Nigel Twiston-Davies – My Cheltenham Runners – Tuesday 14th March

We may have our Cheltenham tips online already but if there is one other man it pays to listen to, it’s Nigel Twiston-Davies. He has had Cheltenham Festival winners including xxx and we had our usual phone call with him to get the exclusive low down on how he’s feeling about his biggest chances.

The Tuesday may be a competitive day, but it’s also one of his stronger looking ones, with several live chances including in the Championship race of the day.

Nigel’s Charity Bet

As always, we’ve given Nigel a £50 charity bet to place on a horse of his choice – we’ll be giving him one every day this week – after all, it is Cheltenham! He can choose to go win or Each Way, so it may be telling that he decided to go Win Only for today’s bet!

Champion Hurdle – 3.30pm
The New One 3.30pm Cheltenham 14/1 

“I am really hoping that it is his turn this year. This will be his fourth attempt at the race and I have always felt he deserved a victory after being so unlucky on his first try in 2014 when I thought he was an unlucky loser after being badly hampered. He may be nine-year-old now but you wouldn’t know it at home, and he seems as well as ever for this year’s challenge. It does look a much weaker renewal this year than those he has run well in previously, and I think I have him exactly where I want him to be, so fingers crossed he wins at a ridiculous price in the circumstances, landing the charity bet in the process.”

If The New One wins, we’ll donate £750 to the Injured Jockeys Fund!

Other Tuesday Runners

Onto Nigel’s comments

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – 1.30pm
Ballyandy

“My horse could not have won any better than he did at Newbury in the Betfair Hurdle last time out and I am very pleased with him. With Moon Racer diverted to the Champion Hurdle and other strongly fancied horses dropping out last week, our chances have obviously increased  and I honestly think he must have a superb chance. We know he loves it around here after he took the bumper last season, and I am already pretty excited about watching him run and expect a decent showing – though anything less than victory may well be a disappointment”

National Hunt Chase – 4.50pm
Calett Mad/Ballycross 

“I am heading in to this race double handed with Calett Mad perhaps the better of the pair and improving all the time. He seems reasonably well weighted in receipt of a couple of pounds thanks to his age allowance, and as he is only a five-year-old there is a lot more to come. The four miles won’t be an issue and I expect him to run a really big race, though don’t discount Ballycross. He is bold jumper which may well help his cause here, but he does have a bit to find on the official ratings and would be the second string on paper, though I am hoping he does a bit better than it looks and may even sneak a place.

Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase
Foxtail Hill/Templehills 5.30pm Cheltenham

“Two more in the day’s finale but I have to suggest that Foxtail Hill has the better chance, though you can never be sure in this game. He won nicely here last time out from the classy Saphir Du Rheu which looks sold enough form, and although he has been put up another seven pounds for that I am still expecting a big run on this better ground. Templehills is a lot better than it looked last time out at Warwick where he didn’t really handle the sticky underfoot conditions but he should be a lot more at home on the perfect turf expected here.”

Nigel Twiston-Davies will be back each and every week with his thoughts exclusively for myracing.com as well as every day over the major meetings (including Cheltenham)! To see what our tipsters are backing in all today’s races, check out our Cheltenham tips or our horse racing tips!