Antepost Racing Tips: Back this pair of Cheltenham Trials Day selections at 6/1 and 12/1

• Alan Dudman looks at the key races this weekend on ITV 

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All set for Trials Day at Cheltenham

A bonanza eight-race card graces the Cheltenham turf this weekend for Trials Day with five included for the ITV racing schedule - although you can make that four with the bucolic boredom of the Cross-Country Chase.

Entries are thin for the Cotswold Chase - t'was ever thus - and the best betting opportunities lie with the handicaps on ground likely to be more soft than good to soft.

Without further ado, on to the best bets...

Cheltenham, 12:05 Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase: Back Scorsese EW @ 12/113.00

With a maximum field of 18, there are 20 at the entry stage as of Tuesday morning for the 12:05 Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase over 2m4f with Jordans Cross holding the honour of the Sportsbook favourite with the race priced up nice and early.

Jordans Cross is at 9/25.50 but surely this market will cut up badly with Gordon Elliott's five entries?

I doubt Elliott will field all five and with that in mind, I like the claims of a 12/113.00 outsider for a nice and early each-way dart and that hose is Neil Mulholland's Scorsese.

I've just finished watching 1975 on Netflix (other streaming services are available) in which Scorsese features heavily, Martin, not the horse, and a reminder not a lot has changed in the world 50 years later. Some would say prize money hasn't changed a lot at some tracks in those 50 years too, but there's a decent 21 large sheets here for the winner and on paper, some good novices.

Scorsese probably didn't beat an awful lot at Sedgefield last time over a similar trip to what he'll face on Saturday, as you'd have to fancy your chances against Tom Creen in a race. He duly whizzed away from him to score by over 3L, and that was only his fourth run over fences.

With the recent run of Double Powerful, I get the feeling the Mulholland yard are creeping into a bit of form and has had 12 chase winners this term at 12%, with the yard clearly not afraid of having a runner at the bigger meetings.

Ground will be perfect and as a front-runner who can be quite aggressive, we might get a good run for our money here.

Cheltenham, 13:15 Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase: Back Javert Allen @ 6/17.00

I am no rush to go with the 6/42.50 here on Jagwar - the winner of the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase at the Festival last term from 139 and a third over course and distance at the recent December meeting here.

He didn't jump with a ton of fluency last March and as a horse with a ceiling as yet unreached, he'll be getting weight here from Boombawn and JPR One.

Javert Allen will have a mountain to climb on ratings from just 128 but he'll be off a featherweight in this and is a solid jumper - as you'd expect from the Jane Williams team.

Williams is 7-28 at 25% with her chasers this season and Javert Allen scored really well at Newbury in December 2024 - winning a 0-140 comfortably, from the front and leaping well.

He looks worth a shot at 2m4f up in trip as he kept on last time and at 6/17.00 is the one to put it up to Jagwar as Javert Allen makes the running and will at least try to pressure the fav's jumping.

For some it's an each-way price, and for some, 5/23.50 is an each-way price, but if I was backing 5/23.50 shots each-way my father would disown me.

Cheltenham, 15:35 Pertemps Network Cleeve Hurdle (Grade 2): No Bet

A flash of common sense piercing the Stayers' Hurdle division gloom has arrived with Impose Toi, who duly beat Strong Leader in the Ascot Long Walk last time, and a race I was left bitterly disappointed with Honesty Policy, who trailed in third. Impose Toi could well be the ace in the pack now, and while beating Strong Leader isn't top form, a man cannot be condemned by his class went the words in North And South.

Theleme is the second favourite here at 5/23.50 and was last seen winning, admittedly a Grade 1, in November 2023. He's a nine-year-old, and has to make up for lost time but backing a horse after 800 days off the track and then to travel is not my idea of racing nirvana.

Indeed, at 11/102.11, there is every reason the fav will win this by a stretch and he'll be hived off for March with big claims.

Beyond that, we are left with few options but I'll be rooting for Ruth Jefferson's Lavida Adiva.  With three places at 33/134.00, wouldn't be the worst each-way bet (none of this 5/2 nonsense). However, she does hold an entry at Doncaster on the same day, in an easier race and Brian Hughes is already booked, so that plan might come to very little.

She stays and has won twice at Listed level over 3m at Kelso and Doncaster, and did have the 145-rated Kateira in third last time at Donny, so I can see the logic in going back there.

Owners Drew & Ailsa Russell clearly buy well as they also have recent Newcastle 10L winner Gaelic Rover in their red and black silks and with the 3m division up for grabs, take out Impose Toi here, the next best is a lay-off horse with a big rating, if both fail, or one, so it might have been a risk worth taking.

I also think Jefferson is an exceptional trainer who should have more owners sending her some horses as with a good one, she is more than capable. So good luck wherever she goes.

Now read more from Timeform ahead of this week's racing