Horse racing tips for Tuesday evening: Dave Nevison shares his best bets

The ante-post markets for the Grade Ones at the Cheltenham Festival don’t look like changing much until the meeting starts now and there will be few opportunities to squeeze a value bet from this point.

I am more than happy to be on Monkfish, who I still believe is the standout good thing of several short prices at the meeting, and now regard Chacun Pour Soi as pretty much unbeatable. Shiskin has opposition in the Arkle but I feel he will prevail.

The only one of the ‘bankers’ who I feel might be set to shorten is Al Boum Photo, who is bidding for the hat trick in the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup. Maybe it is because we do not see him that often that his price his holding. It is true he hasn’t won his two previous Gold Cups by large margins, but to my mind he has been decisive on both occasions and is still young enough to improve.

He came through his usual prep race unscathed doing just what was necessary, so he hasn’t gone backwards in 12 months, and it is pretty clear that nothing has emerged this winter with pretensions of taking the Gold Cup from him. The fact that he has conclusive superior form over the admirable Native River and Bristol De Mai in England and Kemboy in Ireland suggests to me that his price could be the one that contracts in the next four weeks as opportunities for others to make a massive impact have largely passed - Champ on Saturday being the only possible in my view.

It is no surprise to me that the mares dominate the Champion Hurdle market given the weight allowance they get. If they both turn up, I feel the clash between Epatante and Honeysuckle could rekindle memories of Comedy of Errors and Lanzarote which first inspired my love of this game. I am committed – though not in a massive amount - to Epatante but if making the decision now I would definitely watch and enjoy rather than bet.

It is a case of getting through this week with several meetings likely to be lost and I am really hoping that the big Newbury meeting at the weekend survives. My thoughts are largely with the guys driving tractors through the night at the likes of Southwell so that we can be entertained!

I will be playing at a level that will certainly make me safe from any government affordability test until the weather changes, but here are three I like at Southwell.

He is ridden by the trainer’s daughter and might be the value play in a really good staying handicap.

He is in terrific form at this track with two recent victories, and it is that course experience which is often vital here. Last time he divided two very highly-rated horses in a jumpers’ bumper at Newcastle and the winner Proschema has gone in again since.

Several in this race are in form, but they are making their debut on Fibresand. A bang in-form Artistic Streak could be the one this time.

She is much less exposed than her three rivals and starts handicapping off a very reasonable 59 after three runs over an inadequate six-furlong trip. She steps up a furlong here and proved herself on the surface with a good effort last time when beaten by a good thing of Roger Varian’s in a small-field event. That returned a good time-figure and her performance could be upgraded.

This one was gambled into favourite and ran well - though not well enough to win for us - when returned to this track last time out and, off the same mark here, might well land another course victory.

His course record before last week’s third was three wins and one runner-up spot, so he clearly loves it here and his good spell came exactly 12 months ago. He looks to have peaked again now.