Cheltenham Cheat Sheet: Our pundits’ top picks for Saturday’s ITV action

THIRD TIME LUCKI was sensational on his chasing debut at Cheltenham at the last meeting and is impossible to oppose.

It’s hard to oppose THIRD TIME LUCKI. He was very good here in October. We know he goes round the track well and he’s a solid jumper. There’s no other runner in this race that can take on Third Time Lucki.

Dan Skelton’s THIRD TIME LUCKI was faultless over fences when winning over course and distance in October. Should take this.

THIRD TIME LUCKI was the subject of twitter love after his chase debut and while it was impressive and I am still to be convinced that he is top class. I’ll go with Mick Pastor over this 2m trip.

THIRD TIME LUCKI created an excellent impression when going in at the first time of asking in this sphere over C&D and he should make it 2-2 over fences here given the fluency he displayed in his jumping.

SIMPLY THE BETTS flopped in this race last year but he might be a very different proposition here for champion Paul Nicholls and Bryony Frost. The former exciting chaser has been lightly raced in recent times but has his first run for Nicholls and also goes for the first time since a wind operation.

I’m going for DOSTAL PHIL as an each-way punt. He was third in the Red Rum Handicap at Aintree in April behind Editeur Du Gite (who won here on Friday) and Sully D’Oc. He’s going up in trip and that will suit him. He’s a good each-way shout.

MIDNIGHT SHADOW is the one I like to win. He ticks all the boxes of being a winner at Cheltenham and a good jumper who travels strongly. They are the qualities you need to win a race of this nature.
SIMPLY THE BETTS is another to have changed stables and is very interesting. He lost lost in this last year when strongly fancied and is definitely worth an each-way play at a decent price.

MIDNIGHT SHADOW was a decent hurdler and won the Scottish Champion Hurdle on good ground. Had he not clouted the second last which cost him plenty of momentum at Aintree last time he may have won the Old Roan Chase. Looks very solid to hit the places at least.

An ultra-competitive renewal of this feature contest with the vote in favour of AL DANCER. Third from a 5 lb higher mark in this race last year, he never figured either start thereafter but returns with his new yard going well and his record fresh is a particular positive.

BALLYMILLSY is only young compared to most of these but stays better than a good deal of his rivals and might have more to offer. The Twiston-Davies inmate is having just his ninth race and did well at Newton Abbot last time.

Sporting John is an interesting one but I fancy PROSCHEMA for the Skeltons. His run behind  Indefatigable at Wetherby is rock solid and she’ll be hard to beat in handicap company.

SPORTING JOHN is the class act, but my main concern is that his seasonal debut now is a warm-up run for bigger targets this season.

DRAGON BONES looks to have a solid chance for connections who this race in 2018. Good ground is a huge plus and she’s win five of her eight career stars.

The intriguing runner here is SPORTING JOHN returned to hurdling on the back of a breathing operation. His jumping failed to pass muster in Grade 1 company over fences during the spring but he could easily get back on track in handicap company over timber.

UNEXPECTED PARTY could be chucked in here off 120. The Skelton runner was a facile victor of a handicap hurdle at Wetherby last time and he’d have won with 11lb more on his back that day.

GOWEL ROAD didn’t run well at the Cheltenham Festival. However, his two wins at Newbury before that were encouraging. The step up in distance will help and he’s a good each-way punt.

He has had  a wind operation and if that works, he could still be well handicapped. I’ll stick with GOOD TIME JONNY for my old mate Tony Martin. There is nobody better at setting one up for a big prize and the Irish challenger won nicely at Gowran Park.

PYRAMID PLACE comes from the same yard that won this last season with Stimulating Song. Trainer Milton Harris is in red-hot form.

UNEXPECTED PARTY hardly won the deepest of handicaps at Wetherby, but he did it with ridiculous ease and promises to go on improving for a while yet, so the 11 lb rise is unlikely to prove a barrier.