Horse Racing Tips: Tanya Stevenson's 3 Best Bets For Cheltenham On Saturday
Cheltenham and Aintree are here and the whole week there has been feverish excitement on horse racing betting sites with many discussions on various online platforms on horses to follow.
It's been arm's length for me up until now, as I've been commentating on greyhound racing and previewing the various flat meetings, both turf and all-weather.
Also, just last week while at Haydock’s flat meeting, I was meeting up with the final 24 candidates for Betting Shop Manager of the Year.
I'm part of the judging panel and have been for over 20 years and it's never an easy task they are all winners. The eight regional champions should have been announced by now and my congratulations go to them.
The team of judges including myself will be meeting up with them in a couple of weeks to decide the overall winner. Every year, their knowledge, thoughts and opinions give cause to reflect for the gambling, greyhound and horse racing industries.
It’s alarming, but not surprising to hear the downturn in interest in retail for the latter pair as they are just not listening or wanting to listen to what the actual customer wants, instead what the respective authorities at both sports presume.
That’s for another time and it’s the sport itself that needs focusing on, with the two powerhouses of Cheltenham and Aintree opening their doors once more.
I can’t wait to get stuck into the season and at present I'm a bit out of form with jumps as I'm so tuned into flat, golf and greyhounds.
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Tanya Stevenson's Selections For Cheltenham On Saturday
- The Panel Selection 1: 14.20 Cheltenham - Unanswered Prayers - 16/1 With Betfred
- The Panel Selection 2: 14.55 Cheltenham - Cruz Control EW - 25/1 With Ladbrokes
- The Panel Selection 3: 15.30 Cheltenham - Givemefive (Nap) - 7/2 With BetVictor
Tanya Stevenson Panel Tip 1: Cheltenham 14:20 - Unanswered Prayers
Over the bigger obstacles in the 14:20, there could be some value on betting apps in Unanswered Prayers.
Chris Gordon has only an 8% strike rate at present, but that does not tell the whole story this season, where 32 of his 64 runners have finished in the first four.
In 2022 he had a very good October, but this is more like the norm for him. All he needs is one to win and he and the stable go straight into the notebook.
Two years ago, Unanswered Prayers defeated Railway Hurricane at Cheltenham’s November meeting, and last year was coming through to challenge if not win Ascot’s big Sodexo Chase before falling at the last.
He was then going to get a place at the next Ascot meeting until unseating Rex Dingle and being hampered at the last.
What Unanswered Prayers needs is a strong gallop so he can be brought into the race with about three to go and then a clear run thereafter.
He has all the ability, has a competitive mark and now he just needs luck. He too is entered for Aintree’s Grand Sefton Chase but he needs to get in the mix of this group first. I think he can with the weight he is on.
Tanya Stevenson Panel Tip 2: Cheltenham 14:55 - Cruz Control E/W
Cheltenham’s 14:55 is a Pertemps Series qualifier and at a fair each-way price with a nice weight is Cruz Control, who could have easily gone for a competitive handicap or graded chase.
He has only had four runs over hurdles. In April when he made all at Aintree in a Grade 3 Chase, everyone was praising him so highly. No wonder, he had fended off Sam Brown, Forward Plan, Kinondo Kwetu and Twig and they all looked like picking him up.
He then went on to Punchestown for a ninth run of the season and was hampered by a loose horse and finished a respectable fourth.
Now translating to the hurdles and his price shouldn’t be so big even though he may lack a bit a pace. He has a good mark.
Tom Lacey could be considered quiet at present, but in reality add 14 places to his six winners and his form looks healthier.
I note Cruz Control is entered in the Grand Sefton over the big National Fences on November 9, a format which he will relish. I'm sure he will run big in this race so at the price I'm going to suggest an each-way bet.
Tanya Stevenson Panel Tip 3: Cheltenham 15:30 - Givemefive
Golf collides with horseracing on Saturday as Brooks Koepka’s and Graeme McDowell’s Givemefive makes his seasonal debut at Cheltenham in the 15:30.
His task is not an easy one, but when you are a horse of his calibre, there is the possibility he will meet something who has been mixing it in Grade 1s.
It seems on this occasion, Gavin Cromwell’s Bottler’secret only found Kargese too good in the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown, where he was pushed along from a fair way out, but in fairness he kept giving.
Cheltenham may be a different examination as he will have to concede weight to all. He is good but first time up there may be a chance to expose him with flat speed.
This is where Givemefive comes into it. I'm not a huge fan of him running at Cheltenham as the pace he has surely suits Aintree better, but this is perhaps the ideal opportunity to master the course.
He first caught my eye when, despite giving weight to all, he turned a Warwick Juvenile Hurdle into a procession, winning by 18 lengths when it could have been a whole circuit.
Connections had no choice to step him up massively in Grade and that's what they did. On only his third run, he was still green and not yet battle-hardened he was second in the Adonis Grade 2.
He then went to Fairyhouse where he met today's favourite and big rival, and for me was never at the races.
It was a shrewd move to let the horse have a run at Haydock heavy in September and no doubt it would have brought him on to do battle with Bottler’secret.
He is eight pounds better off and Harry Derham has a 40% strike rate at present.
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