Today’s Horse Racing Tip – 3:50 Cheltenham 18 April
Today’s free horse racing tip runs in the Nicholson Holman Chase at 3.50 Cheltenham. This 11-runner contest is a Novice’s Limited Handicap run over three miles and one and a half furlongs.
Following the success of yesterday’s horse racing prediction, Mildenburger, we’re going to take a risk with a bigger priced selection who has progressed nicely this season and is in with a great each way chance at Cheltenham today.
Henry Oliver-trained Ozzy Thomas won at Ludlow and Southwell in the first half of the season and returned from a break to finish third at Market Rasen in February. The gelding had a bit of rough ride on his last run and wouldn’t have appreciated the softer ground or the shorter trip. However, the five-year-old was in contention throughout and only finished three-and-a-quarter lengths behind the useful Captain Chaos off level weights.
Ozzy Thomas will strip much better for the run and is a real danger to more fancied runners in the betting market.
Nicky Henderson’s Baden heads the betting on the strength of his win at Sandown last time. The seven-year-old was fitted with headgear which may have contributed to his first win in four attempts over fences. He’s not been the most fluent of jumpers on relatively easy circuits and a 3lb penalty means he’ll need to improve in fitness and technique.
Red Infantry has taken well to fences, winning two of his last three starts. The eight-year-old was eased down when winning by 26 lengths at Warwick last time out but must contend with a 13lb rise in the weights.
Sam Red gave an indication he may be coming back to his best when second at Fakenham last time out. Harry Skelton’s seven-year-old has been off the boil since back to back wins in October and looks to be on a winnable mark again. The gelding must be considered on bare form but is up against a few improvers in this field.
While the remaining entrants have something to prove at this level, Tintern Theatre is dropped in class after competing, without success, in very competitive handicaps recently. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ seven-year-old won a Class 2 handicap at Kempton in December which would give him a big claim in this company. However, his record at Cheltenham doesn’t inspire confidence having failed to complete the course in two of four appearances.
The going at Cheltenham today is good and good to soft in places. The weather forecast is sunny with a light south-easterly breeze.
This is a competitive novice handicap and a few of the runners look capable of improvement. With niggling doubts about the market leaders, the value in the race could be to bet each way on today’s horse racing tip, Ozzy Thomas