Friday’s Racing tips: Best bets and odds for Cheltenham

Friday horse racing tips

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William Hill Epic Boosts Handicap Hurdle (13.15, Cheltenham)

Great to see some better quality jumping back on the agenda and Cheltenham’s first race of the season looks to be an open contest both on paper and according to the odds on UK bookmakers.

There are several of interest on paper, the vote in the end going to CROOKED PATH, who is a double-figure price and arrives in the form of his life.

An all weather winner over 1m4f, he’s was campaigned at around two miles over hurdles by trainer Denis Hogan in Ireland.

He changed hands earlier this year for £26,000 and James Owen wasted no time in getting the gelding’s nose in front in that AW race at Kempton.

He backed that up twice further with slightly better efforts in finishing second in successive starts at Epsom.

Connections then made the switch back to hurdles with him and he improved most recently, when a 5½L winner on being stepped up in trip at Fontwell (2m3f, good to soft).

You could argue that he may not have the class for this race but he arrives off the back of a career best in this code, conditions will suit and he is unexposed, so at the prices I think he has to be considered an each-way player.

Friday tip 1: Crooked Path (Cheltenham, 13.15) – 1pt each-way @ 9/1 Ladbrokes

Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle (14.25, Cheltenham)

Another open-looking heat and plenty can have cases made, including one of two in this for trainer Ben Pauling, WONDERING WHY. The market suggests he is the better fancied of the pair and there’s a fair bit to like.

The useful conditional Elliott England takes 8lb off his back for starts, while the five-year-old is unexposed, having won on his handicap debut at Warwick (2m, good) when last seen in May.

The success came when freshened up and he’s back after a break here, having gone up a fair 4lb for that Warwick success, to what remains a workable mark of 119.

He’s a bumper winner, so the stiff climb to the winning post should hold no fears, while he’s also a soft ground winner, so the forecast rain should not impair his chance.

He looks worth a small each-way play with the horse racing bookies but I think he’s also one to keep on the right side of in handicaps, especially when he is stepped up in trip.

Friday tip 2: Wondering Why (Cheltenham, 14.25) – 1pt each-way @ 5/1 Unibet

Oddschecker Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (15.00, Cheltenham)

Nicky Henderson looks to have another nice hurdler on his hands in Planters Punch, who is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles, winning most recently at Chepstow (2m, good to soft) in April.

Both that and the Bangor win that preceded it were by healthy margins and it would be no surprise to see him continue that run of success.

Cooltobecareless represents the Skeltons. He’s a point and bumper winner who was found out in this grade in a bumper at Aintree in the spring but then dotted up on his recent reappearance at Chepstow, after wind surgery.

The market says this race is between those two but I think there could be some each-way value in siding with BELLS GROVE. He makes the trip over from Ireland, representing the Edward Buckley yard.

He ran well here in a bumper when with John O’Connell at this meeting last season and although he didn’t win a bumper (placed in three out of four), he showed promise.

Third in a Listowel maiden hurdle in May, he then won one of those at Ballinrobe (2m1½f, good) in July, before adding to that on his handicap debut at Navan (2m, good) last month.

That latest effort was his best yet and you had to be impressed with where he came from and how easily he did it when asked by Kieren Buckley.

There could be a fair bit more to come from him and he’s well worth his place in this field. At double-figure odds on the top betting apps, he looks an each-way play.

Friday tip 3: Bells Grove (Cheltenham, 15.00) – 1pt each-way @ 11/1 Betfair

squareintheair.com Handicap Chase (15.35, Cheltenham)

Calico bids to win this for a third successive year but with plenty of rain forecast the ground could slow considerably by the time they race and that wouldn’t be ideal for the Skelton inmate.

JPR One won’t mind getting his toe in at all but he’s not been quite as good when fresh in recent times as he once was, plus Joe Tizzard’s team hasn’t really got going yet.

He’s a good horse but he’s weighted up to his best and I’d be surprised if he does produce that on his reappearance.

Henry De Bromhead saddled the winner of this race in 2023 and he sends Sky Lord across the water this time. He’s won on good and soft, so expect a competitive effort either way from him.

However, on his way south from Scotland for this is TRAPRAIN LAW for Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore.

All of his better efforts have been on slow ground, though if the rains stay away, he’s also won on good.

He gets further than this but around two miles is really his optimum and it looks a good starting point for him, after a summer off.

He arrives on a handy mark and has his burden reduced by his amateur rider’s 7lb claim. I’m siding with him to make the frame at around 8/1.

Fridat tip 4: Traprain Law (Cheltenham, 15.35) -1pt each-way @ 7/1 Coral

Responsible gambling

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