Cheltenham Festival tips: Who are the best antepost bets among the handicap races?

THEATRE MAN - Ultima, Trustatrader Plate

Some horses are just made for the Cheltenham ‘non-runner, no bet’ concession that is so widespread nowadays and THEATRE MAN, a likely big player in either the Ultima or Plate, looks the perfect vehicle for such. He’d be interesting in either, as he’s no sluggard with a view to the Plate yet saw things out so strongly on Trials Day that another crack at three miles for the opening-day staying handicap would be little issue in all likelihood. That power-packed finish came in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase that has proved such a rich pointer to future success in recent years and, with also-rans that day Prairie Wolf, Bowtogreatness and Blow Your Wad having already franked the form of this year’s renewal, Theatre Man’s form claims in getting closest to Turners-bound Ginny’s Destiny then are there for all to see. Back him for both races. (Dan Barber)

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BATMAN GIRAC - Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

BATMAN GIRAC, a winner on his second start in France, was sent off 7/4 favourite for a traditionally informative Grade 3 at Fairyhouse in December on his first outing for Willie Mullins. However, he badly failed to meet expectations, hanging markedly to his left and shaping as if something was amiss as he trailed home a distant seventh. But there was a lot more to like about his effort when fourth in a Grade 2 at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival. He was last of the 12 runners as they jumped two out, but he made good progress up the inside and stuck to his task well up the run-in to be beaten little more than five lengths. That offers a good platform to build on and this unexposed juvenile can prove much better than a mark of 133, mindful that he was his powerhouse stable's sole representative and strong in the betting for that Grade 3 at Fairyhouse. (Tony McFadden)

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FIRM FOOTINGS - Ultima, Brown Advisory, Trustatrader Plate, Kim Muir

FIRM FOOTINGS was part of the Caldwell Construction dispersal sale and was one of the lots that Gordon Elliott managed to retain in the yard. He's already got experience of the Cheltenham Festival having been sixth - beaten five and a quarter lengths at 22/1 - in the Martin Pipe last year, finishing on the heels of better fancied stablemate Imagine. He remained over hurdles at the start of this campaign but was soon switched to chasing, going close at the first attempt before being outclassed by Arkle possibles Marine Nationale and Hunters Yarn at around two miles. This half-brother to, among others, Monty's Star and Monalee is bred to come into his own over a trip and with improvement expected once faced with a greater test of stamina, he will be on the short-list for whichever of the handicaps (if any) he contests. (Ian Ogg)

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FIRM FOOTINGS – Kim Muir

Gordon Elliott has assembled yet another strong team of handicappers for the Festival and, in common with many of his stable-companions, FIRM FOOTINGS currently holds multiple entries over a variety of trips. The fact that two of those handicap options are in excess of three miles is particularly eye-catching given that Firm Footings has been campaigned exclusively around the minimum trip so far over fences. He’s been keeping some good company along the way - notably when placed behind Arkle hopefuls Marine Nationale and Hunters Yarn on his last two starts – and that form puts him firmly in the mix off a BHA mark of just 140. Indeed, it’s not out of the question that there will be better to come over longer trips as his pedigree strongly suggests he’ll be suited by them, being a full brother Monty’s Star (who is among the favourites for the Brown Adivsory Chase on Wednesday) and a half-brother to the top-class staying chaser Monalee. Irish-trained novices have won four of the last five renewals of the Kim Muir (including two associated with the Elliott yard) and Firm Footings holds solid claims of following in their footsteps. (Phil Turner)

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BIALYSTOK - County Hurdle

Being brought down in your prep-race might not be the ideal final step on the road to Cheltenham but BIALYSTOK is fancied to run a big race in the County Hurdle despite that fate befalling him at the Dublin Racing Festival. He was yet to be asked for anything resembling an effort when left with nowhere to go at the second last in the white-hot handicap won by Lord Erskine. He’s only up a pound at Cheltenham to 139, nine higher than when winning at Punchestown in April but the same slot as when seventh in the Galway Hurdle. He plugged on late that day when not at his best and this will be only his fourth handicap. He looks weighted to have a say with the set-up of the race - big field and strong gallop - seemingly perfect for him. (David Ord)

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LUMP SUM – County Hurdle, Martin Pipe

Sam Thomas’ LUMP SUM is on the radar for whichever handicap he goes for at the Cheltenham Festival after being allotted a mark of 135 following his victory in the Coral Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday. That fourth run over hurdles qualified him for handicaps and he goes in there on a steep upward curve from a mark he can be dangerous off. He could get in either race off that rating, but I’d love to see him in the County. Even though he’ll get further he just shapes like a strongly-run two miles will be ideal for him at this stage. (Ben Linfoot)

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SO SCOTTISH - County Hurdle

The County Hurdle shortlist is usually as long as my arm when looking through the race without knowing the final field, the jockeys or the weather, but at the moment it’s all about SO SCOTTISH. Trained by a genius, for a man still obsessed with Festival winners, it looks highly significant that he’s got just the one entry, and it makes a lot of sense as he’s able to run off a 10lb lower mark than when seventh (a well-fancied 11/2 chance) in last year’s Plate over fences. The DRF effort last time was eyecatching, to say the least, so let's hope he makes the cut here as he's number 46 on the list at the time of asking. (Matt Brocklebank)

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CLEATUS POOLAW - Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle

Progressive sorts promise to be thin on the ground in the Pertemps Final, and with that in mind, CLEATUS POOLAW looks a very interesting contender. Leaving it until the last qualifier to book his spot at Cheltenham, he’s yet to race over three miles under Rules, though does have a point victory at that trip under his belt and promises to be well suited by the demands of this race. His record in Irish maidens includes a wide-margin success at Naas before chasing home the lightly weighted Noble Birth on his handicap debut there last weekend. He’d previously finished closest to Ballyburn when the current favourite for both the Supreme and Baring Bingham opened his hurdling account at Leopardstown at Christmas and will head to the Festival with a similar profile to the same connections’ Delta Work in 2018, the first of 3 straight victories in the race for Gordon Elliott, whose hand numerically this year is restricted to just Cleatus Poolaw and Farouk d’Alene. The latter will be conceding weight to all if declared and would likely be claimer ridden, leaving Jack Kennedy open to renew his partnership with Cleatus Poolaw with his recent suspension completed. (Paul Goodenough)

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LIBBERTY HUNTER - Johnny Henderson Grand Annual

Crebilly is a horse I’ve been keen on for a big handicap since his Exeter win over Tahmuras given his previous form against Ginny’s Destiny and Grey Dawning still leaves him looking very well treated on a BHA mark of 140, but he’s already favourite for his intended target so I’m deserting him for this article whilst retaining a connection by opting for a horse who beat him in a novice hurdle at Chepstow fourteen months ago. His name is LIBBERTY HUNTER and he gets in the Grand Annual off 139 which looks lenient. He would have been unbeaten over fences but for falling on his debut and his latest win over Matata at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day was easily his best effort yet after travelling smoothly as usual. Currently 12/1, he’s very low mileage for an eight-year-old and won’t have to improve much more to win again in a race where few of the Irish contingent make much appeal. (Graeme North)

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