Dave Nevison's Cheltenham tips: best bets for Friday

Won four on the spin, all under Ben Harvey, when he moved to the John McConnell yard in the Autumn of 2022, the highlight being a Cheltenham Festival success. 

Things haven’t gone right for Seddon in just a couple of runs over fences since then, but he is undeniably fairly handicapped in this high-quality Unibet Middle Distance Chase Series Veterans' Handicap Chase.

The selection wasn’t given the hardest time on either of those outings and was successful on the Flat in August plus didn’t run badly on his latest start in that sphere, despite finishing ninth in a big field. 

I'm a big fan of the trainer when he sends horses over here to Britain, and Seddon is one of the few in this field who seem reasonably handicapped. He's also running over an ideal trip.

This seven-year-old was sent off favourite for the Pertemps Final in 2023 and I have no doubt that race is the target this season for the JP McManus-owned grey. 

He finished down the field there and has essentially been disappointing since then, but he has dropped considerably in the weights as a result, and needs to start going back up the handicap if he is even going to get in a Festival handicap. 

There were clear signs that he was on the road back last time when he stayed on very well to finish fourth in a slowly-run affair at Cheltenham. 

A positive market move is always a serious indicator with the owner’s runners, but the David Pipe stable remain in strong form, and I'm hoping Thanksforthehelp will take another step in the right direction here.

He's declared for this race at Bangor (first preference) and for the 3.35 at Cheltenham. If he does end up running at Cheltenham, he is 9lb better off with Doyen Quest (who is clearly on the up) and on slightly easier ground, he will hopefully get a bit more of a test of stamina, which will suit him well. 

I'll be siding with him wherever he runs on Friday.

Statuario was on a roll in the summer and won a couple of staying chases before finishing an excellent third in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen. The Bowen's nine-year-old then went off the boil for a couple of races but seemed to enjoy himself and ran well until not quite getting up the hill on his first outing in a Cross Country chase at the November meeting last time out.

He was 7lb out of the weights there but is off his true mark here, and if he can be ridden a little more conservatively, hopefully his stamina will last long enough to fill one of the extra places, at least. 

Up to six places are available for this race, and I believe he is well worth the risk at big odds.