Racing tips: Irish raider Mighty Tom looks is cracking value against the English opposition

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Apologies for the Nigel Hawke selection, I mentioned he had two runners, he actually had three but the two I mentioned were the big outsiders, one won which wasn't mine. I highly doubt any had a little on the second one which won, but it goes to show long-distance travellers are good to follow.

I'm actually baffled by the fact that Tom Buckley was booked on the wrong one and Lorcan Murtagh was on the outsider which won, having only ridden once for those connections before.

Touching on the other runners, Shighness and Hokelami were horrendous. Both of them were off the bridle within the first half circuit and in races over 2m 6f and 3m that is just shocking and shouldn't be happening. Found On was tired and her jumping got sketchy when she was taken on for the lead down the back straight of the final circuit, she boxed on but the odds-on fav was too good, even when she was tired she managed to pull out that bit further.

Cheltenham 1:10 – Fathom Two (0.5pt EW, 10/1 Bet365 5pl) & Paricolor (0.5pt EW 20/1, PaddyPower 6pl)

I'm not a big believer in going for two horses in one race, but I can't resist for this as I can't decide which one to back, so I'm going for both.

Fathom Two has to be greatly respected for Gavin Cromwell given how well he has been doing with his runners in the UK, not just this season, but for the last few years. He took the mickey at the Cheltenham October meeting, plundering many races and his horses just looked clear of anything he was running against. This horse has been running over 2m 2f for his three hurdle runs and they all came at Downpatrick, I think he has done well in those three races and it will have been a good education to race at that track as it's undulating with a stiff uphill finish. He has managed to win once over hurdles and been placed on the two other occasions and I think it is time for him to move up in trip as he has done best in races which have been run at a good tempo, and he was done in a sprint finish last time out, where he would prefer a proper gallop even though he has a high cruising speed, so the step up in trip on somewhat testing ground will bring out the improvement needed. Patrick M O'Brien takes the ride and takes off 8lbs, which makes him well-handicapped, in my opinion.

For the second selection of the race, I've gone for Paricolor, which might confuse some as he has been out of form for quite a while. David Pipe has won this race three times in the last ten years and has had a few in the places since, including Paricolor in this race back in 2021 when he finished 2nd at odds of 50/1. That run came off a mark of 118 (112 as there was a 6lb claimer on board), today he runs off 107 with Gearoid Harney claiming 8lbs, so he comes in with a great chance according to the handicapper. I think this race has been the plan for this horse for quite a while as he was given a wind surgery in August, and then raced on the flat at Newmarket a fortnight ago, which would have blown away the cobwebs. To win a race like this you're going to need to be ahead of the handicapper and with Harney taking 8lbs off I think he fits that bill as he was previously rated 125 last January.

Cheltenham 1:45 – Gold Des Bois 16/1 (0.5pt EW, Bet365 4pl)

Similar to the first race, there were two in this race which stuck out like a sore thumb but I'll be backing just the one.

Gold Des Bois gets my vote for this race and he's on a very good mark considering he finished 4th in this race off a 7lb higher mark than what he races off today. He is versatile on the ground, he has done most of his best work on good ground but he has won on soft and I thought he ran well last time out at Kelso on soft ground, and he wasn't given an extremely tough time in that race, as I think they've had this race in mind for a while, so it wasn't all about winning the previous two races.

He is well-handicapped, there are probably a few in this race who are still on good marks, but the booking of Harry Cobden catches the eye as he is 2/2 for Iain Jardine and he used Cobden on Born Famous to land a decent pot when winning the Market Rasen Summer Plate, so he clearly believes putting Cobden in the saddle for the bigger rides.

Triple Trade was the other horse, if anyone was wondering. Joe Tizzard won this race last year and he ran a belter last time out over C&D, but he's much shorter in the market.

Cheltenham 2:20 – Mighty Tom 5/2 (2pt)

It seems a little odd that JPR One is the market favourite for this race given he wasn't rated as high as any of these over hurdles. He has always been a horse who the Tizzard's have felt that he possesses a fair bit of talent, but this will be a test for him to take on Mighty Tom.

Mighty Tom was a decent horse when trained by Thomas Cooper, he ran well in good handicaps and won a couple of races, but still moving to Cian Collins his form has transformed. His trainer seems to think that better ground suits him best, but his runs on softer surfaces would suggest he is perfectly fine with it. He was 6th in the Galway Hurdle, then finished 2nd in a Class 1 Listed Handicap hurdle where he was carrying 11st 12lbs and was beaten by a mare who was carrying 10lbs less and has since run well.

His chase debut was a pleasing one, he travelled into it very nicely on bad ground over 2m 4f and looked to possibly give the favourite a scare but the winner had too much class about him and scooted clear, but it was a very eye-catching first run over fences for Mighty Tom. The winner has since cantered home in a race at the October Cheltenham meeting and looks a decent novice chaser to follow, which isn't a surprise given he was 4th in two Grade 1s last year. Cian said he had a proper blow after the race and that needed the race, so today he will be fitter and the drop back to 2m will suit.

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