Horse Racing tips: Frank Hickey’s best bets at Cheltenham & Punchestown on Sunday

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

13:10 Cheltenham – Oscar Elite

Oscar Elite was second in an Albert Bartlett and third in the 3m Grade 1 Novice Hurdle at Aintree. He gets 8lb off Threeunderthrufive and Does He Know and 5lb off Street Of Doyen. The Tizzards have won this with The Big Breakaway last year and with Thistlecrack in 2016. Oscar Elite is a point winner, so fences should be right up his street. The Tizzards are hitting form too with a treble at Exeter the other day and they are 9-38 the last two weeks which is a strike rate of 24%.

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13:45 Cheltenham – Empire De Maulde

Ordinarily I wouldn’t like Empire De Maulde in this grade of race but it looks a weak renewal. Yala Enki wants easier ground, Go Another One is hiding nothing off 145, The Mighty Don’s form figures look like a dyslexic word and Forza Milan and Rocky’s Treasure are hardly winning machines. Empire De Maulde won nicely at Kelso last month, beating the likes of Big River, Dingo Dollar and Vintage Clouds and a 5lb rise is not excessive. Good ground is important to him and he is in form which can’t be said for many here. He’s still only seven years old, so he’s open to plenty of improvement as a staying chaser.

14:05 Punchestown – Echoes In Rain

I’m a big fan of Echoes In Rain. If she learns to run a more efficient race then she’s definitely capable of being competitive in a Champion Hurdle. You can’t knock her form last season either.

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14:20 Cheltenham – Put The Kettle On

Put The Kettle On faces Rouge Vif, Nube Negra and Politilogue in this one. She is 4-4 at Cheltenham and gets her 7lb mares allowance. She likes decent ground and will come up the hill, that is for sure.

14:55 Cheltenham – Botox Has (each-way)

Gary Moore is 12-41 (29%) in the last two weeks with a run to form (RTF) of 63%. Botox Has did disappoint in the Coral Cup but his other three starts at Cheltenham were a second to Allmankind in a Grade 2 juvenile hurdle, beating Langer Dan easily in a juvenile hurdle and winning the Mastersons Holding Hurdle here last October where he had Allmankind back in third. He did fall over fences last time but he is only five years old and a mark of 140 is definitely within him.

15:30 Cheltenham – Washington

This is quite a tricky race and it’s hard to know what to make of Sonigino. I Like To Move It has the 3lb so I’m siding with Washington. He’s got 3lb off his rivals and I liked the way he won at Bangor in October. He’s three from three and Olly Murphy is flying at the moment.

Frank’s Sunday bets:

13:10 Cheltenham – Oscar Elite
13:45 Cheltenham – Empire De Maulde
14:05 Punchestown – Echoes In Rain
14:20 Cheltenham – Put The Kettle On
14:55 Cheltenham – Botox Has (E/W)
15:30 Cheltenham – Washington

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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