Dave Nevison: my best four bets for Cheltenham on Saturday

These chases for amateur riders at Cheltenham are nothing like they used to be. Instead of mainly older exposed plodders that we knew all about going around, they now seem to be a nurturing ground for improving and unexposed chasers who may be the stars of the future.

Anightinlambourn probably sits halfway between the two extremes being an eight-year-old who has improved massively since switching to fences this summer. He won two modest events at Worcester and last time was beaten just half-a-length by Jimmy The Digger here last time out.

He is just a pound better off but most race-readers think he probably should have won that event as he made his move early and ended up in front too soon and for too long.

Jack Andrews takes over from his sister here and, with no shortage of pace, he will be wise to the fact he ideally needs to bring him through to lead a little later if possible. Given the fine form of the Ben Pauling yard, it is difficult to see him finishing out of the frame.

Jamie Snowden has his team in excellent form currently and this horse, who missed last season, put up an excellent performance on his reappearance in the Old Roan Chase when finishing a close-up third.

Ga Law was competing at the top level as a novice and did well winning a Grade Two at Wincanton and getting a place in the Henry VIII - a Grade One at Sandown. Both of those were small field events so this race will be a completely different test for him, although he did win a 12-runner hurdle in good style on his only run in France.

There is always a worry he might bounce, but he has had three weeks off and his stable is in such fine form that I believe he is worth chancing.

This eight-year-old is absolutely thrown in here judged on his best efforts as a hurdler for the Tizzards. He didn’t show anything over fences for Dan Skelton last season but has been dropped 12lb for just one disappointing run over hurdles last season, when he was turned out relatively quickly.

He ran his best race for Skelton on his reappearance at Haydock when a good third in a similar event to Saturday’s contest off a mark of 135. A glance through his form reveals that his wins have largely come after a break and I cannot believe Skelton won’t have him spot on for this prestigious meeting. I feel it is significant Harry Skelton is back on board, instead of a 7lb claimer, and I expect a very good run.

Was an expensive yearling with Dermot Weld at one stage and it took a long time before he hit form for Tony Martin. Once he did, he rattled up a quick four-timer and then was runner up twice in hotly contested events at the Galway Festival last summer.

He had a good break after that busy spell but came back with a strong effort to be fifth at the Curragh in a 23-runner handicap, despite drifting to a big price, so should be spot on here.

The last time we saw him over hurdles he absolutely bolted up at Punchestown, admittedly off a much lower mark, after being well-backed. Every time he has won, or been placed, he has been well supported and it hardly seems likely that he would be sent over to Cheltenham and not be fancied. Unanswered might finally be living up to his high-class pedigree.