bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials tips: best bets at Musselburgh

Saturday's bet365-sponsored card at Musselburgh looks a belter, with the Scottish Triumph Trial, County Hurdle, Champion Chase and Stayers' Hurdle all taking place alongside a couple of other competitive handicaps.

In the opening contest for juveniles, Minella Study is sure to be well-fancied after an impressive win at Cheltenham last time, but he is unraced on ground worse than good to soft over obstacles, and it may be dangerous to rule out MUSTANG DU BREUIL for Nicky Henderson.

By one of hottest jumps sires in France, he was a remarkable winner of his only start so far. Fifth jumping the penultimate flight at Auteuil in October, he still had work to do over the last, but flew home to win by a length on very soft ground away from the favoured stands rail.

Since bought by JP McManus, the half-brother to Kim Roque was reportedly not fully tuned up for his debut run according to his former trainer, and with further improvement likely to come, the current 6-1 on offer with multiple firms looks worth a play. My confidence would be increased should the ground stay testing.

Just over an hour later, last year's Champion Chase winner THE KALOOKI KID is back to defend his title and I fancy him to retain his crown despite a 7lb higher mark.

The grey was a bit of an eye-catcher last time out over course and distance on his first run for 60 days under a big weight, shaping as if he should improve for that outing.

He had previously run well on his seasonal debut in a good renewal of the Colin Parker at Carlisle, where despite finishing last of the four runners, he was not too far behind Resplendent Grey, Handstands and subsequent winner Hollygrove Cha Cha, to whom he was conceding almost a stone.

The Kalooki Kid was a two and three-quarter length victor over Saint Segal 12 months ago, and Jane Williams's eight-year-old has since won three times, has risen to a mark of 155, and has finished second to the highly progressive Thistle Ask in both the Haldon Gold Cup and Desert Orchid Chase this season.

Still lightly-raced for his age, The Kalooki Kid has had just six runs over fences and is running as well as he ever has, with the only real blemish on his chasing CV being a well-beaten eighth at Aintree last April, but that was in the Grade One Manifesto behind Impaire Et Passe, Gildleigh Park and Jango Baie. He is clearly highly regarded.

This season's race looks more winnable and connections have no doubt had this valuable contest in mind for some time yet again. He should get his ideal conditions too, with the ground currently described as soft, but with little rain forecast over the coming days. He looks a decent bet at a best-priced 5-1 with the race sponsors.

The most valuable race on Sunday's card is the £60,000 bet365 Edinburgh National Handicap Chase over just shy of four miles and it looks a typically competitive affair.

However, a smaller field than usual looks likely, and that can help the well-handicapped LORD ACCORD get his head back in front.

Neil Mulholland has his string in good form at present, with three winners so far this week at the time of writing, plus a few more placed, and this 11-year-old comes here in good form, having won nicely at Fontwell in October and then finishing second at Ascot last time off this mark.

He is set to re-oppose against the winner of the 11-length winner of that race here, Rock My Way, but that horse has since had a tough race in the Welsh Grand National and Lord Accord is much better off at the weights, and is more than double the price.

Lord Accord was pulled-up in this race last year, but rather than stamina getting the better of him, he just never got into a rhythm with his jumping and was slightly hampered at the first very fence. He is much better than that and is 1lb lower this time around, plus has won off much higher marks in the past.

Since being fitted with blinkers for the first time two runs ago, he has produced the best form he has shown for some time and, despite being pigeonholed as a good ground horse, he handles soft ground perfectly well too.

Age is no barrier to success in this event and he is likely to be ridden prominently, another significant positive in recent renewals. The 10-1 with William Hill looks much too big. 

MUSTANG DU BREUIL at a general 6-1.

THE KALOOKI KID at 5-1 with bet365.

LORD ACCORD at 10-1 with William Hill.