Over the years Tidal Bay has won his share of top races including the 2008 Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and the Grade 1 Maghull Chase at Aintree a few weeks later. Last successful in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2010, the now 11-year-old ran well to be placed in a stack of other high quality events but has always looked a difficult ride, carrying his head awkwardly and often giving the impression that he has not been putting his heart into the business end of his races. Those placing a BetVictor bet should bear this in mind.

Following the disqualification of his long-time trainer Howard Johnson earlier this season the gelded son of Flemensfirth was switched to the care of champion trainer Paul Nicholls and put up a satisfactory performance when third under a big weight in a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. Switched back to fences at Cheltenham at the weekend for the Grade 2 Argento Chase, Tidal Bay was given a sympathetic ride by Ruby Walsh who was keen to get him switched off early in the race. Making good headway after the fourth last he emerged as the only possible danger to Midnight Chase, and despite failing by two-and-three-quarter-lengths showed enough to suggest there might yet be one more Grade 1 win left in him. Anyone looking for a Bwin review should bear this in mind.

Nicholls and Walsh are convinced that Aintree suits their charge best and are likely to bypass the Cheltenham Festival and wait for the showcase Liverpool meeting to tackle the Betfair Chase at a track where the talented performer has scored three times in the past.

Simonsig has always been held in high regard by the master of Seven Barrows who very early on in the gelding’s career realised that the son of Fair Mix needed a sound surface to produce his best form. The winner of two Irish point-to-points and a Fairyhouse bumper last term joined Henderson from the Ian Ferguson yard in Ireland during the summer break and immediately created a very favourable impression, word of which leaked out to the betting fraternity and prompted him to be sent off the 1/5 favourite to make a winning hurdles bow at Ascot in November.

Given a confident ride by stable jockey Barry Geraghty, the six-year-old travelled like a serious horse throughout the two-and-a-half-miles of the Redstone National Hunt Novices’ Hurdle, eventually coming home on the bridle to score by 11-lengths from 66/1 shot Brass Tax. The runner-up then proved the value of that form by again running well at big odds when a solid fourth to Deireadh Re in a Grade 2 event at Cheltenham the following month. Anyone following the Betfair horse racing will have been impressed.

Simonsig also took in a Grade 2 event on his subsequent outing, but in his race he came up against the high-class Fingal Bay, ante-post favourite for both the Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. For a long way through the Sandown contest Henderson’s horse looked set to spring a surprise, especially when cruising up to join Fingal Bay approaching the last, but in the end the favourite found a little extra to score by two-and-three-quarter-lengths on the softish ground. On a better surface though at Cheltenham there are very good reasons for believing that Simonsig could be the value at current odds of a best price 14/1.

Although no specific reason for the Peter Casey-trained chaser skipping the showcase Cheltenham meeting was given, it seems likely that a probable absence of the gelding’s favoured testing ground is a major factor in connections deciding that the seven-year-old is best kept on home soil for the time being. The only time Flemenstar ran below expectations was when encountering good ground in a Grade 2 novice hurdle last term where he finished fourth to Lambro, although that was also the one and only occasion he has tackled two-and-a-half miles. Anyone looking at the Cheltenham betting odds online needs to remember this.

Given two-miles and soft or heavy underfoot conditions there is no doubt that Flemenstar is a very smart performer as he showed on this latest outing by slamming the useful Gift of Dgab by a massive 17-lengths, moving smoothly through to take up the running at the third from home before powering steadily further and further clear in the murky conditions to leave his exhausted rivals toiling in his wake.

Now a winner of his last three outings over fences having run second on his only other start when chasing home the very well regarded Bog Warrior, Flemenstar continues to justify the lofty opinion his handler has always had of him since being purchased by present owner Steven Curran (who elected to let Casey continue to train the horse), for a massive 200,000 guineas following a stunning 20-length success on only his second outing in a point-to-point at Loughanmore in April of last year.

Time might well prove that in losing to the former David Simcock-trained six-year-old Mahbooba was anything but disgraced, but that won’t help fill the empty pockets of those who followed horse racing tips and rushed in to support the perceived ‘good thing’ based on her previous outing at the track a fortnight earlier when fairly bolting up by four-and-a-half-lengths from Lahjood in the Al Rashadiya Trial.

De Kock has always held Mahbooba in high regard and for much of the mile contest on Friday she appeared to have all bases covered, striding confidently to the lead a furlong-and-half from home and looking to have most of her rivals in trouble. A glance behind however saw First City ( a well backed 10/1 among racing betting tips), racing for the first time for Dubai-based handler Ali Rashid Al Raihe, finishing  with  some purpose under a power-packed Royston Ffrench ride, and as the line approached it was clear there would be little between the pair.

Pulling four-and-a-half-lengths clear of the rest, the result went to the closest of photos which eventually revealed that Ffrench’s mount had just edged out the Christophe Soumillon-ridden favourite by a flared nostril. A fine third to Sir Henry Cecil’s Timepiece in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting last summer, First City has clearly settled in well to her new surroundings and could come back to Meydan for Super Saturday and later, (together with Mahbooba), for one of the hugely valuable races on Dubai World Cup night, March 31.

Written off by many punters who bet on racing after being beaten into third in last season’ King George VI Chase and Gold before pulling up on his final outing of the season at Punchestown, Kauto Star has returned to the fray this season arguably as good as he s ever been in twice handing out a beating to the last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Long Run.

Assumed to be the fitter of the two when scoring by eight-lengths in a highly emotional Betfair Chase on his first outing of the term at Haydock in November, the Clive Smith-owned French bred gelding put up another astounding performance when again proving good for the five years young current champion in landing the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day for the fifth time in his career, beating Long Run by a length-and-a-half.

