Cheltenham top racing tip: Captain Teague to impose authority under Harry Cobden

15:30  Trustatrader Novices' Hurdle ( Hyde Novices' Hurdle) (2 miles 5 furlongs)

Paul Nicholls is expected to hit the ground running on the first day of the meeting, and after saddling the strongly-fancied Delta Work and Galvin in the previous race, he sends Captain Teague to post here as the hot odds-on favourite under Harry Cobden, who recently joined the Planet Sport Bet team as horse racing brand ambassador.

Cobden and Nicholls teamed up with well-backed winners (Matterhorn and Panjari) at Taunton on Thursday, and the popular in-form jockey was very excited when talking about Captain Teague on his Planet Sport Bet blog.

WATCH: Harry Cobden assesses Captain Teague's prospects

 

This exciting prospect won at Plumpton on his bumper debut last December, and was only a couple of lengths behind the winner in the Champion Bumper at the Festival here in March.

Planet Sport Bet: Bet £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if Captain Teague wins by more than 8 lengths, get a £5 Free Bet!

His debut over obstacles at Chepstow five weeks ago was no less impressive, romping home to land the Persian War Novices’ Hurdle by more than nine lengths under his usual rider,

Suggested bet (1): Captain Teague in the 15:30 at Cheltenham

 

• Tip advised by Bet On Horses Elite on Tipstrr

While it’s difficult to look beyond the favourite as the winner here, Captain Teague’s odds-on price does open the door for the others to battle out the two remaining places at a decent each-way price.

Tipstrr’s each-way specialists appear to be torn between the more experienced The Big Doyen and the once-raced Wild Side Of Life, with the former enjoying back-to-back successes in Ireland during the summer before being outclassed by Willie Mullins’ progressive High Class Hero at Galway a month ago.

Wild Side Of Life is unexposed and therefore could prove an intriguing runner after switching from point-to-points to finish a promising runner-up on his hurdling debut at Wetherby 13 days ago.

He finished ahead of 16 more experienced performers that day, with only the Skeltons’ strongly-fancied Cherie D’Am ahead of him in a highly encouraging performance that suggested plenty of as yet untapped potential.

Harry Reed keeps the reins on his first appearance since landing a 22/1 winner on his last ride four days ago, and this might be a good time to have a cautious dabble at hefty odds.

Suggested bets: Wild Side Of Life each-way in the 15:30 at Cheltenham

• Tip advised by The King of Horses on Tipstrr

 

READ MORE: Harry Cobden’s Planet Sport Bet blog: Stage set for Star performance at Cheltenham