Cheltenham tips: Your ultimate Cheat Sheet for Trials Day on Saturday

I thought ENERGUMENE was an absolute good thing when this race was due to be run at Ascot last week and being here doesn’t change my mind.

If Editeur du Gite gets a freebie making the running up front, Energumene may end up being set alight too early. That could suit Tom Cannon who can gamble on Edwardstone and play his hand late.

Energumene is the one to beat but Editeur Du Gite put up a career-best effort last time at Kempton although Edwardstone did fall in that constest. I like Editeur Du Gite to chase Energumene home in the ‘betting without’ market.

Energumene should prove too strong for Edwardstone in a race which should boil down to a match unless they let Editeur du Gite steal an easy lead.

A clash between Champion Chase winner ENERGUMENE and Arkle hero Edwardstone should be something to savour. The former’s only chase defeat came at Ascot by Shishkin last year and he can win here. 

IL RODOTO (each-way) will be hard to kick out the frame for champion Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden. The Paddy Power Gold Cup fourth was also in that position in the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap and seems to like Paddy!

Phoenix Way (each-way) won a handicap over 2m 5f at Ascot at this time last year off a 2lbs lower mark. It was a very good run at Chepstow behind today’s  opponent Fugitif last time and he is now 12lbs better off for a 12 length beating that day. 

There appears to be plenty of pace on here and that will play to the strengths of Fugitif. His trainer is convinced he is a graded horse and a 10lb rise for winning at Chepstow may not stop him following up now.

I was absolutely blown away with the manner in which Fugitif disposed of some very useful rivals at Chepstow over Christmas. A 10lb rise is unlikely to stop him and he could be racing in Grade 1 company come the spring. 

Lots with chances but FUGITIF has returned an improved model this term and a 10lb rise for his most impressive Chepstow success could still underestimate him.

Noble Yeats is short enough in this for me and I’ll stick with class act PROTEKTORAT. I actually think this is the perfect distance for the 2022 Gold Cup third and he looked better than ever when scoring at Haydock this season for the Skelton team of jockey Harry and trainer Dan

It’s Protektorat  for me to bag another big Saturday prize for Team Skelton. He was third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last season and won the Betfair Chase easily at the end of last year.

Sounds Russian is really progressive and is all about stamina. His form is solid and it wouldn’t shock me to so him winning a Graded staying chase. 

Protektorat is the pick on form, and he ran well enough in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last year to suggest he should have a bit too much class for today’s rivals.

PROTEKTORAT couldn’t have been any more impressive at Haydock, sauntering to an 11-length success. Anything like the same form will make him tough to beat. 

Even though he’s aged 11 now, it’s hard to get away from the old boy PAISLEY PARK for Aidan Coleman and Emma Lavelle. The former Stayers’ Hurdle hero has returned right to his best this term, chasing home Champ at Newbury and then scoring well at Kempton last time.

Paisley Park whipped around at the start here last year and gave away 15 lengths – but still won! He retains all of his ability after a good win at Kempton on Boxing Day. 

Paisley Park is the most likely winner as he has been excellent this season but his price wouldn’t encourage me in and I’m not sure what I can take him on with.

Dashel Drasher is one of the most reliable horses in training and if Rex Dingle gets the fractions right then he could prove hard to pass – as he always does.

PAISLEY PARK has confirmed the fire still burns brightly this term and gets the nod to come out on top again.

CAN YOU CALL (each-way) should stay this trip strongly and did really well to win last time after a bad mistake in the closing stages. I suspect there’s much more to come and looks solid each-way.

Paul Nicholls’ HENRI THE SECOND looks a real stayer in the making. The form of his Chepstow second was boosted by the winner scoring twice again and he looked better the further he went when winning at Sandown  over 2m 4f last time.

PEMBROKE was hugely impressive at Ludlow last time in a race which has worked out well already.  I’m not sure whether an extended 2½m is what he needs given the pace he’s shown over shorter trips to date but he has considerable potential. 

A very informative novice in which cases can be made for several but PEMBROKE is improving in leaps and bounds so Dan Skelton’s charge gets the verdict to take this step into graded company in his stride. He can complete the hat-trick at the expense of Henri The Second.