ITV Racing Tips: Two To Back On New Year's Day

A new year begins with racing at Jumps Racing's Mecca; Cheltenham. The ITV Racing cameras are of course in town and if you want through the card tips, we have you covered with our star columnist @RoadCheltenham on hand. Billy Grimshaw is in charge of the ITV Racing tips coverage and likes one at Prestbury Park as well as an old favourite up at Musselburgh...

13:30 Cheltenham - Betfair Handicap Chase

Those who read my pieces regularly (Happy New Year Mum) will know I love backing front runners in handicap chases around Cheltenham, and there are few who give such a bold sight as Nigel Twiston Davies's BROADWAY BOY. I actually think prices of a shade over evens are more than fair in this small field and would make him one of my stronger fancies on the day.

He was a wonderful second when last seen at Newbury in the Coral Gold Cup and although he is the junior of the field and has 12st to lumber around, I don't think it should bother him too much. He acts around Cheltenham as well as anywhere and with this field packed full of horses who seem to be on the path to retirement like Chantry House or those we know are better first time out, and would like to dictate in an ideal world like Cloudy Glen, I can see this lad going off odds-on and obliging with relative ease.

The form of his Coral Gold Cup second reads very well now with Victtorino the third and Henri's Friend the fifth coming out and winning since so hopefully Broadway Boy kicks off the new year in style for us.

13:45 Musselburgh - LiveScore Bet Best Odds Daily Hogmaneigh Handicap Hurdle

Paul Nicholls is like a wounded animal at the moment and as fans of metaphors know, that is when these animals are most dangerous. He has a fine record sending horses up to Musselburgh and one such horse who enjoyed plenty of success off the front north of the border was Afadil, a horse the master of Ditcheat claims Liari is in the same mould as.

He is certainly a front runner but I'm not sure he is quite as good as Afadil and at around the 6/4 mark my instinct was to attempt to take him on, and my eye was immediately drawn to the old boy BENSON. He has won making all twice here, both on the last two New Year's Days and in this very race, so we know he will be tuned up to the gills for this big day and I suspect he will be able to wrestle the pace off the young pretenders wanting his crown.

His record away from Musselburgh is nothing to write home about but one suspects this has been the target for months for the veteran and 7/2 underestimates his chances in my book. His only defeat at this track came behind the aforementioned Afadil and I would make Liari the big danger to inflict another loss on his record here, but at the prices Benson looks a no brainer bet considering this will be his Gold Cup and that I'm not convinced the field this season is as strong as it was the last two years.