Saturday Racing Tips: James Mackie's four best bets at Cheltenham

• ITV Racing returns to Cheltenham

• James plays two each-way in Pertemps Qualifier

• And he adds two further win only selections

• You can follow James on Twitter here

Cheltenham action finally returns to ITV having not been seen since the back end of last season and National Hunt fans will be over the moon with some quality racing on the card.

It's set to be a lovely afternoon at Prestbury Park on the second day of the October Showcase meeting, with perfect conditions anticipated. On Thursday afternoon the BHA called the ground good to soft, good in places with a Going Stick reading of 6.3, which should result in some superb racing.

Cheltenham 13:15 - Back Red Rookie

The first race of the afternoon is the 13:15 Handicap Chase over 2m and although Haddex Des Obeaux is the right favourite at 5/23.50 with the Betfair Sportsbook, I'm taking a chance on Red Rookie for the in-form Emma Lavelle yard.

Running at a 31% strike rate with her runners over the last 14 days, accumulating five winners from 16 horses, Lavelle is in red hot form and Red Rookie may just add to that winning tally. The gelding has a decent record first time out and could go close.

Red Rookie has always threatened to be a smart horse but having chucked in the odd bad run and a fall here and there, he has seemingly got in his own way.

A winner at the back end of last term at Warwick in March when beating a decent type in Hasankey by just over three lengths off a mark of 137, he returned this term off 4lb higher in a race that looked a perfect pipe-opener for this event.

He finished a fair third of six runners at Kempton over 2m2f, with that race nothing more than a fitness exercise and having been dropped 1lb for that run to a mark of 140, the gelding is now only 3lb higher than his last winning mark and should strip much fitter for that first run of the season.

Odds of 5/1 look fair if he can put it all together.

Cheltenham 14:25 - Back Lord Accord

My best bet of the day on Saturday comes in the 14:25 at jumps racing HQ with the Neil Mulholland trained Lord Accord, who looks primed to land back-to-back renewals of this race.

This event looks to have been targeted by the yard with Lord Accord's early season form generally his best.

A winner of this race last term off a mark of 131, he goes to Cheltenham having already had a prep run when fourth of nine over hurdles behind the talented Hyland at Warwick.

Having won this event, he then went to Wincanton and should have won the Badger Beer Handicap Chase off 5lb higher, only to smack the last and allow the superstar Frodon to take the event with Lord Accord eventually settling for second.

He was not so good for the rest of that season which saw his handicap mark tumble. He's now back at Cheltenham defending his title in the race he won last season and should go close off just 1lb higher.

Cheltenham 15:00 - Back Bugs Moran Each Way

The Sportsbook is offering five places for the 20 runner affair that is the 15:00 at Cheltenham and I have thrown out two horses each-way.

First up is Irish raider Bugs Moran for Noel Meade and jockey Keith Donoghue.

Donoghue knows how to win round here from his days with Tiger Roll, and at 13/2 Bugs Moran represents some nice each-way value.

Obviously a well handicapped horse in 2022 when beating the smart Eric Bloodaxe over an extended 3m at Fairyhouse off a mark of 118, the gelding then went to the Punchestown Festival off 7lbs higher and finished a good second of 25 runners in the Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle.

Not seen for almost 18 months Bugs Moran returned at Galway in August off a mark of 127 and ran a very creditable race in a Listed Handicap Hurdle to finish less than a length back in second behind Ambitious Fellow.

Upped a further 3lb when last seen in September at Listowel (dropped back in trip to 2m4f) he was another unlucky loser making it a pair of seconds in both his runs this season being beaten less than a length.

A mark of 136 could still underestimate him here, fitness will be no issue having two nice runs prior to this and needing to finish in the top four to qualify for the final of this race in March at the Festival, he has all the tools to go close.

Cheltenham 15:00 - Back Dubrovnik Harry Each Way

Those 20 runners and five places allow me to fire another bullet and this time at a bigger price of 12/113.00.

Harry Fry's Dubrovnik Harry is the selection and he could just be too big a price off his current handicap mark.

A winner at the second time of asking over hurdles at Exeter in January 2022, he then finished half a length second under a penalty next time out at Leicester.

His best performance to date came next time out when making his handicap debut in the competitive 17 runner Grade 3 Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final at Sandown over 2m4f when a close third behind the talented Complete Unknown for Paul Nicholls and Marble Sands.

He was sent chasing last season without any success in any of his three outings and returns to hurdles off the same mark as a third place at Sandown. Harry Fry knows he could have a very well handicapped horse at his disposal and I think he's value as an each-way play.

Follow James on Twitter here

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