The headline act is of course the Cheltenham card on Sunday which is headlined by both the Shloer Chase and the Greatwood Hurdle, but the ITV Racing cameras are also showing us an intriguing contest at Fontwell for good measure! Billy Grimshaw has us covered with the final ITV Racing tips column of the weekend...

Fontwell 14:04 - BetGoodwin Southern National Handicap Chase

The Southern National is one of the real big days for the good folks down at Fontwell, but sadly the 2023 renewal is not up to standard. A field of just five is of course disappointing, and writing a preview when just one firm has prices can often mean the numbers quoted become redundant very quickly, but I was surprised to see Tommie Beau quite so short with bet365 at 11/10 on opening prices.

Seamus Mullins's charge has been on the go all summer without success, but did get his head in front last time out at Sedgefield when just edging out No Cruise Yet. He should relish the soft ground, but off 12 stone he could find it tough and the one who may take advantage of a huge gulf in the weights is WAKE UP EARLY, the 4/1 second favourite at the time of writing. He was fairly awful last time out when stuffed into ninth, and will have to improve leaps and bounds from that stinker at Plumpton, but soft ground is a key to this horse and I'm hopeful his five pound claimer Cillin Leonard is bold and takes the bull by the horns here.

The pace does not look overly strong and Wake Up Early could well get a freebie if the rider allows him. With his stamina confirmed on rain softened ground, he could prove hard to catch for a limited field and at 4/1 he is worth chancing to upset the hot favourite considering he will effectively be carrying 2 stone less.

14:20 Cheltenham - Jewson Handicap Chase

Guetapan Collonges and City Chief are jousting for favouritism at the time of writing, although to my eye there are holes to be picked in both which means there must be a bigger priced horse with a shot of upsetting the market. The former won well at Carlisle last time out but this looks tougher and while he did in the end come home first by a snug two lengths, I'm not convinced the seven year old has bundles of improvement in him. City Chief is a very talented operator on his day and Nicky Henderson has extoled his virtues in the past, but the horse undoubtedly is fragile. He also strikes me as a real staying type which I'm not sure will be enough here.

Rose Of Arcadia made appeal and was probably last off the shortlist, but in the end I've plumped for Gavin Cromwell's six year old MALINA GIRL at double figures. She has tonnes of experience for one so young, and although well beaten last time out at Punchestown, she was sent off just 8/1 for last season's Scottish National which shows the regard she is held in. That day she was pulled up, and I'd argue she is not enough of a boat to be in that sort of marathon tests at such a tender age, but coming here on a decent looking mark I think she can make her presence felt and take the prize home across the Irish Sea.

14:55 Cheltenham - Shloer Chase

I was all set to leave this race alone earlier in the week, as although he is a smidge shorter than he should be I do think favourite Jonbon is the most likely winner. However, EDITEUR DU GITE simply should not be 18/1 in this race. He began last season with a very lacklustre effort when well fancied, which saw him priced up as a 28/1 no hoper the next time he appeared and duly obliged in the Desert Orchid at Kempton.

Clearly, then, the Moore team think he needs his first run and because of this I am willing to write off his defeat behind Elixir De Nutz. The worry is that he had a big break between first and second runs last season, whereas this race comes quick enough after his flop. However, he is the likely only pace angle, has beaten Edwardstone fair and square over course and distance (with Nube Negra miles behind) and yet is chalked up as if he has no previous for being a tough leader to pass. Jonbon likes to get on with things and he could well simply prove too good for Editeur Du Gite, but if Nicky Henderson's star focuses too much on a chess match with main market rival Edwardstone who is a stalker, Editeur Du Gite could get into a real roll on the front end and prove impossible to reel in.

This is purely a price play and for the good of the 2 mile division in Britain, we probably want to see Jonbon win decisively. Nevertheless, I couldn't care less about the state of the division if we can bank an 18/1 or bigger winner in a four runner race in which one of the entrants is clearly being disregarded by the market.

15:30 Cheltenham - Greatwood Hurdle

Earlier in the week I penned a piece highlighting five horses to watch at Cheltenham at this meeting, and after watching my first tip at 11/2 JPR One be backed into 6/4 favouritism through the week and then tip up at the last with the race at his mercy, I'm hoping my best bet in that article has more luck. I could not understand why PUNCTUATION was double figures ante-post and I still don't get it now, but I'm happy to press up with extra places now on offer in the Greatwood.

The obvious fly in the ointment is the presence of a Willie Mullins raider who looks a no hoper on form, yet has been backed into favouritism. This usually spells danger for the rest of the field and it may well be a case of playing for places if Onlyamatteroftime is as good as the market support suggests. However, he is not a bet at 4/1 whereas my fancy is available at quadruple the price.

Fergal O'Brien confirmed prior to the season that this race would be the target and on form he should be shorter. He was running a fine race in the Imperial Cup last March (albeit not going to trouble the winners) until taking a bump at an obstacle and swiftly being pulled up by Paddy Brennan once seeing his chance was gone. Liam Harrison next time out gave him a perfect stalking ride to win at 40/1 in a race that fell apart slightly due to a pace burn up at Aintree. Nevertheless, that was a classy performance and with Cheltenham form and this race potentially being another pace burn-up, he will surely give backers plenty to cheer about.

Luccia and Iberico Lord represent a strong Seven Barrows challenge, while I would also fear Afadil for Paul Nicholls if he has ironed out some of the dopeyness, but nothing makes more appeal than Punctuation and anything double figures is a brilliant each-way price for a horse that should cruise round and pounce late.