Timeform Radio Tips: Cloud to Brighten up the afternoon

David Cleary has two bets lined up for today.

David Cleary has picked out bets at both Catterick and Leicester this afternoon...

It's two weeks today to the start of the Cheltenham Festival, with Simonsig in the Arkle and My Tent Or Yours in the Supreme among many people's bankers for the week; and then there is the fascinating puzzle that is this year's Champion Hurdle - a veritable feast of racing.

As for today, the staying handicap hurdle at Catterick at 16:20 sees a suggested bet running off a BHA mark of 75, from 4 lb out of the weights. That horse, Bright Cloud, is, however, undeniably well treated on her form in points and hunter chases last year. She's had two attempts in handicap hurdles run on very testing ground this season and after getting seriously bogged down when weak in the market on near-unraceable going at Towcester, she shaped much better at Sedgefield next time. The extreme distance on bad ground seemed to find her out that afternoon, and, with conditions set to be much less attritional today, Bright Cloud has to be given one more chance to prove herself on a lenient mark.

The day's best race is the novice chase at Leicester at 16:00, which actually features a couple of runners with Cheltenham entries, Howard's Legacy and Top Smart. The pair met at Wincanton earlier in the season, finding the subsequent Racing Plus Chase winner Opening Batsman too good for them as they took the minor placings. Howard's Legacy is likely to confirm that form with Top Smart, though he faces potentially more serious dangers in the shape of The Musical Guy, Valoroso and Volador.

Volador was the best of the field over hurdles but his jumping has yet to convince at all over fences. The lightly-raced Valoroso would have won at Wincanton last time, unfortunate to come down at the last when well clear; that form is hard to weigh up and was shown on very testing ground but at the very least indicates Valoroso has plenty of potential as a chaser. The Musical Guy may well benefit from the return to better ground and would have a good chance on his second at Folkestone; however, his jumping fell seriously apart after halfway here next time. Howard's Legacy is the most likely winner but his form is not that far ahead of his rivals and he has to prove himself away from the mud. Given the jumping concerns about both Volador and The Musical Guy, it could be worth chancing Valoroso against the favourite at the likely odds. 

Timeform Radio Tips:
Back Bright Cloud @ 4.67/2 in the 16:20 at Catterick
Back Valoroso @ 9.417/2 in the 16:00 at Leicester

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