Nicholls cannot believe just how well the old boy is at present and reports him to have put on weight since the Kempton contest and to be working with as much, if not more zest than ever before. The Ditcheat handler also observes that in his opinion Kauto star has never looked better in his coat and that despite sub-zero temperatures the horse is itching to get out on the gallops and prepare for his next outing.

Bookmakers rate Long Run the favourite to score at Cheltenham at 5/2 but horse racing tips are also backing Kauto Star,(who was as big as 20/1 for the race at the start of the season), who is now a rock solid 4/1 second favourite to make yet more history by winning back the title he first landed in 2007 and won again in 2009.

Unfortunately one horse we won’t see at the track this year is the 2011 Queen Annes Stakes winner Canford Cliffs.

The five year-old year old retired to stud not long after his success at Royal Ascot where he got the better of the 14-time Group One winner Goldikova in a close tussle on day one of the Royal meeting.

His final appearance before his retirement was in the much eagerly awaited clash with Frankel at Goodwood. At the age of four, Canford Cliffs was taking on the 2000 Guineas winner and the most highly regarded miler in Europe. Richard Hannon’s runner hung left in the closing stages and was beaten by five lengths to the new superstar in racing. Those following the latest Royal Ascot odds will have been impressed.

Canford Cliffs won five Group Ones in the 11 racecourse appearances of his career, which included the Irish 2000 Guineas, Lockinge Stakes and the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Although Hannon has lost one of his prized assets from his yard, he does have three-time Group Two winner Strong Suit who could be ready to step up to Group One company this season. The Qatar Bloodstock Ltd-owned four year old failed in his attempt to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs on his final start of 2011, however, wins at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood ensured a pleasing year for connections.

Hannon will also be confident that Dick Turpin can add another Group One victory to his record at the age of five in the upcoming campaign.

Some of those that finished behind the Hurricane are expected to take him on again if he does turn up to defend his crown, but it’s fairly hard to see any of them reversing the form and it will be the new swathe of hurdlers that many are looking to as the horses that have the potential to become the new Champion Hurdle winner if we are to have one. Those looking for horse racing betting tips should remember this.

Spirit Son would have been one of those new kids on the block who would have been among the choice of many but he met a setback after a searching gallop at home and the second for last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle may take some time to get back to full fitness. Zarkandar would be another who would fit in this category but he too has been absent so far with injury, but in his absence his form when winning the Triumph Hurdle has received several boosts through the exploits of the Triumph second, third and ninth Unaccompanied, Grandouet and Brampour.

Grandouet has made significant strides and was quite an impressive winner of the International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December, even though he was getting weight from Overturn and the rider on the third Brampour was unable to claim his allowance. Unaccompanied won the Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown in the absence of Hurricane Fly, showing a good turn of foot to get the better of the 2011 Champion Hurdle fourth Thousand Stars and Oscars Well, the placed horses having been first and second in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown. People placing Cheltenham 2012 bets should bear this in mind.

All of those from the 2011 Triumph Hurdle would have some sort of chance if they turned up on the big day itself.

Former winner Binocular appears to be short enough in the betting against horses of such potential but he has been there and done it and most recently won the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton where he beat Rock On Ruby. Rock On Ruby was beaten in the Neptune Investment Hurdle last year at the Festival over the 2M 5F trip but this year has shown enough pace to win Gerry Fielden at Newbury in very taking fashion before being touched off narrowly by Binocular at Kempton around a track that was surely too much of a speed test for him.

If Hurricane Fly does make the Festival he would have every chance of making it back-to-back victories in the race but given his current fragile state of health it may be better to wait until the day. There is plenty of potential in the likely field, all of which have solid Cheltenham form and it promises to be a fascinating race on Tuesday March 14th.

JLT Specialty Steeple Chase

The first handicap chase of the meeting and one where it is wise to eradicate any horses aged 11 and over from your thoughts, since 1997, not even one of this age group has placed. There were two contenders last year and the best that those two could finish was an 8th place from The Sawyer, aged 11. Those following the Cheltenham betting should remember this.

Glenfarclas Handicap Cross Country Chase

Quite simply experience over these fences is essential and supporting debutantes over the course makes life very difficult in punting terms. You have to go back to 2001 to find any first-time out winner over the cross country course at Cheltenham and it really should be safe to rule out any horse having its first experience of the Cross Country course at the Cheltenham Festival. Last year’s winner Sizing Australia has already had a few sighters over the course. People looking for 2012 Cheltenham betting tips need to bear this in mind.

Byrne Group Plate

Just about the hardest race at the Festival to find the winner at, the last ten winners have all started in double figures, the shortest being a pair of 12/1 winners in 2004 and 2007. One group of runners that are unlikely to help you find the winner of the race are the Irish trained runners, they have had just the one winner in this race since 1951, and last year the 9/2 favourite Irish trained Beautiful Sound was beaten into third place.

Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase

A race for amateur riders and as with plenty of these type of races throughout the season experience in the saddle counts for plenty and a non-claiming amateur is a major plus. Look out especially for the top-class Irish amateurs coming over to take rides, as last season theu partnered four of the first five home.

Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase

For such a competitive and strongly run race it is somewhat surprising how lightly raced over fences the majority of the last ten winners of the race are. Until last year when Oiseau De Nuit took the prize none of them had run more than 12 times and that fact is backed up by how well novices run in this race – winning the past two out of the last three years and lowly weighted novices should always be respected in this race.