'She has the makings of a 2pts win bet for me' - find out who Robbie fancies

Welcome to the Punting Club! Unlike most clubs there's no joining fee or annual charge, and the only criterion for being part of the gang is simple: an appreciation for weekend punting and an enthusiasm for chewing over the big talking points.

Every Friday we – that's Punt regulars Tom Collins, Maddy Playle and Robbie Wilders (Punting Club membership numbers #1, #2 and #3) – will answer your questions on the weekend's racing action, share our best bets . . . and ruthlessly highlight the flaws in each other's arguments.

You can submit your questions via this link each week, but read on to see what we have to say this week . . .

Tabdeed (fourth) let me down for a £530 Newcastle placepot so I'm still smarting. My question is do you enjoy a cheeky placepot? Jamie B

Maddy Jamie, Jamie, Jamie, you're speaking to the right person here! I love the Placepot, as the other two can testify – Robbie coined the nickname Playlespot – and I find it marries up particularly well with my punting approach as I largely like to take on favourites and try to find something at a bigger price. I've been close to a few monster ones in my time, but I think my best was winning £600 from 10p lines on Greenham day in 2019.

Tom That's a killer, mate. Maddy is your go-to on this question – I've never known someone to love the Placepot (especially at Sandown) as her. Although I often write a Tote Betting piece for the paper and website for Tuesday's racing, I rarely play the Placepot myself. My whole betting approach is angled towards finding the winners – I rarely bet each-way – so placepots don't really fit in. Nevertheless, I understand the appeal and if you can get a few favourites beaten, you can certainly make it pay.

Robbie I did coin the Playlespot nickname, although primarily for the occasions Maddy used to rock up to RP Towers with a red shiner on her cheek. Regarding the Placepot, I'm personally not into it. I'd rarely have an opinion on every race at a meeting and would rather stick to my singles/related doubles.

Do you think the three-year-olds will be good enough to beat Mishriff in the Coral-Eclipse (3.35 Sandown)? My feeling is they will have to be exceptional to do so. As for Addeybb unless it's a bog he can't win. William Atkinson

Maddy It's a no-bet race for me. I'd like Mishriff to win as he's been an incredible horse to follow, but he can race keenly and that would worry me a little after a break, especially given how tactical the race could be. St Mark's Basilica is very good and gets 10lb from his elders but I'm not convinced he is totally straightforward either as he flashed his tail last time. Addeybb is the solid option but there isn't enough juice left in his price for me to get involved. I wouldn't be surprised if even El Drama got involved.

Tom The field has cut up dramatically since I wrote my race preview in the RFO on Monday, but I'll stick to my guns with Addeybb. I think he's the bet at the prices, although the horse to beat is Mishriff if he can reproduce his Dubai or Saudi form. It's hard to formulate a pace map for the race – I'll be very interested to see who leads. In answer to your question, I don't like St Mark's Basilica, so no.

Robbie I backed Addeybb each-way (three places) at 7-1 as soon as the final declarations were confirmed but I'm slightly concerned he won't run. There is rain forecast, though, and if the ground is slow enough for him to take his chance this massively underrated seven-year-old is the one to beat in my eyes.

Paul Kealy's Saturday banker at Haydock

Why in a Group 1 race are there only four runners when the prize-money is so high? Adrian Harry

Robbie The race's proximity to the Prince of Wales's Stakes and Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot (17- and 18-day turnaround) would be a major reason for this and ultimately there are too many races in the programme. How there can be two 1m2f conditions races for four-year-olds and above at one meeting is beyond me. If Sandown are disappointed by the Eclipse's field size they might want to consider scrapping the Listed Gala Stakes (4.05 on Friday). The conditions of this race are identical to the Eclipse (1m2f for three-year-olds and above) and only five runners have been declared. If you amalgamated both fields into one it would be a nine-runner Eclipse and the spectacle would be enhanced.

Surely Mystery Angel is the best-priced horse of the weekend in the Lancashire Oaks (2.40 Haydock)? Colin Birley

Maddy I just can't trust that Oaks form, Colin. Zeyaadah (13th) has since beaten Technique (seventh), while Divinely and Dubai Fountain hardly boosted the form in a muddling Ribblesdale. She's gets weight from her elders but she's not for me this time. I'd have the older fillies holding sway.

Tom Not for me. Although it's not an original view, I think Alpinista is a cut above with improvement from her seasonal reappearance likely, and I wouldn't want to oppose her for win purposes. Mystery Angel is yet to prove that she stays a mile and a half. In the Oaks she was the default runner-up as nothing made up ground from around two furlongs out to the line aside from Snowfall, who romped home. She's a good filly but she's also had a hard campaign and I don't think she's a great bet. Saying that, I've been wrong many times before!

