Cheltenham Tips Today: Derham Runner To Strike At 5/1 & Saturday’s Best Bets At Prestbury Park

Cheltenham Racecourse’s new season gets underway with The William Hill Showcase Meeting and Steve Mullington is here to preview the best of the action on Saturday.

And although it takes place just under five months before Jump Racing’s most prestigious meeting, The William Hill Showcase often throws up some valuable pointers for The Festival itself.

Cheltenham Best Bets Saturday:

• 1.10pm – Sogna In Grande (NB)
• 1.45pm – Road To Wembley
• 2.20pm – Gowel Road (E/W)
• 2.55pm – Moon d’Orange (E/W)
• 3.30pm – One Horse Town (NAP)
• 4.05pm – Butch Cassidy

Since 2008, when The William Hill Showcase assumed its present format, a total of 22 runners from the two days in October have gone on to score at the Cheltenham Festival in the same season.

Will we witness any more this year? Well, Steven Mullington endeavours to find out by marking your Saturday card:

1.10pm – 2m4f William Hill Each Epic Boosts Novices’ H’cp Chase 

Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls have come straight out of the blocks flying this season which bodes well for their runner SOGNA IN GRANDE (NB) in the opening race.

The six-year-old will certainly know his chasing role from his early point-to-point days and that experience should prove invaluable around this unique track.

1.45pm – 3m William Hill Extra Places Every Day Novices’ Hurdle

Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen team up here with ROAD TO WEMBLEY and the five-year-old should score again.

The horse reportedly struck into himself last time at Worcester so we can forgive him that run. At odds of 7/4 in our horse racing betting, he’s a solid looking bet for win purposes.

2.20pm – 3m Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Q’fier

Veteran GOWEL ROAD boasts an outstanding Cheltenham record and can outrun his double figure odds.

Second in this race in 2024, if the ten-year-old is match sharp then he can make the frame at the very least for Team Twiston-Davies.

2.55pm – 3m1f William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed H’cp Chase

I once thought MOON D’ORANGE was destined for great things but he hasn’t quite hit those heady heights – yet!

Now with Christian Williams, the eight-year-old had a workman-like blowout over hurdles at Worcester last month, and this new chasing trip could well be the key to his revival.

3.30pm – 2m½f Masterson Holdings Hurdle

Once considered a big Triumph Hurdle hope, ONE HORSE TOWN (NAP) didn’t quite fire in that race but is still a very able horse.

Harry Derham’s charge has had a recent warm-up on the flat and can adopt his customary front-running tactics again. He is a course and distance winner after all.

4.05pm – 3m1f William Hill Price Boosts Novices’ Chase

The 144-rated BUTCH CASSIDY should in theory have too much in hand from  his rivals in this contest.

Henry De Bromhead rarely sends a horse over to Cheltenham without a live chance and this six-year-old has already grabbed the novice chasing division in Ireland by the scruff of the neck.

This slick jumper can show them what it’s all about under Darragh O’Keeffe.

*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*