2022 Cheltenham Handicaps Tuesday Tips – DS

by Dave Stevos | Mar 9, 2022

2022 Cheltenham Handicaps Tuesday Tips

The weights were released last week for all of the handicaps at Cheltenham. As ever, some owners and trainers will be delighted with their ratings. Others, (most probably Michael O’Leary) will be throwing their dummies out of the pram. Dave Stevos has had a look at Tuesday’s handicaps and he likes a couple at tasty odds. Check out his 2022 Cheltenham Handicaps Tuesday Tips below.

Ultima Handicap Chase

From a handicapping perspective, The Wolf looks overpriced in this year’s Ultima Handicap Chase. Trained by Olly Murphy, this horse is an infrequent winner. However, he has often given the impression that he has a big one in him. He hasn’t got his head in front since landing a class 3 beginner’s chase at Chepstow (23.5f sft) in October 2020 but he has run some excellent races in defeat.

The son of Kapgarde ran in this race last season and finished well beaten off 137. However, that was his sixth run of the campaign and he has had a much kinder schedule this season. He was beat 5L off 136 by Two For Gold on his return in December at Doncaster (24f gd/sft). Two For Gold has since run a cracker in a G1 and is now rated 159 (was off 150 at Donny).

Then, next time at Cheltenham, The Wolf ran a blinder to finish 2nd, 2L behind Full Back, again off 136. The winner split Yala Enki and Elegant Escape off 4lbs higher on his next start and The Wolf is 2lbs better off with him here. Six weeks ago, Murphy’s charge ran another huge race at Musselburgh (31.5f gd) when finishing a close 2nd to Captain Cattistock.

Form With Fortescue

On his final start of last season, The Wolf locked horns with Fortescue at Perth (24f gd/sft). The Daly horse, who I think is a potential Grand National winner in time, was 2.5L too good for Murphy’s charge in receipt of 1lb. They will renew acquaintances in this contest and this time The Wolf will be getting 8lbs. That is a 9lbs swing for just over 2L so there is every chance our selection can turn that form around.

Fortescue is 14/1 for this race, as is Full Back. The Wolf, who is 33/1, is handicapped to get closer to, if not beat, both of those horses. He has rock solid course form in the book and while he disappointed in this contest last season, hopefully his lighter campaign this time around will elicit a better performance. Ground ranging from good to soft is fine for The Wolf and at 33/1, he is worth backing each way.

2022 Cheltenham Handicaps Tuesday Tips: The Wolf e/w @ 33/1 (5 Places W Hill NRNB)

Boodles Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle

Irish trainers have landed the last four renewals of the Fred Winter. Gordon Elliott has provided two of those winners and he is strongly represented again this year. He trains six of the remaining 33 entries and four of the top eight in the market are Elliott inmates. The hype horse is Gaelic Warrior for Mullins and Ricci. He has form in France that has worked out very well but that was on heavy. Looking at the forecast, he is unlikely to get those conditions at Cheltenham. 5/2 looks an exceedingly short price for a horse with his profile.

I think this could be a decent year for the home team and if the ground is decent, Saint Riquier looks potentially extremely well handicapped off a mark of 120. I fancy Knight Salute to run a massive race in the Triumph and Ian Williams’ charge ran a huge race behind him here back in November (16f gd). The son of Le Havre was only 2.75L behind the winner off levels and Milton Harris’ horse is now rated 140.

Ground Key

Saint Riquier did not run to form the next twice, both on soft ground. Yes, he did run well on soft once in France but on what we have seen in the UK, he needs good ground. Three of his full brothers have won in France on good to soft and his dam’s family all liked quicker conditions too. He has been gelded since that last run at Chepstow and that is another reason he may well improve in this race.

If this horse was coming into this contest on the back of that Grade 2 run behind Knight Salute I’m sure plenty would think he was absolutely thrown in off a mark of 120. Obviously, his last two efforts weren’t brilliant but if the reason was soft ground, then it is quite easy to put a line through those runs. A strongly run race will suit this fella and with the majority of bookies going non-runner no bet (he needs six to come out to get a run), I think he is worth backing e/w at 50/1.