Cheltenham Festival ITV racing tips: Best bets for day 4 on Friday, March 15

The Brits finally grabbed some Grade 1 honours with Grey Dawning and Protektorat on Thursday. Can they claw back some big winners on Friday? 

We've collected the views of our expert panel at the Planet Sport Bet Cheltenham preview evening which included Planet Sport amabassador Harry Cobden, former Gold Cup winner Mick Fitzgerald, ten-time Cheltenham Festival winning jockey Tom Scudamore and the Racing Post's Paul Kealy.

We also leaned on our own inhouse tipsters to give you the best steer on where you money should go in the five races that are being shown on ITV this Friday.

Don't forget to check out the full racecard, results and live odds in Planet Sport's racing live centre.

Good luck and please gamble responsibly.

(Please be aware horses could become non-runners after article publication)

Planet Sport Bet offer:  Bet minimum £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if the qualifying terms are met (as detailed in the table at the bottom of the page), earn a £5 free bet for every £20+ cash bet, or a £20 free bet for every £100+ cash bet

 

 

13:30 (Cheltenham) - Triumph Hurdle

Ethical Diamond (Paul Kealy) - I've backed a horse at a big price who finished sixth in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown called Ethical Diamond. Finished really nicely under fairly tender handling. I was told he was actually bought with a Melbourne Cup in mind. He had a he had a 96 RPO on a flat when he won his maiden and if he's bought with the Melbourne Cup in mind, he must be pretty bloody useful. So hopefully he's okay. I do think you'll beat the ones that were in front of him, but it's only because I don't think they're that good.

 

Salvator Mundi e/w (Harry Cobden) - Salvator Mundi is going unbelievably well at home, and his jumping has improved massively since they've got him. So I think that French form has worked out really well. So Salvator Mundi is probably good each-way value.

 

Salvator Mundi (Tom Scudamore) - It'd be very unlike Willie Mullins to run him unless he thought he was going to win. He likes to buy a horse from France, you look at the likes of State Man, etc, etc. that when they're getting beaten in France, he doesn't like running them as four year olds, he waits a year. If he runs Salvator Mundi, who was just touched off by Sir Gino last year, round Auteuil, it would be a tip in itself.

 

Nurburgring - A competitive Triumph to start the final day and Nurburgring can race to glory. Joseph O’Brien’s inmate will be suited to the strong gallop and he should go close. (Mike Grenham - Planet Sport Bet Managing Director)

 

14:10 (Cheltenham) - County Handicap Hurdle

L'Eau Du Sud (Paul Kealy)  - Was only beaten by two and a half lengths by Iberico Lord, they were six lengths clear of the rest. That is a really really strong piece of handicap form. L'Eau Du Sud will go well.

 

Magical Zoe e/w (Mike Grenham) - King Of Kingsfield Is likely to be a warm order here, given his form behind Ballyburn and Slade Steel and also what looks a very lenient handicap mark. While he’s the most likely winner, we will look for a couple of each-way shots. First up is Magical Zoe, second in the mares’ novice last year here, and in good form this season. Also worth an interest is Hansard, from Gary Moore’s yard. He looks a big price, especially judged on his Newbury win.

 

Westport Cove (Tipstrr) - Finished well beaten in the Champion Bumper last season and has been tried at Grade 1 and Listed level over hurdles but has not won in four attempts. Westport Cove has not run in handicap company previously, which until the last two runnings was a negative. (Andrew of Fiosrach - Tipstrr)

 

14:50 (Cheltenham) - Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

Captain Teague (Harry Cobden) - I think any horse that runs well in a Champion Bumper normally stays three miles. I think visually for the normal person, you probably lose faith in him because when he gets to the front, he looks like he goes slower. But he basically doesn't do a tap in front. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to ride him like Carbery and Harchibald. But I'm certain Captain Teague will stay, he's a class horse. Tremendous workhorse at home and I think he's got a huge chance.

Johnnywho (Tom Scudamore) - I'm waiting to see him run over three miles. He's related to a four mile national winner and his last two runs both over two and a half miles behind Gidleigh Park and Captain Teague and you watch the Captain Teague race, jumping the third last he's out with the washing. He's never closer than he is at the line and the Albert Bartlett is the new course over three miles in that race is very, very stiff. Johnnywho, if you watch that Challow Hurdle, he's the one to take out of those conditions. He'll love a war and I really fancy him.

Johnnywho (Paul Kealy) - I'm a massive fan of Johnnywho too

Readin Tommy Wrong (Mick Fitzgerald) - I think he's a very good horse. Daryl Jacob won on him at Naas beating Ile Atlantique. Paul Townend will ride him, so he'll be favourite. I think Readin Tommy Wrong will be really interesting.

