Cheltenham 3.15

ROBIN - Cheltenham 3.15 - Handicap Hurdle - Class 2 - 3 miles - 18 run

A competitive race complicated by how soon the anticipated rain arrives, or not. I think though that we saw genuinely Good Going at Cheltenham yesterday and the longer in the day we get before rain the less likely it is to turn anything other than perfect Good to Soft Going.

It's hard to rule out Skeltons I'd Better Go Now, although it's form is on very different tracks to this. Sirrobbie won in excellent fashion for us a few weeks ago, a horse I really like but he really is a Uttoxeter specialist and as we pointed out at the time very much had fitness and everything in his favour last time. I can pass him by today.

Honest Vic has some good Course form, and some decent form running fresh too, is upped in trip but overall I always think better right handed and although a danger, another I'll pass over. I was left with 3 horses that I kept coming back to, so will tip and stake accordingly.

TOBEFAIR is a Course specialist. Won this on seasonal debut last year, returns off a similar mark with an excellent Claimer booked. It's hard to imagine they wont have the horse anything other than as fit as they can, and he has to have great place chances at least. FLINCK is one I very much noted on seasonal debut, upped notably in trip and will need to see out the race but the horse started over 3 miles on the P2P circuit so has some verifible stamina lines for the trip here. Won't mind rain either and provided Dickie Johnson doesn't expend too much energy too soon is one I really like. If 3 miles is beyond him here, would rule out on a flatter track or dropped to an intermediate distance, and one for the season long notebook for sure.

I can't totally resist Fergals horse GOODBYE DANCER either, runs well fresh, has Course and Distance form over several seasons for pair of Trainers, Paddy Brennan is always an asset on any horse and is very close to it's last winning mark. Proven up the hill, not all are and one who might like a bit more rain than most of the others just to take the sting out of the Ground and quall early pace.

TIP - TOBEFAIR / Trackers - Flinck + Goodbye Dancer .