Horse Racing Betting Centre

Sporting Life Tips

THURSDAY'S SELECTIONS:

CHELTENHAM: 1.30 Nicanor, 2.05 Prince Erik, 2.40 TRANQUIL SEA (NAP), 3.20 Big Buck's, 4.00 Atouchbetweenacara, 4.40 Ballabriggs

HEXHAM: 2.20 Nevsky Bridge, 2.55 Noble Alan, 3.35 Premier Sagas, 4.15 Reckless Venture, 4.55 Miss Tarantella, 5.25 Manoubi

SOUTHWELL: 2.30 Pennyspider, 3.05 Irish Music, 3.45 Turning Circle, 4.25 Arthur's Edge, 5.05 Whooshka, 5.35 Pendragon

WOLVERHAMPTON: 5.45 Lewyn, 6.15 Straight Face, 6.45 Thunderstruck, 7.15 Beneath, 7.45 My Mate Mal, 8.15 Replicator, 8.45 Kladester

DOUBLE: Tranquil Sea and Ballabriggs

Tranquil Sea can be the leading light on day three of the Cheltenham Festival.

Trained in Ireland by Edward O'Grady, the eight-year-old must have an outstanding chance in the Ryanair Chase.

Shoots of optimism for this assignment can be unearthed in virtually every department of his classy profile.

The Grade One-winning hurdler has excelled since being switched to fences, and crucially brings to the party exceptional course form.

O'Grady's representative turned in one of the season's most visually impressive triumphs in November when routing a white-hot Paddy Power Gold Cup field by upwards of four and a half lengths.

Runner-up that day was subsequent Boylesports.com Gold Cup scorer Poquelin, who is now favourite for the Ryanair.

While held in lofty esteem by his connections in Ditcheat, Paul Nicholls' seven-year-old needs to have improved markedly to reverse form with Tranquil Sea - even though he was conceding 2lb in November.

Although O'Grady's charge was subsequently turned over by Golden Silver at Leopardstown at Christmas, it was far from a disgraceful display over an inadequate trip.

The Newlands Chase at Leopardstown in February also represented a distance way short of his optimum, but that did not prevent him from winning in cigar-and-slipper mode.

Despite that striking success, most observers concur Tranquil Sea will be far happier with his lot over this two miles and five furlongs.

Critics may suggest the gelding is best with plenty of dig in the ground, but he has won a Grade One heat at Punchestown on good, so that is surely not a big issue.

It will also have not gone unnoticed that Imperial Commander won the Paddy Power before going on to strike Ryanair gold.

Big Buck's looks the proverbial steering job in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

Nicholls' seven-year-old is, quite simply, a class above these rivals and is destined to usurp the great Inglis Drever as undisputed doyen of staying hurdlers.

That said, there are several teasing each-way contenders in the field who could at least give Big Buck's something to think about.

One such aspirant is Katchit, the 2008 Champion Hurdle winner.

It has been a bit of a struggle for Alan King's pocket-rocket since his championship success - he has not won since - but there were signs back at Cheltenham in January he could have an exciting new career over longer distances.

Katchit saw out the three-mile trip of the Cleeve Hurdle in satisfactory style to take third behind Tidal Bay on soft ground.

That was a pretty good effort for a horse who is renowned for hitting his stride at Prestbury Park, especially in the spring.

It also served noticed of his World Hurdle credentials as the ground will be a lot quicker here than it was earlier this term.

Still only seven years old, Katchit could feasibly run into the money at a decent price.

Nicanor is the choice in the opening Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase as he returns to the scene of his finest hour.

Noel Meade's charge beat Denman in the then Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle at the meeting four years ago but little has gone right for him since.

After following up at Punchestown, injury kept him on the sidelines for nearly three years and he was evidently not quite as good over hurdles on his return.

Switched to fences this term, he has clashed with some decent horses but a recent win at Naas should see him come here with plenty of confidence.

The Pertemps Final can go to Irish lionheart Prince Erik.

Dermot Weld's six-year-old has plenty of guts - as evidenced by his recent Leopardstown success - and should be bounding up that hill when most of his rivals have cried enough.

He is one of the most exciting animals entered in this fiendishly difficult handicap.

Atouchbetweenacara can bang home yet another Cheltenham winner for Venetia Williams.

The nine-year-old was a bit of a let-down on two starts for Tim Vaughan before he returned to Herefordshire.

There were excuses for his slip-shod form with Vaughan, however, as he is a far better animal on fast ground.

A course-and-distance scorer for Williams last April, he looks one of the likelier sorts in the Byrne Group Plate.

On all known form, Ballabriggs is the stand-out horse in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup.

Donald McCain's nine-year-old has plenty on his plate giving weight away to the rest of them, but he is seriously progressive.

It should also be remembered that Cloudy Lane duly obliged for the McCain team three years ago.