Daily Star’s racing skilled had 9 winners final yr – this is his Tuesday Cheltenham suggestions

The first day of the Cheltenham Festival is nearly upon us and the Daily Star’s horse racing expert Jason Heavey has given his Tuesday selections

View 7 Images

Happy Cheltenham Eve! The greatest show on turf returns on Tuesday in day one of the Cheltenham Festival.

The four-day festival kicks off with a stacked race card on Tuesday with the Champion Hurdle headlining the day’s action. While the Supreme Novices Hurdle and the Arkle will witness two of the most exciting clashes in recent years.

Daily Star Sport’s horse racing expert Jason Heavey had nine winners in last year’s festival, including tipping 25-1 outsider Golden Ace to win the Champion Hurdle. And Jeremy Scott’s eight-year-old is one of a few challengers in a very open field this year.

JOIN US ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page

1.20 SKY BET SUPREME NOVICES HURDLE

OLD PARK STAR (treble) can get Nicky Henderson off to a perfect start. The six-year-old has been faultless in winning all three races this season, jumping with fluency and galloping home relentlessly.

He made most of the running when scoring at Cheltenham in November and then ran away from a deep field to win by 18 lengths at Haydock. He is straightforward and Nico de Boinville will probably let him bowl along near the head of the pace.

You need to stay to win this race and Old Park Star will definitely get further so I expect him to repel a strong Irish challenge up the hill. Mighty Park heads a three-strong Willie Mullins pack and won by 38 lengths on his only start over hurdles at Fairyhouse. He is a talking horse but the vibes are hard to ignore.

El Cairos has terrific speed and if it became a dash in the home straight he would take some beating while Talk The Talk is solid. SOBER GLORY is a great each-way bet at 14-1. He has won six out of seven and his only blip came at Sandown.

TIP: OLD PARK STAR

Each-way: Sober Glory

2.00 SINGER ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY

KOPEK DES BORDES is hard to get away from in a classy renewal. Last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner has only had one run over fences when strolling home at Navan in November.

Wilie Mullins does not seem too concerned that he has only run once this season and he impressed his trainer in his recent workouts and schooling. He could have too much pace for his rivals, notably Lulamba.

The latter is also a seriously good horse and is three from thee over fences. His latest victory at Newbury against more streetwise animals may not have been visually impressive but he may have learned plenty. Lulamba may just lack the speed of Kopek Des Bordes over two miles and could end up being better over a longer trip

Kargese should run her race but may find a couple too good so it is left to STEEL ALLY to carry each-way money. Annoyingly for place backers there are only seven runners but Sam Thomas’s eight-year-old jumps well and will be galloping all the way to the line.

TIP: KOPEK DES BORDES

Each-way: Steel Ally

2.40 MCCOY CONTRACTORS (FRED WINTER) JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE

MUSTANG DU BREUIL (Nap) might be the outsider of JP McManus’s three runners but he gets the vote in a difficult puzzle. He made a big impression when scoring at Auteuil in France last October in testing ground at odds of 44-1.

The trip was 2m 2f and he came from miles back to win in the final strides. He was snapped up by McManus and sent to Nicky Henderson, making a winning British debut at Doncaster in February.

Mustang Du Breuil then ran with great credit in the Dovecote Hurdle at Kempton, staying on strongly into third, and he looks to have the stamina needed to blast his way up the hill. He is 12-1 at the time of writing which is a tempting price.

Manlaga and Saratoga head the market for McManus while Winston Junior and AMMES lead the British challenge. The latter has a lovely each-way chance under champion jockey Sean Bowen.

Harwa (22-1), Quinta Do Lago (25-1) and Klycot (28-1) should all give each-way punters a run for their money.

TIP: MUSTANG DU BREUIL

Each-way: Ammes

3.20 TRUSTMARQUE ULTIMA HANDICAP CHASE

MYRETOWN is fancied to land this competitive heat for the second year running. The nine-year-old landed a major on-the-day gamble by running right away with last year’s renewal by 11 lengths. He is 15lb higher in the weights this time but still looks fairly handicapped.

