Cheltenham tips for Saturday: Four bets from Dave Nevison

12.05 Cheltenham: Nusret

He looked a smart performer at Punchestown and seemed a natural on that debut over jumps.

Nusret was the highest rated of these on the Flat and I had him in my notebook after watching him get shunted out of contention in a big field at Leopardstown on his final Flat start. Indeed, he receives weight off inferior rivals here (on Flat ratings) and he looks to be very well treated.

With normal improvement, he is going to be hard to beat here and I am anticipating him to be well backed by his shrewd connections.

1.15 Cheltenham: Editeur Du Gite

This race is normally won by a horse at the front of the market and I expect Editeur Du Gite to be very well fancied to follow up here.

Like many others, I have been waiting for this horse to appear again after he really took the eye on his seasonal debut. Normally a front-runner, surprisingly the tactics were changed last time and he was never in the race but finished with plenty of running in him and I feel with less exaggerated waiting tactics he might have been involved in the finish. In my view, Editeur Du Gite certainly showed that he does not need to lead to win a race.

He is set to carry 12st and that is more than any horse has carried to win this in recent times, so it is very handy that regular rider Niall Houlihan claims a valuable 3lb. The jockey was on board for two wins last season and clearly gets on very well with the eight-year-old.

1.50 Cheltenham: Stolen Silver and Frere Banbou

I will be backing two in this competitive handicap and hopefully might be on the winner.

Stolen Silver was going as well as my selection Ga Law in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last time, so I was helped by his departure three out as it was very possible Sam Thomas’ improving chaser might have won. He competes off a mark of 150, which is 7lb higher than when winning the Silver Trophy here by 11 lengths, but Sam Thomas remains in very strong form even if he will be keen to get a couple of winners after a recent run of second places. Stolen Silver is certainly a contender despite top-weight.

The angle with Frere Banbou is the step up in trip, which on some of his runs last season looks to be just what he needs. I backed him more than once last season when he came from a mile back to grab a place in high-end two-mile handicaps. It was difficult to work out why those tactics wre employed but at least over this trip he has an extra half mile to make up the ground. I don’t believe he enjoyed making the running at Ascot last time but after two runs this season and with Venetia Williams in terrific form I am anticipating a very good showing.