Saturday's Selection

Another cracking Saturday of racing in store this week as the action moves to Cheltenham for the Paddy Power Gold Cup. With plenty of other intriguing races to be held at the meeting too it promises to be a hugely informative meeting and no doubt there will be more than one festival winner in action on the day.

I have done an in depth analysis of the big race of the day and you can find it and my selection here at Bettingtools.co.uk. As regards the rest of the day it is a pretty difficult looking one from a punting perspective. The opener has some very interesting types with some powerful connections represented. I have no strong fancy but I was very impressed with Wolf Of Windlesham when he won on his hurdling debut and I will be eager to see how he gets on here.

The one I am backing tomorrow goes in the 1.50, a 27f handicap chase. Nigel Twiston Davies is a trainer that loves to have a winner around here, and he has a couple with live chances in the big one later on in the day. The one I like though is Cogry, who returns to action after his summer break off a mark of 136. This son of King's Theatre was highly tried when hurdling, running in Grade 1 heats at both Cheltenham and Aintree after winning two novices on heavy and soft ground.

The forecast rain will be right up Cogry's street, and his absence is no worry. Twiston Davies can get them fit first time up and indeed this gelding won on his first run of 2013 after a similar break. He won a handicap chase last year at Chepstow on desperate ground over 24f and he needed every inch of that trip. He ran with credit at the festival here in the 4 miler and was bang there until his stamina gave out in the last couple of furlongs.

Today's trip could well turn out to be perfect and there is a few hours of rain forecast before racing which will be in this fella's favour. His jockey, Ryan Hatch, is superb value for his 3lb claim so Cogry will be effectively only 4lb higher than he was for his last win. If he has strengthened up over the summer there could be a lot more to come from him, and if the rains arrive in time he will be there or thereabouts. At 14/1 he is a confident each way selection once the ground is at least soft.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 1.50 CHELTENHAM-COGRY E/W 14/1