12:40 Bearrene.com Novices’ Chase 2m 4f 127yds

Monmiral has been expensive to follow for punters, but he’s clearly needed time, and he did as well as could be expected when chasing home Jonbon on his chase debut at Warwick.

The key to analysing that form isn’t in the distance he was beaten by Nicky Henderson’s new star chaser but in the timefigure he produced, which suggests he’s got at least a stone in hand of his two rivals here.

1:15 Lycetts Insurance Brokers Handicap Chase 2m 62yds

There are a few underachievers on show here, and while wind surgery may help both Gumball and Third Time Lucki, I’m always happy to oppose the pair as a rule.

Thyme White, Dolos and The Widdow Maker win races elsewhere, but haven’t a single placed effort at Cheltenham between them, and the more I look at the race, the more this looks a straightforward opportunity for Editeur Du Gite.

The selection was a massive eye-catcher on his return here in October. Very weak in the market, he was ridden with restraint rather than his usual forcing tactics, and did his best work from the last when the race was over.

That saw a few eyebrows raised, although I understand the change of tactics given he was due to contest the Paddy Power Gold Cup where his stamina would have to have been conserved over a longer trip. In the end, he was a late withdrawal from that race, and he returns to his ideal trip now.

A dual course winner last season when also fourth off his current mark in the Grand Annual, Editeur Du Gite has plenty to recommend him, and is expected to stay on better than Third Time Lucki up the final hill.

1:50 Ais December Gold Cup Handicap Chase 2m 4f 127yds

There are plenty of runners contesting the December Gold Cup this year, but the overriding feeling is that this is not as deep a contest as it looks, and there aren’t many at the top of the market who make particular appeal.

One who does is Simply The Betts, who ran better than the final result on his return in the Paddy Power when neither he nor his owner/rider appeared at the peak of their fitness, and I would expect improvement on that effort.

The handicapper has given him a chance by dropping him 3lb for that respectable seventh behind Ga Law.

The last time Simply The Betts was this low in the weights, he won the 2020 Festival Plate over course and distance, and he has run at least respectably off higher marks in many of the competitive Grade 3 handicaps at around this trip since.

He would have finished closer last time but for a rare mistake at the penultimate fence and then met some interference when plugging on after the last. The slightly stiffer test on the New Course will suit, and he is likely to be there or thereabouts at a working man’s price.

Jacamar did us a good turn around this time last year and he makes a degree of appeal having been priced up at an insulting 40/1.

His jumping is the worry as he tends to get low and can make errors, but he won off marks of 130 and 131 last term, and has dropped to 132 now having failed to see out longer trips on recent starts.

The return to two and a half miles is in his favour, and he’s worth a win-only wager with a first-time visor potentially helping him to concentrate at his fences. That’s a high-risk bet, but the odds are too good to turn it down.

2:25 Unibet International Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 179yds

I struggle to get involved with the International Hurdle as Epatante has very strong claims but didn’t really convince me at Newcastle even though her task against Constitution Hill proved impossible.

Her jumping is not as assured as it was earlier in her career, and while I’m struggling to find a solid bet against her at the current odds, she is not copper-bottomed enough for me to risk any cash on her at around 5/4.

3:00 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 7f 213yds

Outlaw Peter appeals just most of the four with chances in the ‘Bristol’, and while he was as short as 6/4 when the market opened, he’s beginning to drift to a more reasonable price.

He has more experience than his rivals, and while that usually means less potential, it doesn’t always work that way, and he has clearly improved on his last two starts.

He ran an excellent race until outstayed late in the day in the Persian War, and then won an easier race at Exeter in facile fashion.

It’s easy to ignore the Exeter form as it looked an easy task, but he pulverised his rivals, and runner-up Sporting Ace ran well against a useful sort on his handicap debut at Southwell on his next start.

On a line through that gelding, I reckon Outlaw Peter improved further at Exeter, and his assured jumping will be an asset against the promising Weveallbeencaught, who looked quite raw on his hurdles bow in a similar contest here in November.

That gelding should improve, but needs to be quicker at his hurdles to keep tabs on the selection.

3:35 Molson Coors Mares’ Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f 56yds

Last year’s one-two are declared again, although Indefatigable is an unlikely runner if turning out on Friday, and while I very much respect Martello Sky, I intend to stick with Theatre Glory who unseated her rider in rather a soft incident at Newbury a fortnight ago.

She was well backed there and I thought she was well treated on the improved form she showed in the spring.

Nathan Brennan’s loss is Nico de Boinville’s gain as she attempts to make amends, and confidence would be increased if the ground was riding close to the official good. There’s no rain to come, but the turf tends to sweat a bit under the frost covers and can ride deader as a result.

Editeur Du Gite 1:15 Cheltenham – 2pts win @ 11/4 (Hills, BetVictor, 5/2 general)

Simply The Betts 1:50 Cheltenham – 1pt e/w @ 11/1 (SkyBet, Hills – 5 places)

Jacamar 1:50 Cheltenham – 1pt win @ 40/1 (Bet365, Ladbrokes)

Theatre Glory 3:35 Cheltenham – 1pt win @ 3/1 (Bet365, BetVictor, Coral)