Myretown has been let down by his jumping this season. He failed to stay in the Grand National Trial at Haydock last time out and was given an easy time by Derek Fox. Drier ground will suit and if gets an easy lead he should run well.

Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore have their horses in top form (11 winners in the past fortnight) and Russell also trained Corach Rambler to win this twice. Jagwar has been crying out for today’s trip and is pretty solid but he has a lot of weight – as does Iroko and Resplendent Grey.

There is so much place value including Konfusion (16-1), Quebecois (10-1) and Blaze The Way (18-1) but the stand-out each-way punt is IMPERIAL SAINT at 20-1. The eight-year-old is well treated and drying ground will help

TIP: MYRETOWN

Each-way: Imperial Saint

4.00 UNIBET CHAMPION HURDLE

LOSSIEMOUTH (nb) finally tackles her date with destiny and can grab the glory in the Unibet Champion Hurdle. The flying grey mare has won at the last three Cheltenham Festivals – the Triumph Hurdle and the Mares’ Hurdle twice. But owner Rich Ricci has resisted going for the easier option this year and decided to roll the dice in the big one

Lossiemouth will be fitted with cheekpieces to help her stay in touch in the early part of the race, as an end-to end gallop over two miles could catch her out. But if she is contention turning into the home straight she has the speed and the class to bound her way up the famous hill.

The New Lion is classy but may be vulnerable over two miles while he has a habit of stepping at the occasional hurdle.

Brighterdaydahead has been beaten in her previous two visits to Cheltenham suggesting it may not be her ideal track. If she brings her absolute A-game, she remains the one to beat.

And last year’s winner GOLDEN ACE – who took advantage of the falls of State Man and Constitution Hill – remains the solid each-way play of the race.

TIP: LOSSIEMOUTH

Each-way: Golden Ace

4.40 SUN RACING PLATE

WILL THE WISE could be one for the shrewdies. Gavin Cromwell has mainly campaigned the seven-year-old over staying distances. But it could be a masterstroke dropping him back to today’s 2m 4f.

His sole win over fences came when he made all the running over 2m 2f so he has the speed to do it and I would not be surprised if Keith Donohue bounces him out handy to utilise every inch of his stamina.

He was sixth in last year’s Pertemps Hurdle and at around 10-1 he is a fair punt off a nice racing weight. Madara is a Dan Skelton plot job – so is Gordon Elliott’s Down Memory Lane who has not run for 94 days. Both have claims along with McLaurey who is hard to fancy on form but has been heavily backed.

Each-way players may consider Jipcot (33-1) and Jungle Boogie (40-1) with bookies offering six places. However, GUARD YOUR DREAMS (28-1) was a stylish winner at Warwick recently and comes into the race fit and firing.

TIP: WILL THE WISE

Each-way: Guard Your Dreams

5.20 NATIONAL HUNT NOVICES HANDICAP CHASE

ICEBERG THEORY is lurking and is a danger to all – and could be the answer to probably the most competitive race of the day.

Paul Nolan’s seven-year-old has won his last two over fences and I loved how strongly he hit the line when winning at Cork on his latest outing. His trainer says he stays all day and at 10-1 he gets the vote.

He will have to repel an array of challengers including Rebecca Curtis’s Newton Tornado, who can clout the odd fence, and Backmeorsackme who have both been well punted. King Of Answers impressed when winning at Kelso and runs here instead of the Ultima while Wade Out – possibly the laziest horse in training – will make Sean Bowen earn every penny of his riding fee.

Guard The Moon and One Big Bang are others with strong place claims although PIC ROC, a runaway winner at Sandown recently when making all the running, is a decent each-way bet at 16-1 for Ben Pauling despite carrying plenty of weight.

TIP: ICEBERG THEORY

Each-way: Pic Roc