Cheltenham Festival naps: best betting tips from our experts

Day one of the Cheltenham Festival is upon us – but who do our top tipsters fancy most?

Hunters Yarn

2.10 Cheltenham

By Paul Kealy

On the evidence so far, Hunters Yarn does have his jumping issues as he fell when cruising clear of the useful Sa Fureur on his chase debut at Fairyhouse and then ploughed through the second-last when he was off the mark back at the same track in January.

The engine is most certainly there, however, as the horse he beat last time was Path D'Oroux, who went on to run second to Madara in a valuable handicap chase at the Dublin Racing Festival and is in the top half dozen in the betting for Wednesday's Grand Annual.

He'll be running in that off a mark of 142, so it's worth remembering that Hunters Yarn beat him by ten lengths when barely coming out of a canter, and there is every chance he is top class.

Paul Townend apparently prefers the claims of Gaelic Warrior (another in a first-time hood), who you'd imagine is showing more than he did at the DRF, but even so you still have to worry about him on a left-handed track.

Hunters Yarn14:10 Cheltenham

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Jky: Daryl Jacob Tnr: W P Mullins

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Apple Away

5.30 Cheltenham

By Tom Segal

Lucinda Russell has an amazing record in staying chases and Apple Away looks as if she will stay forever and love the testing ground. She was relentless when beating the likes of Iroko and Stay Away Fay at Aintree over hurdles and, although she hasn't quite been at that level over frences yet, she ran well at Ascot last time on ground that might have been a bit quick.

I can see her reversing that form with Henry's Friend and Kilbeg King over this trip on this ground, and with champion Irish point-to-point rider Barry O'Neill booked, Embassy Gardens and Corbetts Cross will have to stay every yard of the 3m6f to get past Apple Away.

Apple Away17:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Mr B O'Neill Tnr: Lucinda Russell

Batman Girac

4.50 Cheltenham

By Conor Fennelly

Batman Girac was a big eyecatcher when fourth in a Grade 2 at Leopardstown and has a big chance in the Boodles, particularly if he proves more tractable in this style of race.

A winner of a three-year-old race at Compiegne, he pulled way too hard to do himself justice on his Irish debut at Fairyhouse but he seemed on much better terms with himself when ridden cold at Leopardstown.

He was still travelling as well as any horse coming to the last but was behind a wall of rivals and ran on encouragingly late on to grab fourth once he saw a bit of daylight.

He'll require plenty of luck here but you'd imagine a big field with a strong pace will see him to even better effect and he should be arriving on the scene late with a potent challenge.

Batman Girac16:50 Cheltenham

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Jky: Daryl Jacob Tnr: W P Mullins

Chianti Classico

2.50 Cheltenham

By Kevin Morley

Best on the trends is Chianti Classico. Kim Bailey hasn't been far away in this with lightly raced types in a couple of recent runnings and can hit the target this time. Meetingofthewaters looks short enough considering his lack of Cheltenham form, so Stumptown is the pick of the Irish challenge ahead of The Goffer. The selection's stablemate Trelawne is also worth a look, as is Twig whose yard is in good form.

Chianti Classico14:50 Cheltenham

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Jky: David Bass Tnr: Kim Bailey

Read these next:

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Paul Kealy's Cheltenham Festival day 1 racing tips: Tuesday's play of the day  

Cheltenham Festival day 1 tips: six horses to back on Tuesday  

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