Mikey Fogarty's Cheltenham Festival Day One Tips

How are you, lads? I'm delighted to be sharing my daily tips for the Cheltenham Festival with Bookmakers.co.uk. The excitement is starting to build now and lets just hope we have a few winners!

Race 1 - Supreme Novices' Hurdle - Blue Lord E/W

While the field might be small this year, the main contenders have shown up so we will have a very interesting renewal here.

You have to like Appreciate It as he has done everything right so far, but personally I would be a small bit concerned about something doing him for toe. Ballyadam swapping yards is not exactly a positive so I'm happy to give Blue Lord a shot each way in this. He will get closer than he did last time and I think the run last time might have come a bit soon after Naas. I've liked his work at home since, he's a lovely horse and he's a big price here.

Back Blue Lord at 10/1 with BetVictor

Watch the #Racehour Preview of the Supreme Novices Hurdle

Race 2 - Arkle Novices' Chase - Shishkin

Ah God it was such a huge pity that Energumene misses this as it would have been the race of the week! I was a big Shishkin fan anyway, so I just can't see him beaten now anyway.

Allmankind will make this a strong gallop, but I'm not a huge fan of his jumping at all. Shishkin just wins doesn't he? I think Franco De Port and Paul Townend can chase him home and run on late. A bit boring I know, but if there was one horse I could ride on Tuesday it definitely would be Shishkin.

Back Shishkin at 1/2 with Unibet

Watch the #Racehour Preview of the Arkle

Race 3 - Ultima Handicap Chase - Happygolucky

I'm a huge fan of David Bass in the saddle and while it's hard to opt for a favourite in a race like this, Cheltenham is all about winners and I think Happygolucky should go very, very close.

Milan Native should run well for Cullentra and I'm a big fan of festival winners coming back again, but watching Happygolucky's win here at Cheltenham in December you could think that he is another novice getting in off a good mark here of 147. Kim Bailey has been at this game a long time now and if he is happy to mind that mark for today, that's good enough for me.

Back Happygolucky at 7/2 with Bet365

Watch the #Racehour Preview of the Festival Handicap Chases

Race 4 - Champion Hurdle - James Du Berlais E/W

This is probably the race of the festival with so many class horses here, and while I think Honeysuckle takes an awful lot of whacking, James Du Berlais could get a place.

James Du Berlais joined the Willie Mullins yard from France and has been going very well at home. Some of his work has been spectacular and he's one who grabbed my attention working at home a few times. Of course you never know what'll happen until he gets to the track, but he looks a really nice one. Saying that a place is probably the most we can hope for as having watched it back again Honeysuckle was unbelievably impressive at Leopardstown. She takes all the beating.

Back James Du Berlais at 20/1 with Paddy Power

Watch the #Racehour Preview of the Champion Hurdle

Race 5 - Mares Hurdle - Roksana

Another top quality race and it's very hard to see past the top 3 in the betting, but as much as I'm a big Concertista fan, I'd be very worried about Roksana.

Concertista is a beautiful mare and her work is always brilliant, I would just have slight concerns about the horses she has been beating all year. She has been beating the same ones and I'm wondering to myself if others carry in stronger form than her. Roksana has been running in some seriously hot races this season and running very well, and I'm just thinking that she could be very hard to get past this year.

Back Roksana at 3/1 With 888Sport

Watch the #Racehour Preview of the Festival Mares Races

Race 6 - Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle - Saint Sam

This race is always a bit of a lottery, but Saint Sam carries in Grade One form and should really take a lot of beating in this.

He has run against all the best Juveniles in Ireland and has never been disgraced so he is very hard to look past in a race like this. Paul Townend opts for him and I've seen him working the last few weeks and he seems to be settling a lot better at home. I really liked his last few pieces of work at home and I think whatever beats him wins this race.

Back Saint Sam at 11/2 with William Hill

Watch the #Racehour Preview of the Festival Handicap Hurdles

Race 7 - National Hunt Chase - Ofalltheginjoints E/W

This is a really open race and one horse I didn't mention at the #racehour preview night as I wasn't sure if he'd run or not was Ofalltheginjoints and I think he could run very well at big odds.

He has always looked a real stayer and won over 3 miles in a point to point at Monksgrange for my brother Jonny and he was one we always liked. Colin Tizzard bought him after that and I think he could go well in something like this. Tizzard's horses are coming back into form now and he could surprise a few in this.

Back Ofalltheginjoints at 33/1 with MansionBet

Watch the #Racehour Preview of the National Hunt Chase