Chigorin (Mike Grenham) - This race has tended to be won by outsiders rather than market leaders and so the pick is Chigorin, who sluiced in last time out over 2m7f on heavy at Fairyhouse and therefore should have no problems with the challenges of this slog.

 

15:30 (Cheltenham) - Cheltenham Gold Cup

Harry Cobden - Bravemansgame obviously started the season at Wetherby and I believe he was literally 75% fit and we thought we'd get away with it. He made a bad mistake at the last and he only made that mistake because he can he blew up.

The plan was to go straight for the King George but obviously the Betfair Chase was going to be a three runner race if he didn't run. So the owners and the trainer decided right let's have a go at the Betfair Chase. I think we probably underestimated how hard a race he had, whether we and he basically bounced and never turned up at Haydock.

And then from Haydock, he only had 29 days I think from from there to the King George and it was all a bit of a rush and he had probably too hard races. And I thought, fair play to the horse. He ran a huge race at Kempton after sort of going to the well twice that season already. And we know that he doesn't take his racing that well.

So he's had an unbelievable prep for the Gold Cup now. He worked amazingly well at Kempton the other day and I think he's back to his best he feels as good as he's ever felt. Bravemansgame is a massive price, I think he's overpriced.

 

Galopin Des Champs (Tom Scudamore) - I definitely think Galopin Des Champs has one Achilles heel with his jumping and that came to light when he was beaten first time this season. But if he turns up, he wins. You have to respect Fastorslow, he's very, very solid and he's obviously beaten the favourite twice.

 

Corach Rambler e/w (Mick Fitzgerald) -  I think they're going to ride Galopin Des Champs forward this year and I think it's going to make the job a little bit easier. I think he's the best horse in the race, and you're really just betting on what horse you think is going to turn up. I think there's going to be a big field, there's going to be a lot of horses taking each other on and it's going to turn into a little bit of a slog and for that reason, I actually think Corach Rambler has a chance to be placed. He'll be ridden to come through them and very often you see it happen year after year, the horses that are ridden cold, come through, and nick places. I'm not saying he's is going to win, but there are worse big-priced shots to be placed.

 

Galopin Des Champs (Paul Kealy) - He smashed them up last year. If he's in the same form. It'll do it again, as he did in the Savills. He's short enough, but will probably win. I've been banging the drum for a while about Bravemansgame being the wrong price. On last year's foot last year's King George and Gold Cup form, he is easily the second best horse in the race. There isn't a single line of form that makes Gerri Colombe the price he is and although Fastorslow is very good, there wouldn't be that much between them if Bravemansgame is at his very best.

L'Homme Presse is clearly a good horse, but I'd imagine it's hard to be out for a year and come back. He won well at Lingfield and then he was a non-trier in a Grade One at Ascot which was a terrible thing to do. But he could well go close, he is a very good horse. Hewick will definitely not want soft ground and that's the issue with him.

 

Gentlemansgame (Mike Grenham) - A vintage Gold Cup awaits and Galopin Des Champs will be very hard to dethrone. His odds are not that exciting though, as this is a deep field, so we will take two each-way pokes against the rest. Grand National hero Corach Rambler stays forever and can run into a place when others have cried enough. A less exposed type is Gentlemansgame. He certainly lacks chasing experience but Mouse Morris must rate him highly to pitch him in here and that bravery can be rewarded royally.

 

16:10 (Cheltenham) - St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup

It’s On The Line (Mike Grenham) - Representing the combination of Emmett Mullins and Derek O’Connor, in the JP McManus silks, looks tough to beat here.

 

Premier Magic (Tipstrr) - Since 2012 three horses (Salsify, On The Fringe and Pacha Du Polder) have won “the Amateur Gold Cup” back-to-back, and the buzz is that Premier Magic can do the same for Bradley Gibbs. The 11-year-old was one of those 66/1 shots when landing this last year, defying his odds with an excellent jumping performance that saw him ease a couple of lengths clear of the re-opposing Its On The Line, who is the short-priced favourite to land this.

 

Planet Sport Bet offer:  Bet minimum £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if the qualifying terms are met (as detailed below), earn a £5 free bet for every £20+ cash bet, or a £20 free bet for every £100+ cash bet

 

 

14.10	if Pied Piper is in the 1st 4
14.50	if Readin Tommy Wrong wins by over 3 lengths
15.30	if Gallopin des Champs wins the race
16.10	if Its On the Line wins by over 8 lengths
16.50	if Dinoblue wins by over 8 lengths
17.30	if Ocastle des Mottes is in the 1st 4