Dave Nevison's Cheltenham Festival tips: best bets for day one

I was determined not to bet ante-post on the Cheltenham Festival, having been convinced that the prices and extra places on my fancies would be better on the day, but my resolve went on Saturday evening ahead of declarations. 

Needless to say, I was right, and most bookies have extended the place terms on all the handicaps in the past 24 hours. Hopefully, sod’s law will not hit me too hard with these big-priced fancies, and hopefully a couple of them will outrun their odds. Good luck to all, and enjoy the week.

Happygolucky was sent off at 100-30 and finished an excellent second in this race race off a rating of 147 in 2021, and fared better than his finishing position suggests in the 2023 renewal where he paid the price for sitting too close to the pace off a much higher mark. 

He has clearly had a few problems since, and has not raced much recently, but I believe he has definitely been saved for this race, and has dropped to a rating of 140. 

Mel Rowley has done well with another similar staying chaser in Val Dancer this season, and there was plenty of encouragement in Happygolucky’s first run for almost two years last time out. 

That was over a trip well short of his best and, as expected, he was doing all his best work late on. I expect a good run at a decent price here. 

Richmond Lake looks an ideal type to creep into this race late on under a quiet Brian Hughes ride, and he is another who might possibly outrun massive odds. 

His past two efforts have been over similar trips to this in very testing conditions at Uttoxeter and Haydock, and he has plugged on well, but I believe the slightly easier conditions here might suit him better than a slog. 

He seems to have sorted his jumping out, perhaps due to stepping up in trip, and like a few of these, he holds an entry in the Randox . Trainer Donald McCain had a couple of winners at Carlisle on Sunday, so the stable form is also a plus.

I have no qualms at all about backing a big-priced runner in this hottest of juvenile handicaps. A glance through recent results reveals several performers at massive odds hitting the frame in this race, and I fully expected Fergal O’Brien’s ex-French runner to be a 25-1 chance. 

However, to see him chalked up at a best-priced 66-1 is too tempting. He won a race over hurdles in France and has only had two outings in this country so far. He was pulled up without the tongue tie in the Coral Finale Juvenile Finale at Chepstow in December before running a cracker at Ludlow behind a useful Harry Derham-trained youngster. 

He looks like he will stay further, which is ideal for this contest, and I could see him finishing off this race well (and hopefully coming stands' side in Paddy Brennan style!). Sixth will be good enough for me with the extra places on offer.

Gericault Roque is obviously a risk having been off for a very long time before his latest run, but he is with a trainer who can definitely bring staying types back from a layoff, and he has possibly the best form in this strong field. 

He was ahead of Corach Rambler when last seen in a competitive event (2022 Coral Gold Cup) having previously finished runner-up behind the Grand National winner in the Ultima that year. 

He has been dropped in the ratings due to his absence and definitely didn’t look to be a lost cause when he reappeared at Windsor recently. He stayed on without being knocked about at all. 

This trip looks to be what he has always wanted and off his lower mark, I am prepared to take a chance on him.

Latenightrumble, who is second reserve here, was still on the bridle and certain to win (and land me a winning bet!) when he slithered on landing after the last at Wetherby when last seen.

He was a very successful point-to-point performer and made a very strong debut over fences at this track at the Hunter Chase meeting in May last year. 

He had a few runs over hurdles last Autumn without winning, but has been improving rapidly with the return to fences, and even though he has gone up 3lb for not winning, I think he could be way ahead of his mark over this longer trip. Fingers crossed he gets to run!