Our experts' festival picks: Ultima gamble is already under way on Kildisart

Having had 24 hours to digest the handicap weights for this year's Cheltenham Festival our experts pick out their best bets

DAY ONE

Kildisart
2.50 Ultima Handicap Chase
The 1lb Kildisart was dropped for his eyecatching run in the Betway Handicap Chase at Kempton is the cherry on top of what I suspect has been the plan since he was beaten by Losintranslation at Carlisle.

He is now on 150, just 2lb higher than the mark from which he emphatically beat Mister Malarky in a Grade 3 at Aintree in April. The doubt with him is jumping. He can undoubtedly be clumsy, but even Aintree's Mildmay fences would soon find out a chronically iffy jumper, so it is clear that he can keep the mistakes down.

The gamble has already started. There was still some 25-1 available earlier this week, but I can see Kildisart going off at odds comfortably into single figures.
Keith Melrose

Imperial Aura
4.50 Northern Trust Company Novices' Handicap Chase
Yet to finish out of the first three in eight starts, Imperial Aura shaped like a horse way ahead of his mark when second to Simply The Betts on Trials day in January.

He'll need to be as he is up 7lb, but so is the 11-length third who blew his rivals away next time at Kempton.

The race wasn't run to suit Imperial Aura last time as they went a crawl early and sprinted – they were a good 20 lengths faster than front-running winner Cepage in a later race from three out to the line – and a more even pace in a big field will suit him. Trainer Kim Bailey is in much better form now than he was then too.
Paul Kealy

DAY TWO

Birchdale
2.50 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle
Talented six-year-old did not stay 3m in last year's Albert Bartlett (should have swapped with Champ and gone for the Ballymore) and failed to fire when sent chasing at Ascot in November.

However, he is still well regarded, unexposed as over hurdles and caught the eye when working with stablemates Fusil Raffles and Mister Coffey at Kempton on Tuesday, coming nicely clear under Barry Geraghty.

The Coral Cup is his only festival entry, a race trainer Nicky Henderson has won with similarly classy types Spirit River, Whisper and William Henry 12 months ago. A bold display is forecast.
James Burn

Aramax
4.50 Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
It's boring, and he's favourite, but Aramax might just be a Grade 1 juvenile masquerading as a handicapper in the race we used to call the Fred Winter.

Aramax: 'He's my banker of the whole meeting,' says David JenningsCredit: Patrick McCann

The way in which he put daylight between himself and Recent Revelations after the last in the same race Band Of Outlaws won at Naas last year, without Mark Walsh picking up his stick, suggests to me he had loads up his sleeve.

He has a mark of 134 in Ireland, that was upped to 138 in Britain the other day, but if it were not a handicap and they were all running off level weights, I still think he'd win. He's my banker of the whole meeting.
David Jennings

DAY THREE

Sire Du Berlais
2.10 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle
Gordon Elliott is going for a hat-trick in the Pertemps Network Final and last year's winner Sire du Berlais showed in his Warwick qualifier that he is still a force and the one to beat even off a 7lb higher rating this time.

His owner JP McManus has six possibles, including favourite Phoenix Way, so if Barry Geraghty deserts last year's partner doubts will be raised, but he did well to overcome adversity through the race to finish strongest last March.

Relegate, the 2018 Champion Bumper winner, looks the danger on his eyecatching first run over the trip in a Punchestown qualifier last week.
Bruce Jackson

DAY FOUR

Croco Bay
4.50 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase
He loves this race and followed his third in 2015 and fifth in 2017 with a deserved victory in last year’s contest.

He was 66-1 at the age of 12 but there appeared no fluke about the win and he was well on top of smart type Bun Doran at the line. That came off a mark of 139.

He is 5lb higher and another year older, but his latest second behind Western Miller at Doncaster was an indication he still retains his form and this will have been the target again.
Graeme Rodway

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