The Weekend Wager: Raceolly's Cheltenham tips for day two of Showcase meeting

Fresh from pocketing some each-way money on Mac Swiney at 40/1 last week at Ascot, our tipster Raceolly is back for this week's edition of The Weekend Wager, and he turns his attentions to the National Hunt sphere, and has four tips for day two of Cheltenham's Showcase meeting...

13:45 Cheltenham - NHS Vaccinating Heroes Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

INGLEBY HOLLOW was unlucky not to end his days with David O’Meara on three wins after winning twice on the flat and was beaten a length in the summer handicap hurdle at Market Rasen after being repeatedly hampered. The nine-year-old has kicked off life with Rebecca Menzies with two runner-up efforts - unlucky in the first of those when beaten a short head after having to wait for room to challenge and he was then beaten a neck in the second start. The winner of that race was travelling very well off 3lb higher next time out before unseating.

Menzies' raider runs tomorrow off a mark of 125, but has previously placed off marks as high as 130 and won off 126 and has plenty of form on undulating tracks which I found a huge bonus when looking at a Cheltenham card. Rebecca Menzies very rarely makes the journey to Cheltenham and it’s interesting when she does decide to come here 

14:20 Cheltenham - 888sport What's Your Thinking Handicap Chase

THE HOLLOW GINGE has form figures after a break of fifty days or more of 13211UP. He could ideally do with some rain, but ran his best race last year on good ground in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury and has now dropped to 3lb below his last winning mark. The eight-year-old was very highly tried last year and competed in Graded races on five of his last six starts and drops in grade for this. Nigel Twiston-Davies does well at this meeting and has found form in perfect time coming in to it with five winners from 18 runners over the last two weeks (28% win rate). The Twiston-Davies combination won this race in 2017 with Cogry who was the same age and had a similar mark, and eight year olds have won four of the last ten runnings. 

15:30 Cheltenham - 888sport Handicap Chase

Seven-year-old ASHUTOR hit a mark of 140 for Paul Nicholls and ran a decent race in the Grand Annual behind Sky Pirate at the Cheltenham Festival. He returns this season with a new handler in Sophie Leech and off a mark of 132 which happens to be his last winning mark. He didn’t stay last time at Sandown when tried over two-and-a-half miles, but looked very dangerous that day until emptying and the further 3lb drop and drop back to two miles looks ideal. Would be another who would have preferred a bit of rain, but has plenty of form on good ground and a fast pace would suit him perfectly. Sophie Leech doesn’t have a very inspiring record here when it comes to winning but she’s done very well with similar types and has had plenty go close at huge odds over the years. 

16:05 Cheltenham - Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle

PUSH THE TEMPO finally stepped up to three miles when winning last time out after a break and a wind op. He has plenty of form on undulating tracks and his trainer Robert Stephens very rarely has a runner here, but is one winner from six runners here in his career - no runners in the last five years. This race should suit his run style perfectly with plenty of pace on up front and his strong cruising speed when the race hots up is crucial. Only raised 2lbs for a recent win at Worcester and there's plenty of reasons to expect improvement on only his second start under Rules over the trip and second start after the wind op and on second start after the break.