Timeform UK SmartPlays: Friday December 14

We're starting in the very first race of Cheltenham's International Meeting, which provides a fascinating card even on this, the supposed lesser day. Put simply, the prices seem to be wrong on the first two in the betting for this race, with Broadbackbob currently a warm order ahead of our selection, Super Duty. There wouldn't be much between the pair on hurdles form, Broadbackbob ever so slightly ahead based on his second to Batonnier at last season's Festival Trials Day, but Super Duty has looked like a smart chaser in his two starts so far, well clear of the rest when runner-up to Bury Parade at Carlisle (race working out well) and Poungach at Haydock. He'll have no trouble with conditions and, with his suitability for chasing already firmly established, there's a case for saying Super Duty should be a slight favourite for this.

Selection number two runs just half an hour later, in a handicap chase for conditional jockeys. We may not surprise too many by picking current favourite Valley View, but when the best jockey in a race like this is riding the most interesting horse then you have to take notice. Valley View is essentially progressive, coming unstuck over three and a quarter miles in heavy ground at Carlisle last time but travelling well enough to give him the benefit of the doubt. He's 2 lb lower than when clear second to the dependable Fabalu at Bangor in February and will benefit further from Maurice Linehan's 6 lb allowance which, in this company, is simply a gift.

We know our fate at Cheltenham fairly early on, then, but we have to wait until 14:45 for our tip at Bangor. It's Majestic Bull, who runs in this low-grade conditionals handicap and looks far more interesting than most. He's looked a different prospect this winter following a lengthy lay-off, finishing second at Uttoxeter in the middle of last month (for which he was raised a lenient 5 lb) before coming a cropper in an unfortunate incident there 12 days later. Under similar conditions here and receiving a 5 lb pull in the weights from Lean Burn compared with his Uttoxeter second, Majestic Bull could well get off the mark here.

Timeform UK SmartPlays

Back Super Duty @ 3.5551/20 in the 12:15 Cheltenham
Back Valley View @ 5.04/1 in the 12:45 Cheltenham
Back Majestic Bull @ 5.39/2 in the 14:45 Bangor