UK Horse Racing Tips: Cheltenham

Champ hasn't looked back since defeat last season on his sole outing over hurdles at Ascot to Vinndication, but the form of his Challow Novices' Hurdle success at Newbury, where he had Brewin'upastorm back in fourth, hasn't worked out as well as expected. Battleoverdoyen is unbeaten so far in his career, having progressed at a rapid rate of knots, and won a Grade 1 at Naas when getting the better of SAMS PROFILE. However, there is every chance Mouse Morris' gelding can reverse the form, having been unlucky on that occasion, and he boasts a similar profile to the yard's First Lieutenant, who won this in 2011. Brewin'upastorm would likely have got the better of leading Albert Bartlett contender Birchdale when falling here at the last on Trials Day and will be suited by a stronger pace, while others to note include City Island, unbeaten in his last two starts over timber, and Easy Game, who hasn't stopped improving since last summer.
Prediction : 1st Sams Profile 2nd Battleoverdoyen 3rd Brewinupastorm

Delta Work has done very little wrong so far over fences with two successes at the highest level and has proven Festival form having won the Pertemps Final last year. Topofthegame is still a maiden over fences but has shown a strong level of form with two seconds to Defi Du Seuil at Exeter, where he missed the start by 25 lengths, and La Bague Au Roi in the Kauto Star at Kempton where he finished ahead of SANTINI (third), but, despite a less than ideal preparation, Nicky Henderson's charge marginally shades the vote. A Grade 2 winner on chase debut at Newbury, he was inconvenienced by the sharp nature of Kempton but finished off his race strongly and will be much better suited by a return to Cheltenham.
Prediction : 1st Santini 2nd Delta Work 3rd Topofthegame

Uradel represents last year's winning owner/trainer combination and undoubtedly looks fairly handicapped off a mark of 137 based on his best efforts, while Brio Conti hasn't been easy to train but did bounce back to form with a game success at Ascot 25 days ago. He might come unstuck at this track, though, and could be worth taking on. Canardier won over course and distance in October and has had this race as his target ever since, while Erick Le Rouge has won four in a row and represents connections who are no strangers to success at this meeting. He might have too much weight to carry, but at double figure odds a chance is taken on VISION DES FLOS. Two lengths behind Buveur D'Air in the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown last month and a cosy winner of the Grade 2 National Spirit at Fontwell recently, the six-year-old remains open to plenty of improvement and could relish this step up in distance.
Prediction : 1st Vision Des Flos 2nd Canardier 3rd Erick Le Rouge

It would be a huge surprise if ALTIOR were unable to match Big Buck's' record of 18 successes in a row. Nicky Henderson's star has looked as good as ever this campaign without an uninterrupted preparation having proven a cut above Un De Sceaux in the Tingle Creek before effortless displays in the Desert Orchid and Clarence House. Despite jumping to his left on those occasions, he should have no problem in confirming last year's form with Min, with the likely strong pace on offer courtesy of Hell's Kitchen and Saint Calvados very much in his favour. Min arrives fresh from success at the Dublin Racing Festival, while, at the prices, God's Own represents each-way value to replicate his third from last year.
Prediction : 1st Altior 2nd Min 3rd Gods Own

This contest revolves around last year's winner TIGER ROLL, who has claimed success at the Festival a remarkable three times and looked better than ever when winning a Grade 2 over hurdles at Navan last month. The Grand National hero handles any sort of ground and, having won the Triumph Hurdle and National Hunt Chase in the last few years, looks tough to oppose. Auvergnat and Josies Orders are closely matched on form and have to be respected for a handler who does very well in this sphere, while although Fact Of The Matter accounted for both here in December, he isn't as well off at the weights this time and will need to find more. Ultragold isn't sure to stay this trip, with Urgent De Gregaine and Bless The Wings preferred for those looking for an each-way alternative.
Prediction : 1st Tiger Roll 2nd Josies Orders 3rd Urgent De Gregaine

Gordon Elliott took this last year and runs three with real claims this time around with Cheveley Park pair Lethal Steps and Chief Justice and Gigginstown's Coko Beach. However, an even stronger hand is held by Joseph O'Brien, who saddles two at the head of the betting market and his BAND OF OUTLAWS looks the one they all have to beat. He won at Naas last time, with Coko Beach back in third, and would be well worth his place in the Triumph Hurdle if it wasn't for his handlers tight grasp on that contest with Sir Erec. Stablemate Fine Brunello kept on to take second behind Fakir D'oudairies here last time, while Star Max is another from the yard who shouldn't be dismissed. It is interesting Ruby Walsh rides Ciel De Neige, who has some useful form on soft ground in France, while Got Trumped wasn't disgraced in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown last month and may be overpriced. Paul Nicholls has won this three times since 2010 but his Dogon may not be up to the same level as those winners, therefore the pick of the UK runners may well be Prabeni, who was beaten by Beat The Judge on his hurdles bow at Kempton but has since shaped nicely to win twice.
Prediction : 1st Band of Outlaws 2nd Prabeni 3rd Ciel De Neige

Envoi Allen has gone some way to justifying his lofty 400,000-pound price tag by remaining unbeaten in three outings in bumpers this term, including when landing a Grade 2 contest at the Dublin Racing Festival in February, beating the reopposing Meticulous trained by Joseph O'Brien, who also saddles the 15-length Thurles winner Sempo with Derek O'Connor aboard. Gordon Elliott's five-year-old looks a top staying prospect for the future and has enough experience to handle the hurly-burly nature of this contest, although it will be interesting to see what stablemate Abacadabras can bring to the table having looked set to produce a stern challenge before running out in the latter stages at Leopardstown. Willie Mullins' record in this is second to none and it is interesting he saddles just the one runner, Blue Sari, who impressed at Gowran and now races in the green and gold of J P McManus, while Paul Nicholls saddles two exciting prospects in Flic Ou Voyou and Ask For Glory, with the latter highly regarded having cost 280,000 pounds and he obliterated a useful field at Chepstow over the Christmas period. However, it may be worth taking a chance on MASTER DEBONAIR, who represents a yard that have won this in the past with Cue Card and his two efforts over course and distance earlier this season must mark him down as a real player. He bumped into a more experienced rival at the October meeting before beating a cast involving Thyme Hill and some subsequent winners in the Listed contest to close the November meeting.
Prediction : 1st Master Debonair 2nd Envoi Allen 3rd Ask For Glory