1.30 JLT NOVICES’ CHASE

Yorkhill has been one of the most discussed horses coming into the Cheltenham Festival and this race revolves around him. He was so impressive in the Neptune Hurdle last season but his chasing career has yet to alight and significantly he has big jumping concerns. The same cannot be said of Disko, who was spectacular in the Grade 1 Flogas Novice Chase at Leopardstown and he brings in a really solid form line through Our Duke and Coney Island. Noel Meade has always thought the world of him and should he get into a rhythm out in front again he will be very tough to pass. That will put plenty of pressure on Yorkhill’s jumping and with only two runs over fences to date, he looks short on experience in any case.

Top Notch did it well in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown last time but he is a small horse and so his jumping at pace around Cheltenham will come under pressure. Flying Angel may be the best of the British. He bounced back to form in a Grade 2 at Warwick on his previous run and he was second in the Martin Pipe at the festival last season.

SELECTION: DISKO NEXT BEST: TOP NOTCH LONGSHOT: FLYING ANGEL

2.10 PERTEMPS FINAL

This is an ultra competitive heat and sets the tone for what is usually the day punters find most difficult. Patrick Kelly, Davy Russell and owner Philip Reynolds bid to win this for the second year running with Presenting Percy following on from Mall Dini’s heroics last season. However Kelly was less than impressed with the rating allotted to his six-year-old gelding who will have to compete off a 6lb higher British mark, meaning he will be a total of 16lbs higher in the weights than his last run. Progressive though he is, that is enough to swerve him in such a competitive race and the one I prefer is Jury Duty for Gordon Elliott. The son of Well Chosen won really nicely at Navan at the beginning of the season and has been kept back for this race since. He went to Chepstow last time with the purpose of getting qualified for this race and you can expect him to be in top condition now.

El Bandit is a solid ‘next best’ option as he is really consistent and was so game when he won at Musselburgh on his previous run. He can run another solid race while Gordon Elliott’s other runner Sutton Manor is one if you’re looking for a bigger price. He got his act together when ridden by Lisa O’Neill last time at Thurles and with O’Neill taking 5lbs off again, he could get involved.

SELECTION: JURY DUTY NEXT BEST: EL BANDIT LONGSHOT: SUTTON MANOR

2.50 RYANAIR CHASE

Un De Sceaux has been favourite for this race all season but with the ground quickly drying out it would be no surprise to see him drift in the betting. If he does, Empire Of Dirt will surely start favourite for the in-form Gordon Elliott. The 10-year-old gelding won on this card over the same course and distance in the Brown Advisory and Merriebelle Stable Plate last season and has since gone from strength to strength on each of his next three runs. He ran a cracker to be second to Gold Cup hope Sizing John in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown and that should have left him spot on after a winter break.

Uxizandre is a big player in the race as well. Alan King’s gelding won this two seasons ago and made a very encouraging return to action when chasing home Un De Sceaux over a likely inadequate trip last time. With cheekpieces back on, better ground and coming back up in trip, he should make a bold bid for Mark Walsh. Sub Lieutenant is not really a longshot but he is one at a bigger price that makes appeal. He has improved for a switch to Henry de Bromhead’s stable and his recent runs behind Sizing John, Outlander and Djakadam represents some of the best form in the race.

SELECTION: EMPIRE OF DIRT NEXT BEST: UXIZANDRE LONGSHOT: SUB LIEUTENANT

3.30 STAYERS HURDLE

An intriguing market, with a favourite that many think should be well odds-on while others are very keen to take him on. Unowhatimeanharry has done very little wrong since winning the Albert Bartlett at the festival last season and comes into the race unbeaten in two seasons. Champion Hurdle winning jockey Noel Fehily, who rode the gelding in the Albert Bartlett last season, again comes in for the ride in place of Barry Geraghty and on all known form he is the one to beat.

