Worth chancing a day one acca? Our experts assess Tuesday's strong favourites

Concertista and Paul Townend en route to a comprehensive success at Fairyhouse

Concertista: would be the final leg of a short-priced four-fold on day one at CheltenhamCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

There are four strong favourites on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday.

The four fancies in question are Appreciate It in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (1.20), Shishkin in the Sporting Life Arkle (1.55), Honeysuckle in the Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.05) and Concertista in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (3.40).

We asked our experts for their view on the chances of an accumulator on all four paying dividends.

The price of the favourites

1.20 Cheltenham: Appreciate It (5-6)
1.55Cheltenham: Shishkin (1-2)
3.05Cheltenham: Honeysuckle (5-4)
3.40Cheltenham: Concertista (5-4)

Prices correct as of 11.45am

Cheltenham Festival: Tuesday cards and betting

'Shishkin is the only certainty'

Plenty of good judges have cast doubt on the first leg (Appreciate It) for a start, so your ball could be burst before your lunch hour is over.

Shishkin is basically the one certainty on the list. He will not lose on merit. Honeysuckle is probably the rightful favourite for an open Champion Hurdle, but she is no more than that.

Concertista will tank through her race and if your acca gets that far, then your pulse is definitely going to go up. I would not want to see second-favourite Roksana, who has won this race before, on Concertista's heels jumping the last, though.

Keith Melrose, betting editor

Day one at Cheltenham:

Cheltenham tips: one key runner from each ITV race on day one of the festival

Who wins the first race of the 2021 Cheltenham Festival? We have our say

One standout quote for each of the seven races at Cheltenham on Tuesday

'Bet could fall at the first hurdle'

Shishkin wins. Honeysuckle wins. Concertista wins.

I'm not so sure about Appreciate It, even though he has made giant strides since finishing runner-up in the Champion Bumper last year and trainer Willie Mullins boasts such a fabulous record in the festival opener.

Appreciate It didn't necessarily look in a different league to Ballyadam when beating him by three-and-a-quarter lengths at Leopardstown last month, and the Henry de Bromhead runner might improve considerably on that performance given the opportunity to tackle less testing ground.

Appreciate It: landed the bumper last year for Willie Mullins

Appreciate It: 'No guarantee he will confirm Leopardstown form with Ballyadam'Credit: Alain Barr

Soaring Glory delivered a most taking display in the Betfair Hurdle, a race which has sometimes proved a fair guide to this race, and also looks potentially top-class.

The acca may well be foiled at the first.

Richard Birch, tipster

Tuesday's free Cheltenham Festival tipping:

Paul Kealy's banker at Cheltenham on Tuesday

The Punt Daily: Tom Collins' free horse racing tips on day one at Cheltenham

Cheltenham Tuesday tips: five horses to back on day one of the festival

'Unbeaten Honeysuckle faces tough task'

Plenty of punters will look to land a nice accumulator on day one of the Cheltenham Festival, but it is never as simple as just backing short-priced favourites and being rewarded.

Saying that, in Shishkin and Concertista you have two extremely solid market leaders on your side. Shishkin looks highly likely to extend his winning streak, as his odds suggest, while Concertista won by a big margin at the festival last year.

Although Honeysuckle is unbeaten after ten runs, she isn't a certainty. She faces a champion in Epatante, as well as several talented geldings, and may find life tougher than her price suggests.

Appreciate It won't be far away in the opening race, but there have long been doubts about the ground and trip.

Tom Collins, The Punt

Best bookmaker offers: how to make the most of your Cheltenham Festival betting

Tuesday's race previews:

Alastair Down: 'The theatre may be empty but let's cast aside gloom and relish the spectacle' (Members' Club)

Supreme: will the cream rise to the top in smallest field in modern history?

Arkle: dangers await but here's why unbeaten Shishkin should have all bases covered

Ultima: Happygolucky has 'outstanding chance' to bring Bass and Bailey more glory

Champion Hurdle: pure theatre guaranteed as Goshen goes in search of redemption for the Moores

A champion on the wane and a challenger ready to reign: who wins the big clash? (Members' Club)

Who do racing's finest experts fancy to win a vintage Champion Hurdle? (Members' Club)

Mares' Hurdle: can Concertista take her place among the greats with victory in vintage running?