Robbie I agree with TC that Alpinista will take the world of beating and I've backed her against your selection. The juice in her price has gone now but she remains of huge interest ante-post for the Yorkshire Oaks next month at 33-1. Field sizes of six, four, eight and six over the last four runnings suggests the race is likely to cut up again and Alpinista ran so well when second to Love in it last season. I imagine that is her long-term aim.

The Punt Daily: Tom Collins' free horse racing tips on Saturday

Best bet for Saturday? Jimmy O'Toole

Robbie Step forward Deidra (2.30 Naas). She has taken a little while to come to hand since joining Dermot Weld but was in much better form in two 7f races last month, being beaten a length and a half at 20-1 at Gowran and a length at 50-1 in a hot fillies' handicap at the Curragh last weekend. She tanked into contention in the most recent contest and looked the likely winner until not quite seeing out the 7f. I suspect there will be stacks of winners to come out of that race and Deidra drops to 6f in a weaker contest over the course and distance of her sole victory in 2019. Colin Keane takes over from a claimer and, off an unchanged mark of 81, this has the makings of a 2pts win bet for myself.

A long way away I know but what would be your favourite Cheltenham festival ante-post bet be right now? James Littlewood

Maddy I put Elle Est Belle up at 14-1 for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle after this year's festival, and I think Bob Olinger is a proper horse – I'd expect him to go very close in the Marsh Novices' Chase. TC has a good novice hurdler to follow, so perhaps he's the one to go with in terms of a dark horse.

Tom I don't tend to have a strong view on Cheltenham this far in advance. Usually I'll place my first ante-post bet on December 27 or 28 after the Pertemps qualifier at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting. However, as Maddy has mentioned, Journey With Me wowed me on his bumper debut at Gowran Park in March in a race that was won 12 months prior by stablemate Bob Olinger. The Ballymore is the target for the relentless galloper.

Is it actually coming home? England fan

Tom Football's coming home!

Robbie Yes mate.

Any tips for Beverley on Saturday so I can cheer one home? Jonny G

Tom I had only briefly looked at the card before you sent this in, but as you're going to the track I've put a bit of work in for you. East Street Revue could be a bit of value in the 5f handicap (3.27). He's a dual course-and-distance winner, performed creditably the last twice, is drawn well in stall one and down to his lowest turf mark since June 2016. Have a great day.

Saturday's free racing tips: six horses to consider putting in your multiples

If you could be a famous horse which one would you want to be and why? Gerard West

Tom Galileo – a superstar on the track and now in the breeding sheds. I'm only one of those at the moment (I run a quick 100m).

Robbie I always thought Cracksman looked a bit of an equine hunk. The phone has probably not stopped ringing for this strapping son of Frankel, who is surely not short of female attention in the paddocks.

Is this one of the worst Coral-Eclipses in history? Tom, do you have a bet for America over the weekend? Mikey Hobbs

Tom It lacks quantity, but the maximum field we've had for a Coral-Eclipse in the last ten years is nine runners, so we were never expecting a mass turnout. Mishriff, St Mark's Basilica and Addeybb bring plenty of quality and it should be an intriguing race. Regarding the US action, I'm writing this before I do my bulk study-up. I've only gone through the Gulfstream card and the best bet may be Diamond Oops, who bids to regain his crown in the Smile Sprint Invitational (10.02) at Gulfstream. I'm in the Sky Sports Racing studio on Saturday night, so will be providing a selection for virtually every race across the featured cards as per usual!

Saturday's big-race previews:

The Saturday Jury: 'He has a very good chance' – jockey Sean Levey on his weekend prospects (Members' Club)

1.50 Sandown: is Arecibo a good thing? Graeme Rodway on what the Ascot sectionals tell us

2.05 Haydock: Dhushan seeking a hat-trick for William Haggas in red-hot three-year-old handicap

2.25 Sandown: Tom Collins on Montatham's chances as he returns to a familar hunting ground

2.40 Haydock: 'I don't think she's ever trained better' – George Boughey on his Oaks runner-up

3.15 Haydock: Graeme Rodway on why we could be seeing a different kind of Sir Mark Prescott plot

3.35 Sandown: big-name trainers on their Group 1 contenders in the Coral-Eclipse this Saturday

3.35 Sandown: why this Eclipse could show us a champion – just not the one you might think (Members' Club)