Cheltenham Festival Placepot tips: Paul Kealy's crack at the day one £1m guaranteed pot

There is a whopping £1 million guaranteed Placepot pool for every day at Cheltenham, and if that isn’t an incentive for getting your perm spot on I don't know what is.

You've got to take a chance in the Placepot sometimes and as I'm not remotely keen on the front two in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle (1.30), I'm going to load up with a few at bigger prices.

Il Etait Temps is the obvious form horse, while Tahmuras may have a little to find, but his form has at least worked out. The other two are proper outsiders in Rare Edition and Doctor Bravo, but both have shown tons of promise and in an open race could outrun their odds.

I reckon Dysart Dynamo has a better chance than the odds suggest about him winning the Arkle (2.10), but I could not leave out both El Fabiolo and Jonbon. The former gets the nod as he has the best form.

Nassalam is the main fancy for the Ultima (2.50), while Cloudy Glen, second in the Kim Muir a couple of seasons ago, shaped really well on his return and should run a big race. The Irish don't usually do well in this, but Martin Brassil is a shrewd trainer and has got last year's Coral Cup runner-up Fastorslow handicapped in races he couldn't win.

There's no point in opposing Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle (3.30), so we move swiftly on to the Mares' Hurdle (4.10), which is far tougher.

Last year's winner Marie's Rock is preferred over past Champion Hurdle heroines Honeysuckle and Epatante and the second selection is Love Envoi, another festival winner who will love every drop of rain.

The Boodles (4.50) is another minefield, but I came down on the ex-French-trained Bad, who is making his British debut, Punta Del Este, who is going to appreciate the stiffer test than at Haydock last time, and Jazzy Matty, who if you include jockey bookings is 16lb better for just under five lengths with Sir Allen at Naas last time.

Cheltenham Festival day one Placepot perm

1.30
4 Doctor Bravo
8 Il Etait Temps
12 Rare Edition
14 Tahmuras

2.10
2 Dysart Dynamo
3 El Fabiolo

2.50
6 Fastorslow
11 Cloudy Glen
12 Nassalam

3.30
1 Constitution Hill

4.10
5 Love Envoi
6 Marie's Rock

4.50
7 Punta Del Este
8 Bad
10 Jazzy Matty

4x2x3x1x2x3 = 144 lines

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Cheltenham Festival tips: Paul Kealy's play of the day on Tuesday 

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