Friday racing tips: Best bets and odds for Cheltenham and Doncaster

Racing correspondent Jonathan Doidge brings us his horse racing tips for Friday’s competitive cards at Cheltenham and Doncaster

JJ Slevin rode Matata to victory at Windsor and is tipped again at Cheltenham (Getty Images)

Friday Racing Tips

• The Expensive One (Cheltenham, 13.15) – 0.5pts each-way @ 12/1 Ladbrokes
• Cavern Club (Cheltenham, 14.25) - 0.5pts each-way @ 8/1 bet365
• Un Sens A La Vie (Cheltenham, 15.00) – 1pt win @ 2/1 bet365
• Matata (Cheltenham, 15.35) – 1pt win @ 9/2 William Hill
• Mister Sox (Doncaster, 13.33) – 0.5pts each-way @ 12/1 BetVictor

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Cheltenham throws open the gates for the first time this season for day one of their two-day meeting, while Doncaster’s Futurity gathering also gets underway, and we’ve got a combined five to follow on betting sites for Friday’s best racing tips.

William Hill Each Way Extra Handicap Hurdle (Cheltenham, 13.15)

A big field assembles for Cheltenham’s opener and at the time of writing, horse racing betting sites are going 15/2 the field, with Navajo Indy trading as the market leader. I’m going to take him on but, in saying that, I wouldn’t want to put you off if you fancy him because he does have some decent credentials to his name, especially his proven track record when fresh.

However, there has to be a decent chance that THE EXPENSIVE ONE can continue to improve, now that he’s stepped up to this 2m4f trip. He’s a half-brother to the former top class The New One and, like that popular campaigner, he hails from close to the track at the Twiston-Davies yard.

For years in this sport, we’ve seen that stable do very well both at this track and also at this time of year, and this five-year-old Harzand gelding looks interesting. He’s a soft ground bumper winner who went close on his reappearance at Worcester last month, before making all when stepped up to 2m2½f at Stratford last time.

That was a significant step forward and Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies wouldn’t be sending him here if they didn’t think he’d have the ability to get competitive. With his jockey’s 5lb claim to negate the handicapper’s 5lb rise for that recent success and a featherweight of 10st 2lb to carry, I fancy him to be in the shake-up. He’s an each-way play.

Friday racing tip 1: The Expensive One (Cheltenham, 13.15) – 0.5pts each-way @ 12/1 Ladbrokes

Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle (Cheltenham, 14.25)

There may be more to come from CAVERN CLUB at this level and he gets the vote in an open looking conditionals contest.

James Owen’s five-year-old has been largely consistent over hurdles, winning three from eight starts and was second over C&D last autumn. He acts on good or good to soft ground and arrives on the back of a career best, when a close fourth at Market Rasen (2m½f, good) last time.

The handicapper has nudged him up another 1lb but he looks capable of at least making the frame. He can be backed each-way on betting apps.

Friday racing tip 2: Cavern Club (Cheltenham, 14.25) - 0.5pts each-way @ 8/1 bet365

Oddschecker Novices' Hurdle (Cheltenham, 15.00)

Some good horses have won this early-season Grade 2 over the years, not least Altior in 2015, as well as I Like To Move It in 2021, for Nigel Twiston-Davies.

Nigel and his son Willy saddle UN SENS A LA VIE this time around and it’s not difficult to fancy the market leader. Willy has certainly not been shy of talking up this five-year-old, who won an Irish point-to-point on his second start, before being bought in for £180,000 at last November’s Cheltenham sales.

The comfortable winner of a maiden bumper at Market Rasen in February (good to soft), he returned there for his hurdles debut and made all, dotting up by more than seven lengths (2m½f, good) last week.

The plan had originally been to go for the Supreme Trial at next month’s Paddy Power meeting but pilot Sam Twiston-Davies is reported to have said he barely had a race last week and connections think they can now add this to his CV. He’s improving rapidly and looks capable of making a successful step up into pattern company.

Friday racing tip 3: Un Sens A La Vie (Cheltenham, 15.00) – 1pt win @ 2/1 bet365

squareintheair.com Handicap Chase (Cheltenham, 15.35)

In these days of moans and groans about prize money, it’s wonderful to see a £100,000 contest at this time of the National Hunt season and it’s drawn a very competitive field of nine runners.

Last year’s winner Calico returns on a 4lb higher mark. I have huge respect for what Dan Skelton is capable of as a trainer so if the favourite obliges that’s going to be no surprise. However, despite having a good record when fresh, including that win 12 months ago, I do think he can be taken on as he’s never won a handicap from a mark higher than that 138 and he has had several attempts.

I’d be worried about Jasko Des Dames, given Henry De Bromhead’s record here but he doesn’t look to have been done any favours by the handicapper and, at risk of today’s column looking like a Twiston-Davies love-in, I’m with MATATA on horse racing betting apps.

He finished second to Calico in this last year and there’s no doubt he’s been the one of the pair that has improved more since, rising a stone in the handicap last year. He’s dropped back 1lb to today’s official mark of 160 but that may still not be enough to stop him.

This is very much his trip and after he was beaten in this a year ago, he returned at the Paddy Power meeting to win by a wide margin over C&D (good). Better still was his ten-length Windsor success (2m, soft) in January, when he had one of today’s opponents, Unexpected Party behind him in second. He’ll do for me.

Friday racing tip 4: Matata (Cheltenham, 15.35) – 1pt win @ 9/2 William Hill

William Hill Each Way Extra Handicap (Doncaster, 13.33)

One that interests me on the Flat at Doncaster is MISTER SOX, who represents Tim Easterby’s yard. He’s run well over C&D before now, arrives in good form after finishing a close third at Ripon last time and he handles deep ground pretty well.

I think there’s a bit of value in the 12/1 on offer about him at the time of writing and he can be backed each-way.

Friday racing tip 5: Mister Sox (Doncaster, 13.33) – 0.5pts each-way @ 12/1 BetVictor

Please gamble responsibly

If you’re having a bet on Cheltenham or any race meeting, it’s vital to practice responsible gambling.

Betting can be addictive, and it’s important to stay in control of your gambling, whether you’re using online bookies, casino sites, slot sites, bingo sites or any other gambling platform.

Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop.

Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help you stay in control.

Try not to get carried away by free bet offers or casino bonuses, which are widely available on gambling apps.

But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don’t hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.

• NHS Help
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