Racing tips: Art Approval can be a local winner for Cheltenham based trainer Fergal O’Brien

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Yesterday's selection was clearly not revved up for the run, as she was never put into the race, and when the jockey did ask the question she looked knackered. Unfortunate to get that after a couple of good days, but I'm confident that today's selections will run with credit.

Cheltenham 12:15

I saw PULL AGAIN GREEN run a big race at Ascot in the middle of November, and he was well supported that day against a odds-on shot, and he made the favourite work extremely hard for the win, and even looked like he was going to potentially nick it. Unfortunately he didn't manage to win that day, but he ran with a huge amount of credit and proved to be a horse with tonnes of ability, and a horse who is a real trier and will give his all every time he runs. He then went and won next time out at Newbury, doing it in the fashion of a strong stayer, which is why I think that this track and ground will be suit him perfectly, as he will love the stiffness and the stamina sapping ground, and final hill which catches out a lot of horses at this track. This is obviously a competitive race full of horses with potential, but I feel like you will get some decent value backing this lad, as he doesn't have the same sexy profile as some of the others.

Cheltenham 2:00

I wasn't totally sold on FUNAMBULE SIVOLA‘s form when he finished 2nd to Shishkin in April in the Grade 1 at Aintree, and I feel that a lot of people shared the same opinion as me, but I was proven wrong when he looked like the winner in the recent Grade 2 at Huntingdon, where he probably got tired as he might've needed the run. That was still a very good run to finish the position he did, and to go from looking like the winner at one point suggests he is a horse who is worth following now he is back in a handicap, as he could be a dark horse for a potential Grade 1 at some point in this season. The ground should be fine, as he has previously won on soft before, and sometime horses can ‘bounce' after running well on the back of a layoff, but I get the impression that won't be the case with this horse. He seemed to run himself into form last year, and the key seems to be around a months break in between races, which is something that he has got this time. He was a progressive horse last year, and there's no reason why he can't do the same in his second season chasing, for a yard who remain in very good form.

Cheltenham 2:35

The way that ART APPROVAL won at Cheltenham 50 days ago suggested that a step up in trip would bring out further improvement, and that is what connections have gone for today. He tackles 3m for the first time, and that is a positive in my eyes as he powered up the Cheltenham hill last time, so the added furlongs which he encounters today is surely going to be a benefit. The form seems to be rock solid, with some horses in behind running well or winning. The ground should be fine for him, as he is a previous winner on heavy, and the fact he carries 10st 9lbs is also a big plus in a race which is tougher than what he been in before. I think he will be well supported, but once again I think he is up to this new task of taking on better horses.

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