Andy Holding & Tom Love Cross-Sport Double

The first two races on day one of the festival, classy events though they are, make very little appeal as betting mediums due to their field sizes and general lack of competitiveness, but the same can’t be said for the rest of the card and the first port of call is this 3m1f handicap, where HAPPYGOLUCKY (best price 10-3) looks to have standout claims.

Firstly, the recent trends point heavily in his direction being a lightly-raced novice (10 of last 12 all either novices or second season chasers), in the right age group (only one of the last eight winners older than eight), having previous Cheltenham form (seven of last eight) and has also run at the track this season (all of the last six).

Secondly, this looks to have been a carefully hatched plan by connections having put the son of Jeremy away since winning impressively here on the New Course in December. Looking back at his performance 95 days ago, the feature of his display was the way he attacked his fences and although it was only a small field, the overall pace was good enough to produce a fine speed figure from a novice seemingly going places over fences. Good on the numbers also when making a winning chasing debut at Stratford back in October, his only blip came when he just found the sharp nature of the track at Fakenham catching him out next time - although getting beaten by the useful Getaway Trump can hardly be described as a crime. Fourth in the hugely competitive boys’ race at last year’s festival, he would have finished a good deal closer had he not been badly hampered by the fall of Column Of Fire at the last and having trod a similar path on that occasion – being off the track for three months prior – it’s clear he goes well fresh. Likely to receive a positive ride from a jockey whose ability to see a stride and gain lengths on the vast majority of his mounts so far this season has enabled him to take his game to another level, hopefully Kim Bailey’s gelding can get into a good early rhythm because he certainly has all the right attributes and class to win a race of this nature with a trouble-free passage.

MIDDLESBROUGH (best price 19-20) are aiming for a late play off push under Championship supremo Neil Warnock and they have a great chance to get a big 3 points against a woefully out of form Preston North End. Pressure is growing on Alex Neil at Deepdale, there’s plenty of quality in their squad but confidence looks on the floor, as shown in a desperate defeat at rock bottom Wycombe at the weekend. It’s now just 2 wins in their last 11 for North End who now look destined for a mid table finish.

Boro were clinical in a 3-0 win over Stoke at the weekend, looking superb on the break and a constant threat from set pieces. There’s more on the line for Boro and I’m expecting them to have a strong finish to the season. 10/11 looks a nice price on the Teeside outfit to kick on.