Road To Cheltenham's Saturday Cheltenham Trials Day Tips

We’re just seven weeks out from the 2026 Cheltenham Festival and Saturday’s Trials Day should offer up plenty of clues relating to those four days in March. The focus will be on Prestbury Park this weekend as the Festival picture becomes a little clearer in some divisions and murkier in others.

Who will strengthen their claims and who will blot their copybook ahead of March’s showpiece meeting? Only time will tell. Read on for my selections at Prestbury Park on Saturday, including a couple of big-priced fancies on what should be a competitive day of racing.

JAVERT ALLEN – 13:15 CHELTENHAM – 0.5pts EW

Best odds 7/1 available at time of publishing.

11 runners go to post for this competitive handicap and I think JAVERT ALLEN has a great chance of going very close on Saturday afternoon. The form of his fourth at Aintree in November is working out incredibly well, with Mambonumberfive, Highlands Legacy, Glengouly and Jour d’Evasion all going on to achieve bigger and better things.

Mambonumberfive is 18lbs higher, Glengouly is 12lbs higher, Jour d’Evasion is 13lbs higher and Highlands Legacy (rated 121 at Aintree) is waiting to be reassessed after winning off 127 at Windsor last weekend. Meanwhile, Javert Allen runs off a mark of 128 – just 1lb higher than he ran off in November.

The form of his last run looks decent too, with winner Ryan’s Rocket still going well when unseating in the Desert Orchid Handicap Chase at Kempton Park. Chances are Thistle Ask would’ve proven too strong but how close would Ryan’s Rocket have been? It’s hard to say but he was certainly in contention and he’d been well supported in the betting.

The million pound question for Javert Allen is – will he stay the 2m4f trip? Having raced exclusively over the minimum trip in 10 runs under rules, it would be fair to have doubts over his stamina but at his current price I think he’s worth chancing. The Jane Williams yard are going well this season and fingers crossed they have a Trials Day winner.

SPILLANE’S TOWER – 14:25 CHELTENHAM – 1pt WIN

Best odds 4/1 available at time of publishing.

Grey Dawning is a short priced favourite to win the Cotswold Chase but I’m looking to take him on with Irish raider SPILLANE’S TOWER. Dan Skelton’s runner will be well supported on Saturday afternoon but there are a couple of reasons why I am happy to oppose him with Jimmy Mangan’s stable star.

First and foremost, Spillane’s Tower loves soft ground and he’s not really had conditions in his favour since the 2024 John Durkan Chase at Punchestown. He finished just half a length behind Fact To File that day while he was ahead of Fastorslow and Galopin Des Champs, which is proper Grade 1 form.

Furthermore, Jack Kennedy is booked to ride on Saturday afternoon. He got a tune out of Spillane’s Tower that day at Punchestown and I am delighted to see him in the saddle at Cheltenham. In contention for the Irish jockeys championship, he is riding at the peak of his powers and Spillane’s Tower is his best chance of a winner on Saturday.

The favourite has to give my selection 6lbs and I wonder whether he really wants a battle on soft ground. He was outstayed at Haydock in the 2024 Betfair Chase and if it ends up becoming a real test up the hill, could he fall short? The fact Spillane’s Tower makes the trip over speaks volumes and I’d say they are sizing him up for March.

TAURUS BAY – 16:10 CHELTENHAM – 1pt WIN

Best odds 11/4 available at time of publishing.

Ben Pauling holds TAURUS BAY in high regard and he could be a live player in the 2m5f novice hurdle division. He has been well supported in the build-up to Saturday’s race and plenty of punters have latched onto Harry Redknapp’s runner – and he could turn out to be a class above his rivals.

Act Of Innocence sets a fair standard but it was disappointing to see him get beat the last day – even considering the weight difference. Taurus Bay has yet to be tested in a serious race but a more careful approach could prove dividends come March and this is his biggest test yet.

This race has been the target since his success at Aintree and he looks a proper one to step up in trip. In theory, moving up to the intermediate trip should bring out further improvement and he’ll have no issue staying as he’s a point-to-point winner over three miles around Comea.

I expect the top two in the betting to be closer in price come the off and the Ben Jones – Ben Pauling combination have been firing in winners all winter. Keep a close eye on the market ahead of the race on Saturday, as there is likely to be plenty of sustained support for Taurus Bay given the verbal confidence prior to the weekend.