BOYLE Sports Blog | ITV Racing Tips: Cheltenham Friday

Cheltenham is back on the box this Friday and we’ve got ITV racing tips for all four of the contests being covered live.

A competitive veterans’ handicap is followed by a listed affair and a couple of classy Grade Two events, so there is every chance to Back Yourself with singles or multiple bets on these selections.

ITV Racing Tips – Cheltenham Friday

Cheltenham 13:45 – Gunsight Ridge

Olly Murphy’s 10-year-old gets the nod in what looks a wide-open Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Handicap Chase.

Gunsight Ridge was staying on in second when falling at the last at this venue a year ago and went on to land a nice prize at Sandown in February.

He is prone to suffering the odd blip but Murphy’s yard is firing on all cylinders, and this step into veterans’ races makes him a very interesting proposition.

4/1

● LIVE ODDS Gunsight Ridge Outright Betting

Cheltenham 14:20 – Leave of Absence

The Anthony Honeyball-trained eight-year-old signed off last season by scoring at Newbury and picked up where he left off with a courageous course-and-distance success to kick off the current campaign.

That was only his eighth start under rules and the feeling is that Leave Of Absence may still have further improvement left in his locker ahead of the Sun’s ‘Save Our Bets’ Novices’ Chase.

9/4

● LIVE ODDS Leave Of Absence Outright Betting

Cheltenham 14:55 – L’Eau Du Sud

Crowd favourite Jonbon has won the last two renewals of the Shloer Chase but they are his only victories at this course from six visits and there is no doubt the 10-time Grade One scorer is not quite at his brilliant best on the undulations of Prestbury Park.

With the added concern that many of Nicky Henderson’s horses have appeared to be in need of a run so far this season, that leaves L’Eau Du Sud as a value alternative.

He was superb when striking in novice chase company at this meeting 12 months ago before following up at Sandown and Warwick and just failed to get home in the Arkle at the Festival.

Dan Skelton has his string in fantastic form and if L’Eau Du Sud is ever going to get the better of Jonbon, it feels like this is the day.

7/2

● LIVE ODDS L'eau Du Sud Outright Betting

Cheltenham 15:30 – Heads Up

John McConnell’s Irish raider belied odds of 33/1 to finish an excellent second of 17 in last season’s Champion Bumper, leading his rivals a merry dance from the front until Bambino Fever reeled him in late on.

Heads Up made a successful switch to racing over timber at Listowel in September despite a couple of sketchy jumps and should benefit from having had a bit more schooling prior to the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

2/1

● LIVE ODDS Heads Up Outright Betting