. Gaelic Warrior might be a handicap blot, but off 131, the selection has a bit to offer too.

March single bet winners:

Lady Alavesa placed 16/1
Merry Secret placed 5/1
Tyche placed 8/1
Gin Coco 9/4
Epsom Faithfull 10/3
Weveallbeencaught 7/2
Red Showgirl placed 9/1

February single bet winners:

Tim Pat 3/1
Duty Calls 6/1
Hungry Tiger 6/1
Little River Bay 13/8
Fantasy Fighter placed 6/1
Form Of Praise placed 12/1
Summit Star 4/1
Snow Leopardess 6/4
Celebre D'Allen 5/1
Tim Pat 5/2
Jeans Maite 5/2
Author's Dream 7/2
Gipsy Lee Rose placed 9/1