It was our defending champion who got off to a flyer in the opening week, but there's still three other contestants out to claw back the deficit this weekend. Here's there tips with their £20, to help build their very own Cheltenham Festival pot.
Chris Loader - @Luckyloader15
NAP: 15:15 Kelso - Saint D'oroux - 11/1 £6 E/W
Cases can be made for a few but I feel the market may have missed Saint D'oroux who looks primed to strike in a race of this nature. He has always been a classy individual and finished third in the 2020 Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival when previously trained by Gordon Elliott. After slightly losing his way the six-year-old gelding has subsequently moved to Stuart Crawford where he made a pleasing stable debut when scoring over 2m5f at this venue last month.
Furthermore, Ben Bromley is an interesting jockey booking as he is able to negotiate the 3lb rise with his handy 7lb claim as well as being son of the owners racing manager Anthony Bromley. With others maybe having more attractive profiles I am siding with the double green colours as my best bet of the day.
NB: 15:37 Newbury - 7/1 Commanche Red - £4 E/W
Commanche Red has been keeping better company and he was not disgraced when finishing eighth in the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle at Kempton in January. The nine-year-old gelding has always been highly regarded by Chris Gordon and he is now 3lb below his last winning mark which came at Plumpton last April. Moreover Jamie Moore is also a positive jockey booking for the son of Mahler, who was only ridden him once which is when he was last in the winners enclosure. This looks to be an easier contest compared to some of his recent assignments and he can play a major part in this contest.
Total P/L: +£20.80
Melissa Jones - @fillyonform
NAP: Back Ask The Doc in the 16:40 at Doncaster @ 7/2 - £10 Win
The six-year-old came closest to winning his first race at this track in December - and has strong claims of going one place better. Over the same trip as today's assignment, the selection finished off that contest particularly well to be beaten three quarters of a length.
The third has franked the form and Ask The Doc has an excellent opportunity against the two penalised principals.
Silver Flyer lost out by a smaller distance to the same rival the selection encountered at Catterick, but he was clearly not at his best that day.
Oliver Greenall's yard seems to be coming into a bit of form, with five of their last eight runners placed first or second. Nick Scholfield was aboard one of the winners and gets another great chance here.
NB: Back Christmas In April in the 13:15 at Newbury @ 8/1 - £5 E/W
Given a little rein by the handicapper, Colin Tizzard's stayer can go close in the Newbury opener. His last two wins, which followed below-par efforts, came off a mark of 129. Down to 127 here, the 2020 Devon and Sussex National winner has his first encounter of a veterans' chase.
In the past he has tended to hit top form a few runs into a season, but his three-and-a-half length second to younger rival Hold That Taught, off 134, showed his capabilities in this grade. Conditions should play to his strengths in retained blinkers and his guaranteed stamina will be useful in the closing stages.
Total P&L: -£20
Marc Hryhorskyj - @MarcHryhorskyj
NAP: Back One Night In Milan 14:05 Kelso - 15/2 £5 E/W
My first selection for the weekend's Tipstar is Keith Dalgleish's One Night In Milan. The selection has been running over 3m on his last 3 runs and will be better suited to today's 2m5f trip. Also, One Night In Milan has shown has best form around Kelso, running four times and winning twice. The stable is operating at a 27% strike rate and the booking of Sean Quinlan is a noticeable positive.
NB: Back Wrath of Hector 18:00 Southwell - 25/1 £5 E/W
Michael Appleby's Wrath of Hector has gone off huge prices in the last four runs. The last run behind Light Lily on the 16th Jan was a better run than the form suggests. He has been dropped another 3lb for that run and is now on a mark of 61. The selections last victory came off a mark of 68. This is a weak looking class 5 and I believe Wrath of Hector can be competitive. Any market support would be significant.
Total P/L: -£3.00