Cheltenham Tuesday Tips: Check out Raceolly's Best Bets for Day 1 of the festival

Our resident tipster Raceolly provides his thoughts for day one of the Cheltenham Festival, and you can check out all his best bets here...

13:30 - Supreme Novices' Hurdle

This is aN extremely tricky race to start and one I was very tempted with by a no bet, but KILCRUIT has become a price I can not ignore now. A tongue tie was added last time to help with his breathing and it worked a great deal with him hosing up by 21 lengths. If Paul Townend could ride the 2021 bumper again I’m sure Kilcruit would win and he went and beat Sir Gerard at Punchestown soon after. Appreciate It for the same owners and trainer was the first horse since 2012 to win after being beaten in the bumper and also the first winner in 13 years to be over the age of six, which is the same profile as Kilcruit. Willie Mullins has won five of the last 10 renewals and it usually takes a horse with a bit of experience to win this and Kilcruit is one of the most experienced with three hurdle runs to date.

14:10 - Arkle Challenge Trophy

This is a tricky race to assess with the first three in the market easy to make a strong case for. Edwardstone has been very good this year and ran well in three visits to the track to date but they were three unplaced efforts. Horses that started on the Flat don't have a good record in this and Alan King hasn’t been one to follow at the festival in recent years, which is enough to worry you at a short price. Blue Lord is solid and was running a huge race in the Supreme last year when falling at the last, but his last run in the Irish Arkle against RIVIERE D'ETEL looked likely the latter would have won if not for a bad mistake at the last then got hampered by the winner and had to switch, a move the jockey was adamant cost him the race. Therefore at similar odds I’d be more comfortable on Rivière D'etel, who looked the better horse on that run. Five-year-olds have lost the allowance they used to have in this and haven’t done as well since but French bred horses have a great record, at least placing in 16 of the last 21 renewals.

14:50 - Ultima Handicap Chase

LOSTINTRANSLATION is a proven Grade 1 horse running in a handicap and the huge price is slightly surprising despite the dud run last time. Only beaten a length in the 2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup behind Al Boum Photo and before that a good two length second in the JLT behind Defi Du Seuil in 2019. This is his first handicap and gets a mark of 155 which Un Temps Pour Tout won this off in 2017. The addition of cheekpieces is very interesting here and it worked wonders for Vintage Clouds in this last year who also eases the worries that Lostintranslation may be a little old at 10 by winning it at 11 years old. The Irish don’t have a particularly strong record in this having only won it twice in the last 60 years although you can make a very decent case for Floueur this time around. Brendan Powell is a good booking for us in this also having won the race twice already in the last nine years.

15:30 - Champion Hurdle

ZANAHIYR has been a solid performer, who’s been a little unlucky not to go closer on the big stage on more than one occasion. Fourth in last year's Truimph Hurdle when the race was far from run to suit and still done remarkably well to get as close as that despite going off favourite. Has six lengths to bridge with Honeysuckle, but made a terrible mistake early in the race last time which was far from ideal and still gave Honeysuckle something to think about. He is still young and improving each run and won a Grade 2 at Down Royal back in October before finishing 2nd in three straight Grade 1s and a five-year-old won this race in 2019 and Aspire Tower went well last year finishing 4th. Wearing headgear is not a bad thing also judging on previous running of the race three winners and seven places from the 40 runners over the last 16 years.

16:10 - Mares' Hurdle

Willie Mullins usually wins this having won it nine times from the last 13 runnings and would have been more if not for a fall at the last when in control. He has three runners this year with ECHOES IN RAIN the biggest priced at 9/1 mostly due to the doubts over whether she’ll stay the extra four furlongs more than she’s tried before. The appeal comes from the early season hype which stemmed from winning the Grade 1 novice hurdle at the Punchestown festival last season and was one of the early season Champion Hurdle favourites. Things didn’t work out in three small field Grade 1s this season to date, but she kept on well behind Honeysuckle last time hinting that maybe this race would be a lot more suitable and a stronger ran race could help her settle. She’s also the joint highest rated in the field on official figures along with Stormy Ireland at 150 and a price of 9/1 is very appealing 

16:50 - Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

Alan King doesn’t have the greatest record in recent years at the festival, but all that could have changed by the Arkle and FOREVER WILLIAM comes here with plenty in his favour. Fresh from placing in two Grade 1s lately the addition of a first time visor is very interesting and often a great help to the buzzy four-year-olds in races like this. Another appeal here is the very likely frantic pace to aim at which will suit and a good rating for one that’s twice Grade 1 placed off 125, the same as last years 80/1 winner was allocated with. Interestingly Saint Segal is under half the price despite them finished side by side at Chepstow over Christmas.