Total discipline and selective betting essential at Cheltenham

Someone once defined a pessimist as an informed optimist, and here’s a scribbler who can readily identify with such a description on the lead-in to Cheltenham.

By its very nature Cheltenham is a hard place to make a profit, but this year’s meeting shapes like a minefield and total discipline and very selective betting are going to be essential requirements.

Let’s begin with three theoretical certainties and none of them involve a horse at all.