Mick Fitzgerald’s Cheltenham Racing Tips
13:10 – Maghlaak
13.45 – Peaky Boy
14.20 – Matata
14.55 – Surrey Quest
15.30 – Burdett Road, Go Dante (each-way)
16:00 – Block Rockin Beats
*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 – Maghlaak
The first race at Cheltenham on Sunday is an interesting little maiden hurdle. I’m looking at the horses entered and thinking ‘actually, they’re not superstars’ when I see the front two in the betting. They’re all pretty exposed already.
You’ve got a 120-rated horse in Whimsy, who probably deserves to be favourite coming over from Ireland for the Anthony McCann team and has to be respected after a good run in Galway.
But I just feel like Maghlaak is really interesting here. He was a decent horse on the level when owned by Hamdan Al-Maktoum’s Shadwell Estate and Adrian Keatley’s been having a great season with his flat horses and his jumpers. With Brian Hughes booked to ride, Maghlaak could be the one at a price.
13.45 – Peaky Boy
This is one of my strongest selections for the day. I really love Peaky Boy for Nicky Henderson. His horses are hitting top gear and I love the way this horse has jumped at home.
14.20 – Matata
Matata went up a little bit in the weights for getting beaten by Calico last time out and he actually meets him 1lb better than when going down by a neck then. I didn’t think Matata jumped at his best that day and I’m willing to give him another chance.
14.55 – Surrey Quest
Another good handicap steeplechase here. It’s the sort of race that you go can through over and over and get yourself wound in a knot, but I just feel Surrey Quest, with only 10st 9lb on his back, could be a bit of value.
He’s only a seven-year-old and could be on the improve. He was beaten by a nose in the Scottish Grand National and used to be trained by Nicky Henderson. He’s now with Toby Lawes, a former Henderson assistant, and is my pick in a tricky little contest.
15.30 – Burdett Road, Go Dante (each-way)
Dysart Enos could be chucked in here on some of her best form but this’ll be a little bit of a different test to what she’s used to. That’s a bit of a concern.
With Burdett Road, if you looked at the results on Monday and saw this horse had won you wouldn’t be surprised. He’s only a four-year-old, he’s probably got plenty enough weight and it might be difficult for him, but I feel he’s the most interesting one in a big field.
Because there’s so many runners I think I’m allowed an each-way selection too.
Go Dante could be of interest for the Olly Murphy team. He has run in some big handicap hurdles and is a decent price.
16:00 – Block Rockin Beats
At the last meeting here I tipped up Block Rockin Beats and he won for us at 14/1. I don’t see any reason not to go with him again. I know he only beat Fortune De Mer by half-a-length and he’s a little bit worse off with that horse now. At the same time, I like the way this horse did it and I’m sticking with him.
Mick Fitzgerald’s Cheltenham Racing Tips
13:10 – Maghlaak
13.45 – Peaky Boy
14.20 – Matata
14.55 – Surrey Quest
15.30 – Burdett Road, Go Dante (each-way)
16:00 – Block Rockin Beats
*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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