Trials weekend

If you were ever thinking about having an ante post bet on any of the big races at Cheltenham then now really could be the best time to do so. This weekend plays host to no end of Festival trials and there is bound to have been a big shape up in the bookmakers’ markets come Monday morning. If your fancied selection runs well in a trial (or if some of his main market rivals run badly) the big prices you were hoping to get may well disappear.

One word of caution though, the ground this weekend is likely to be far more testing than it typically has been in March, so don’t discount horses that run well but are beaten, if they have previously shown improved form on better ground.

Some of the key races on Saturday, and their participants, include:

* Letheby and Christopher Chase (Cheltenham), a Gold Cup and Ryanair Chase trial featuring Neptune Collonges, Our Vic and State of Play.

* Wragge & Co Juvenile Novices Hurdle (Cheltenham), a Triumph Hurdle trial featuring the current favourite for that race, Franchoek.

* Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle, featuring no end of World Hurdle aspirants including last year’s winner and hot favourite to retain his crown at this year’s Festival, Inglis Drever.

* Rossignton Main Novices Hurdle (Doncaster), a Supreme Novice Hurdle trial featuring the current favourite for that race, Khyber Kim.

* JCT 600 Mercedez-Benz Doncaster Mares Only Hurdle (Doncaster), featuring the current ante post favourite for the new David Nicholson Hurdle, Chomba Womba.

* Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Doncaster) a trial for the race of the same name at the Festival.

We’ll be at Cheltenham on Saturday so as to be able to bring you all of the news, gossip and reaction from a meeting, which is now quite fittingly known as Festival Trials Day.

And then on Sunday all eyes will be focused on the big meeting at Leopardstown in Ireland, featuring the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle, which has proved such a great guide to our own Champion Hurdle in recent years. There is also an important Arkle trial on the same card.

All in all, a pivotal weekend in the season, so now is the time to back your judgement. Click here to check out the latest bookmakers free bets for the Cheltenham Festival.