Best Weekend Racing Bets: Back Cheltenham trio at 12/1 and 16/1

Friday, Cheltenham, 14:25, Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Tip: Back The Hardest Geezer EW @ 16/117.00

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The Hardest Geezer (Ire)

• J: Jack Stenhouse
• T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White
• F: 515/2244F-

Last week's antepost column for Champions Day highlighted two of my bets in the Balmoral Handicap with both Room Service and Jagged Edge tipped at big prices.

Of course the antepost market pays four places before decs and here comes the reducer: Jagged Edge came fifth at a BSP of 22.85 and Room Service in the win market at BSP was 350 and place 38, coming in sixth.

Undeterred, I like the look of the big field 14:25 on Friday at Cheltenham, and the weather forecast does not look the kindest with rain due every day this week.

Sunny South West was initially quite interesting, but of course he is double booked and a shorter price for another race on the same day.

The Hardest Geezer has a great name - a moniker that rarely went with me on the football pitch with my silver boots as I was once called a "Spice Boy". Meant as an insult, I took it as a compliment.

Philip Hobbs will need to start this season well and at least The Hardest Geezer has form in testing going.

His best appears to be with the mud flying and he won his Maiden Hurdle at Taunton in 2025 in heavy.

He travelled all over the field in that race and the front two were a long way clear of the third, so it is surprising he hasn't really kicked on as that was his last victory.

He ran quite well at Ascot too, finishing fourth off 121 and the way he made some stealthy progress, added to his Taunton win, he should be winning races off low 120s.

The sense of frustration continued with him clipping heels and falling before the turn at Newbury when last gracing the racetrack - and that was in February in awful ground. But again, the move getting into contention in hot company that day was not lost.

It's obviously a big risk as he has been given time to get over that scare, and hopefully this will be more than a spin round just to get a feel of jumping again.

Jack Stenhouse is on with 8lbs and he is a 16/117.00 each-way shot.

Saturday, Cheltenham, 14:20, Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Tip: Back Got A Dream EW four places @ 16/117.00

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Got A Dream (Ire)

• J:
• T: Nicky Martin
• F: 466/1161-3

Some bigger names from the training ranks have runners in the 14:20, with Dan Skelton holding two entries, but these early season contests are where other trainers can strike. Got A Dream ran a cracker recently and his fitness looks a plus.

And at 16/117.00 we go again with an each-way chance.

Got A Dream ran at the big Chepstow meeting recently. None went better into the straight in that race than Nicky Martin's hurdler. He was going so well the jockey was floating from right to left, looking for room.

The end response was a little disappointing and a third spot finish behind the runner-up rated 107 is hardly form that will get rivals quaking. But he travelled like a horse ahead of a mark of 117.

Armed with fitness, and almost certainly a horse with a penchant for soft ground (he cruised to win his bumper in soft in 2024), this a rare chance to beat the bigger yards and he should run well.

Saturday, Cheltenham, 14:55, Handicap Chase Tip: Katate Dori EW @ 12/113.00

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Katate Dori (Fr)

• J: Dylan Johnston
• T: Sam Thomas
• F: 21P/7628P-

Life is tricky again with multiple entries for some of the leading contenders but I am looking to my Welsh brothers to bring this one home.

Initially I thought I'd back Moon d'Orange for Christian Williams, but Sam Thomas has a horse who will enjoy the wet weather forecast.

Katate Dori had a bit of a mixed season but finished second at Cheltenham last January in the Betfair Handicap Chase over 3m1f from 135.

I couldn't fault his jumping when the pressure was on and his final three fences were all taken well, he just wasn't quite good enough.

I suspect the going might have been against him too, and Cheltenham good ground can be quite lively.

His two wins the previous season, both on heavy, included a slog over 3m2f at Chepstow in Jan 2025, although not a lot was seen in the fog, so he might have jumped well. He did come home solo in a proper test with some snow on the track for good measure.

He bolted up too in heavy at Exeter. Clearly his mark took a hit but the ground will suit him and Thomas has only has one runner in October.

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