However the suggestion that he should be as short as Douvan and Altior were seems rash as he only scrambled home from Cole Harden and the novice West Approach on his previous run. I think he is worth taking on at the prices. Warren Greatrex was delighted with that run from Cole Harden and on better ground the 2015 winner is a real force to be reckoned with. However at a bigger price I like Snow Falcon for Noel Meade. He was about to run a big race behind Unowhatimeanharry at Newbury earlier in the season when he fell three out. His trainer is of the opinion that the faster pace on here will very much suit this son of Presenting and he has very little to find with Shaneshill who is more than half his price but only beat him under a length at Gowran Park last time. Clondaw Warrior is another who has little to find with Shaneshill and the drying ground is sure to suit the Galway Hurdle winner.

SELECTION: SNOW FALCON NEXT BEST: COLE HARDEN LONGSHOT: CLONDAW WARRIOR

4.10 BROWN ADVISORY AND MERRIEBELLE STABLE PLATE

Diamond King is likely to start favourite here for the in-form Gordon Elliott team. The nine-year-old has had a topsy-turvy season but underwent a wind operation since his previous run and will love the better ground he is due to get here. He won the Coral Cup here last season off a similar mark over hurdles and if he can return to that form he has an obvious chance. That’s a sizeable ‘if’ though and like all handicaps at the festival, there are dangers everywhere you look. The one I like is Baran Alco for trainer Gary Moore. With just five runs he is one of the least exposed horses in the field and he has got form that ties in with Top Notch from the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices Chase.

Village Vic looks like a rock solid ‘next best’ choice as he is always bang there around Cheltenham. The ground won’t be a problem and he can run another big race with Richard Johnson in the saddle. Venitia Williams has a very good record in this race having won it three times in the last 10 years and she nearly won it again last season with Tango De Juilley who found only Empire Of Dirt too good. That horse has more than franked the form since and although this will be Tango De Juilley’s first run since that effort, he is likely to have been primed for another crack at this and will compete off just a 1lb higher mark.

SELECTION: BARAN ALCO NEXT BEST: VILLAGE VIC LONGSHOT: TANGO DE JUILLEY

4.50 MARES NOVICE HURDLE

Willie Mullins won the first running of this race last season and he has a strong hand in his bid to make it two out of two. His pair Let’s Dance and Airlie Beach head the betting and interestingly the former is coming here on account of a €50,000 bonus she will pick up for the stable staff at Muine Beag. She looks the one to beat as she ran a fine race in the Triumph Hurdle last season and has taken advantage of her second season novice status by cleaning up in mares’ hurdles in Ireland this term.

Dusky Legend is another mare who qualifies as a second season novice and you’d like to think that she has improved since last season. If she has, she should go very close to winning as she found only Limini too good last year. Barra has some nice form in the book already and she is another who could outrun her odds. Gordon Elliott has applied a tongue tie for the first time and that may eek out further improvement.

SELECTION: LET’S DANCE NEXT BEST: DUSKY LEGEND LONGSHOT: BARRA

5.30 KIM MUIR HANDICAP CHASE

Another tough heat to finish the day. Ireland would appear to have a decent hand with Pertemps Final winner Mall Dini and Gordon Elliott’s Squouateur at the head of the market. Both could be very well treated, especially Mall Dini who returns to the festival with the good ground he prospered on last season. Of the British-trained horses, Jonjo O’Neill’s Another Hero has solid handicap form and Whats Happening looks interesting for Tom George, who went so close to winning the Ultima Handicap Chase with Singlefarmpayment on Tuesday. Preference is for the latter-mentioned horse who came back off a long layoff to run really well behind Perfect Candidate at Exeter. Previously to that he had won twice over this sort of distance at Cheltenham with the second win coming off just a 1lb lower mark. Providing he doesn’t bounce on his second run back, he should run a big race.

SELECTION: WHATS HAPPENING NEXT BEST: MALL DINI LONGSHOT: ANOTHER HERO