Cheltenham and Punchestown tips: Angus McNae's best bets

It was good to get two winners – from four selections – in my Sunday column last week, including Buddy Rich at 5-1. Let’s hope for more of the same this week from my five selections which run at Cheltenham and Punchestown, live on Racing TV. Best of luck.

Fancy Foundations was a non-runner at Cheltenham on Friday but runs here instead and should be backed with confidence to justify Gordon Elliott’s decision to run his seven-year-old at Punchestown on Sunday.

Had Fancy Foundations not fallen last time at Tipperary, he would quite possibly be unbeaten in three starts over fences.

He already looks to be a better chaser than hurdler and the step back up in trip to 2m6f will suit given that he was very strong at the finish when winning over two and a half miles at Sligo.

He is clearly well thought of and this Grade Two is well within his grasp.

I was really impressed with the way this horse won at Exeter last time out on just his second start over fences.

His first start over fences saw him beaten for speed when runner-up at Chepstow, but he was a different proposition at Exeter where a positive ride saw him destroy his rivals, scoring by 15 lengths in a good time.

He is clearly a smart chasing prospect, as he should be given that he a was a decent novice hurdler and was only beaten on one occasion. A repetition of that effort should be good enough for him to win again here where he looks likely to dominate a small field. A step up in grade surely awaits after this.

This mare is potentially top class, and this could be the start of a Champion Hurdle campaign for her.

She won a Grade One at Punchestown in April which represented a quick rise through the ranks. Her Grade Two win at Fairyhouse - when thrashing MC Muldoon by 15 lengths - was particularly impressive plus was achieved in a fast time.

Willie Mullins has a sure touch with mares and he clearly rates her highly in asking her to take on some useful geldings on her seasonal debut. It should also be noted that she gets the mares allowance here which gives her an added advantage.

I am taking a chance that Tritonic bounces back after a rusty-looking effort at Cheltenham behind I Like To Move It.

He travelled well into that race but ultimately shaped as if he needed the run. This is the first time he has ever run in a handicap over hurdles and a mark of 142 seems to be fair enough, given that he was effective off marks around 100 on the flat.

It would be fair to say that he hasn’t quite lived up to the potential that he showed when winning the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton last season, but I am prepared to give him another chance at 14-1 here.

I highlighted this horse on The Verdict when he won here at Cheltenham last time out and he has a great chance of scoring again on Sunday.

He won on his hurdling debut at Worcester, where he jumped terribly, but was much better over his hurdles at Cheltenham and galloped on relentlessly up the hill to beat the useful Tritonic.

In that contest, the Coursetrack sectionals show that they got racing a long way out, courtesy of Harry Skelton and Stepney Causeway, yet I like To move It was very strong at the finish.

He will stay two and a half miles eventually but a strong gallop over this trip will be perfect, for now, and this progressive type looks set to score again.