As per usual, when it comes to these festivals, i tend to rely mainly on the stats as races that have been run year after year tend to follow patterns. I choose the strongest stats in my selections, for instance in the first race, the 2.00, 10 of the last 14 winners had contested the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. There are 3 qualifiers today; Broughton, Calipto and Guitar Pete. And as 7 of the last 9 winners were favourites, the choice is the luckless Calipto who would have gone very close to wining that Cheltenham race but for a snapped stirrup leather, 2 flights from home. Obviously, there are often a few horses per race who tick a lot of the trends boxes and it is all down to how you interpret the available stats. Here are my interpretations:-)
2.00; Calipto @ 10/3 (Carries my free £5 bet from Stan James)
2.30; First Lieutenant @ 10/3
3.05; The New One @ 2/5 (Not backing, just watching)
3.40; Warne @ 4/1
4.15; Turn Over Sivola @ 9/1
4.50; Uxizandre @ 4/1
5.25; Doctor Harper @ 12/1
I have also had a little each way bet on Rock On Ruby @ 12/1 in the 3.05 (a return to hurdles may just spark it back to life) and a small 'saver' in the 4.15 on Claret Cloak (given my Burnley connections). I wont get rich on the above, not even if the first 6 all oblige in the Placepot, but i will have fun and for a relatively small outlay. Good luck to everyone who has a punt, today.