NEW YEAR, same Templegate.

Our expert intends to kick off 2025 with a BANG by providing his Placepot tips for the New Year’s Day card at Cheltenham.

Discover The Sun’s betting publishing principles here

The Placepot bet consists of selecting a horse to finish in the top SIX positions across the first six races at any meeting.

You’re allowed to select multiple horses in a single race—simply multiply the number of choices in each race to calculate your stake. For instance, 2x2x2x1x2x2 results in 32 lines.

You can place a stake of your choice starting at 5p per line, totaling £1.60. At 10p per line, it would cost £3.20, and so on. As long as at least one selection from each race places, we’ll be in line for a payout!

Don’t forget to claim your £40 bonus when you stake £10 as a new customer with Tote HERE*.

Cheltenham New Year’s Day Placepot tips – Wednesday, January 1

LEG 1: Kalif Du Berlais, Vincenzo, Tedley

In a three-horse race, securing the winner is crucial to keep the Placepot alive. All three contenders are tightly matched, so include them all in your permutations.

LEG 2: Diva Luna

DIVA LUNA delivered a stellar performance winning the prestigious mares’ bumper at Aintree during the Grand National meeting in April. It was a bit disappointing to see her beaten when the odds were in her favor for her hurdles debut at Lingfield last time. She ran like a horse returning from a break, cruising comfortably before fading late. The increase in distance seems wise, and she benefits from a 7lb allowance against her competitors today.

LEG 3: Broadway Boy, Cloudy Glen

BROADWAY BOY is poised for a well-deserved victory this season. He finished a respectable third in a challenging handicap here in October and subsequently ran a great second in the Coral Hennessy at Newbury last time. A 2lb increase for that performance appears lenient, particularly given his affinity for this distance and track.

CLOUDY GLEN regained form with a victory at Haydock last month. Now running off a career-high rating, he continues to represent the successful Venetia Williams stable.

LEG 4: Springwell Bay, Lisnamult Lad

SPRINGWELL BAY has shown improvement in each of his three chase outings and performed admirably behind a quality winner here last time. This distance suits him best, and he has yet to disappoint at Cheltenham, suggesting there’s more to come from what appears to be a reasonable handicap mark.

LISNAMULT LAD won convincingly here in October before falling at Navan last time. He is only 3lb above his last victory and could pose a threat if he can bounce back.

LEG 5: Deep Cave, Catch Him Derry

DEEP CAVE has had just a couple of outings with Christian Williams and showed improvement by finishing fifth here last month. He still had some energy left and enjoys decent ground.

CATCH HIM DERRY underperformed at Haydock but could easily bounce back.

LEG 6: Golden Ace, Langer Dan

GOLDEN ACE finished in a closely contested Grade 2 at Ascot last month. She triumphed in the Dawn Run here last season, showcasing her affinity for this track while receiving a favorable weight allowance from her male counterparts.

LANGER DAN is regarded as one of the most prominent hurdlers around, narrowly missing out in a photo finish for a Grade 1 over a similar distance at Aintree in April after his Coral Cup victory at the Festival. He displayed signs of rust on his return and is expected to perform significantly better today.

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• Sets time and financial limits before playing
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• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Check out our comprehensive guide on responsible gambling practices here.

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