LAST MINUTE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL FIRST DAY BETTING TIPS

The pinnacle of the jumps-racing season is now upon us and we're only hours away from the dawn of the 2009 Cheltenham Festival. With the weather forecast predicting good-to-soft and soft-in-places, we're going to see a few shake-ups today and I'm quite confident that a number of punters in the upper-echelons of the ante-post markets may not have gotten as much sleep as they would have anticipated last evening. Click here for your £25 free bet from Betfair. However, the last minute betting tips for the Cheltenham Festival are right here and if you haven't put a bet down or if you're having cold feet on some of your previous ones; we assure you that there's some solid value on offer here. CHAMPION HURDLE TIPS Everybody is saying Binocular (2.86) this and Binocular that, and you have to admit that his form and his pedigree install him as the one to beat, but I've seen his odds drifting higher on a number of UK bookmakers through the past 24 hours as news of soft ground begins to take its toll. If an upset is going to happen I recommend Whiteoak at (17.0) and Alan King's Katchit, who has plenty of Cheltenham experience under his belt. You can back him at (16.0) and what better name for a horse to be running on day 5 of an English cricket test. Keep your eye on (30.0) Brave Inca as well. SUPREME NOVICES HURDLE TIPS Cousin Vinny is one of the hottest bets in the world at the moment and we're seeing a lot of late action moving towards some of the longer-odds competitors like Torphichen (7.2), Kempes (11.0) and one of the biggest upstarts of the tournament Michael Flips. I've got each-way on Michael Flips (15.5) and some are even mentioning Red Moloney (16.0). There was some talk of the softening conditions affecting Cousin Vinny on the hurdles, and word has also gone around that he has not travelled well. I'm going each-way on Flips and I've seen several bookmakers offering a money-back special on this race. CROSS COUNTRY CHASE This is one of the more understated races of the day, but I'm expecting plenty of excitement with two first-rate French horses being the main competitors. I don't see an upset on this one as both are proven performers in longer-distance races. L'ami (3.15) and Garde Champetre (4.9) will be coming in 1-2 and I'm backing a reverse forecast here. They both know a thing or two about longer-distances in soft going so I can see them drifting lower as we get closer to post. OTHER BETS Keep your eye on Chomba Womba in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle on an each-way (8.4). Star De Mohaison is poised to capitalize on any error made by Wichita Lineman and there may not be much of a margin given the ground conditions. Give him a second look (11.5). Kalahari King has dropped like a stone since the soft ground was announced and he is available at a very appealing price (17.0) if you are looking for value and think he can find his legs.