Cheltenham Horse Racing Tips for Saturday

The current good to soft surface has the potential to dry out some more ahead of Cheltenham's seven-race jumps card on Saturday, featuring the December Gold Cup Handicap Chase.

The latest horse racing betting tips for Saturday's meeting at Cheltenham from Racing Post tipster Dave Randall.

Saturday's Cheltenham Horse Racing Betting Tips and Odds

13:50 Cheltenham – Madara @ 5/1
14:25 Cheltenham – Master Chewy @ 5/2
15:00 Cheltenham – Skyjack Hijack @ 2/1

13:50 Cheltenham – Madara @ 5/1

Eleven runners are set to go to post for the feature £125,000 extended 2m4f December Gold Cup Premier Handicap Chase from Cheltenham on Saturday afternoon (1.50), and Dan Skelton's representative Madara is considered likely to build on his encouraging fourth in the November Gold Cup Premier Handicap Chase at the previous Cheltenham fixture 28 days ago.

Skelton saddled a hat-trick of winners at Warwick on Thursday, and he is 21-185 (11%) with his runners over fences at Cheltenham.

Madara was making his stable debut for Skelton when staying on for that fourth placing last month in the manner of a horse who should appreciate Saturday's switch from the Old Course to the New Course on a slightly easier surface.

The selection was a winner over an extended 2m at this meeting last year, and followed up over 2m1f in a Listed handicap chase at Leopardstown in February, both wins achieved on soft ground when representing Sophie Leech.

He achieved a Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 143 at Leopardstown and features off an exploitable mark of 140.

Six winners of this race in the 10 runnings since 2013 came 0923F4 in the equivalent contest at the November meeting, and Madara is well placed to enhance those encouraging statistics.

14:25 Cheltenham – Master Chewy @ 5/2

Nigel Twiston-Davies's representative Master Chewy fell at the sixth fence in Sandown's Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase last weekend, but he is considered capable of bouncing back from that mishap, returning to handicap company in the £40,000 Class 2 six-runner extended 2m Handicap Chase from Cheltenham (2.25) on Saturday afternoon.

The seven-year-old Walk In The Park gelding features off a mark of 154. He achieved an RPR of 161 when a close second behind Found A Fifty in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree in April, and a reproduction of that classy novice form may suffice on a similar surface on this occasion.

15:00 Cheltenham – Skyjack Hijack @ 2/1

Finally, novices arriving with an official rating of 137+ are 7-17 (41% +£11.88) when contesting the £55,000 Grade 2 seven-runner extended 3m Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle from Cheltenham (3.00), in the 10 races since 2013.

Jennie Candlish's representative Skyjack Hijack is rated 138, and he is the only qualifier on that notable statistical pointer.

The selection should appreciate 3m around Cheltenham, after showing likeable versatility and distinctly progressive form in winning his last six starts, on five different courses, from an extended 2m5f to an extended 3m1f on good and heavy ground since the end of August.

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.