With two of the big races on Cheltenham Trials Day tomorrow attracting four runners, I am looking at the lower-profile contests for my suggested bets. Without each-way betting, I have no desire to take on odds-on shots Grey Dawning in the Grade 2 Betfair Cotswold Chase (2.25 p.m.) or Sir Gino in the Unibet Hurdle (3 p.m.).

If Jagwar is as good as connections think he is – the horse’s ultimate aim is the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival – then he will need to win tomorrow’s Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (1.15 p.m.) off an official mark of 149.

He’s probably the right favourite on form and expectation but his joint trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero have still not peaked with their horses this season and I would prefer to look elsewhere. There are plenty of options including bottom weight Javert Allen but he is trying this trip for the first time and is not guaranteed to stay two and a half miles as a prominent racer.

At bigger odds, I will take a chance on PRAIRIE WOLF for the up-and-coming Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith yard. The nine-year-old gelding showed real grit to reel in long-time leader Josh The Boss at Aintree last month and he has only gone up 3 lbs in the ratings for that win. Prairie Wolf handles soft ground and so back him 1 point each way at 16-1 with Ladbrokes or Coral, both paying three places.

After four straight wins, trainer Harry Derham’s four-year-old gelding ONE HORSE TOWN lost his unbeaten record over hurdles at Cheltenham last month but I wouldn’t write-off his chances of landing another race this season. He is a joy to watch on the racetrack, usually a game front-runner who attacks his hurdles with his ears pricked.

In tomorrow’s Grade 2 JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (12.40 p.m.), One Horse Town will have to give weight to all his nine rivals, including the two horses at the top of the market: Maestro Conti for the Skelton brothers and Minella Yoga for the Paul Nicholls’ yard. Both are unbeaten in........

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