'He could be a big player' - our experts on the Cheltenham Festival handicap entries that caught their eye

With the Cheltenham Festival handicap entries revealed on Tuesday, our experts identify those that stood out ahead of the weight allocations next week...

Theatre Man and Milan Tino

Two that catch my eye are Theatre Man and Milan Tino. We all know that the novice handicap chase on Trials day tends to be one of the hottest formlines of the season. Winner Ginny's Destiny might go off favourite for the Turners, and the horse that chased him home, Theatre Man, has handicap options in the Ultima and Plate off a mark of 137. He is a totally unexposed prominent racer who deserves to be taken seriously wherever he goes. Milan Tino is the horse whose mark I will have the closest eye on when the weights are published. He has been given a Boodles entry, having twice run with credit at Cheltenham this season. He had previously recorded some eyecatching form in France, but the French handicapper has not given him a mark either according to France Galop's website. Milan Tino might well be a 135-plus horse, but the handicapper would have to get creative to put him that high.
Keith Melrose, betting editor

Springwell Bay, Nurse Susan and Playful Saint

Springwell Bay has long been on my radar for the Pertemps Final. He looks the perfect type for the race and looks ahead of the handicapper. As does Nurse Susan, who off a mark of 135 will surely take up one of her handicap entries rather than her Grade 1 engagements. With Langer Dan fancied for the Coral Cup for the same owner, the Martin Pipe would look the obvious target. Her trainer Dan Skelton has won four of the last eight County Hurdles and he has a number of entries but Playful Saint is perhaps the most intriguing. Not seen since finishing third in last year's Imperial Cup, I've long thought he was well handicapped and could be a big player if the ground came up soft.
Tom Park, tipster