The 2017 Cheltenham Festival is upon us and if you’re scratching your head wondering where the winners will come from then read on! Hopefully we can assist you with giving the bookmakers another hiding similar to last year’s bookie bashing bonanza! We have compiled some of the best bets of the week based on a combination of winnable form and decent price value. Most of these picks are from the big handicaps but we have also found a couple of each way tempters from some of the graded events. We haven’t selected a banker this year as there isn’t much to latch onto at decent odds although Douvan in the Champion Chase is looking booked but at odds of 2/7 on, this is not a viable option. Let’s take a look at Tuesday!
Cheltenham bookmakers. They were hit hard last year, how will they perform this time round?
DAY ONE, CHAMPIONS DAY:
1330 Cheltenham: The Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle: We’ve already mentioned in our Supreme Novices Hurdle preview our main pick and with the recent definite defection of Moon Racer to the Champion Hurdle, we’re sticking by our guns and firmly staying with the Willie Mullins’ trained Melon at 7/2 best with Sky Bet which includes the free bet up to £20!
1450 Cheltenham: The Ultima Handicap Chase: Very competitive staying chase as always. Label Des Obeaux trained by Alan King looks to be well handicapped on his form this season. He hasn’t been out of the frame and stayed on encouragingly in novice chase at Cheltenham last December. 16/1 NRNB widely available with Paddy Power, Coral and Betfair Sportsbook.
1530 Cheltenham: The Stan James Champion Hurdle: Petit Bouchoir. The Irish trained raider looks good value now at 7/1 Sky Bet, BetVictor, Paddy Power. Don’t discount the experienced The New One for a sneaky each way at 14’s with Sky Bet, BetVictor, William Hill!
1730 Cheltenham: The Close Brother Handicap Chase: The improving Captain Redbeard looks like an each way value flutter at 20’s, available everywhere - see the free bets if you fancy joining a new bookie and backing this one!
Label Des Obeaux looks well handicapped for The Ultima Handicap Chase on Day One.
DAY TWO, CHAMPION CHASE DAY:
1450 Cheltenham: The Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle: Often an absolute lottery to pick a winner out of this one but always a hugely enjoyable punt! We did all right last year with 28/1 shot Ubak getting placed so this year we’re hoping to better that with Air Horse One who has been consistent all season. Stayed on really well at Ascot last time out, beating Divine Spear so should be comfortable with the extra trip. Generally 14’s but 16/1 with William Hill although this is with full ante post rules.
1650 Cheltenham: The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle: Another tough handicap to unravel. However, I think the Nicky Henderson trained Domperignon Du Lys has a lot more to come after an encouraging run at Market Rasen last time out. 10/1 best with Coral and Boylesports NRNB.
DAY THREE, RYANAIR CHASE DAY
1410 Cheltenham: Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle: There’s some reliable talk going round that Tom George is a trainer to get behind for next week’s action. I quite like the look of Rocklander who he has entered for the Pertemps. He ran a cracker at Cheltenham in January this year in a good handicap and he has been there or thereabouts all season. 16/1 each way looks great value here, widely available.
1530 Cheltenham: Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle: Unowhatimeanharry should have this in the bag. One of my favourite horses in training Lil Rockefeller takes his place in this race and at 25/1 he has to be considered for small change place bet! He is super tough and consistent, responds well under pressure and he certainly gave Champion Hurdle favourite Yanworth a scare in the Coral Ascot Hurdle last autumn. He also got 4 lengths behind Unowhatimeanharry a month later. There are concerns however. He hasn’t shown the best at Cheltenham and he was withdrawn from his last race at Fontwell for not eating up, but was photographed hunting yesterday and looked well at Neil King’s yard. Could be a fun gamble at 25’s for sure - 25/1 at bet365!
The tough and consistent Lil Rockefeller if producing his best form could run into a place in The Stayers Hurdle at a big price.
1610 Cheltenham : Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase: The charmingly named Thomas Crapper was finally back in the winners enclosure in style last week at Newbury in the Greatwood Gold Cup. He’s been a winner and runner-up twice at Cheltenham before. See no harm in seeing if he can follow up at 16/1 best with Ladbrokes and Coral.
1730 Cheltenham: Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase: You’re never quite sure what version of Champers On Ice you’ll get on the day but I think David Pipe’s 7 year old is just about the class act amongst these. He was 2 lengths third behind Unowhatimeanharry in the Albert Bartlett last Festival, which is good enough for me in this lower grade contest to be given the nod at 12/1 best with Betfred.
DAY FOUR. GOLD CUP DAY
1530 Cheltenham: Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase: We’ve made our commitments already and we are firmly behind Native River to land a first success for the Colin Tizzard team. However, we are recommending some short change on Paul Nicholls’ underachieving Saphir Du Rheu to emulate the 1990 Gold Cup hero long shot Norton’s Coin! Stranger things have happened! Native River is now generally a 7/2 chance whilst Saphir can be pounced at for a whopping 66/1 with BetVictor.
Can the underachieving Paul Nicholls trained Saphir Du Rheu emulate the 1990 Cheltenham Gold Cup 100/1 shot Norton’s Coin and win at massive odds?
1650 Cheltenham: Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle
Very wide open. If your week is going well and fancy a fun flutter, I see no harm in throwing a couple of quid each way at Robinshill trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies who has bits and pieces of form. 33/1 best with bet365 and BetVictor.
1730 Cheltenham: Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase
The final race can be an enjoyable fun flutter or a desperate last chance saloon if the rest of the week has been a nightmare! Therefore if you think you might be in the latter category you wouldn’t go too wrong with the Colin Tizzard trained Quite By Chance who has had some decent form this season including a blinder of a run behind former Champion Chaser Sire De Grugy at a valuable handicap at Ascot last November. 33/1 best with BetVictor and Coral.
SELECTIONS RECAP
TUESDAY (Best Priced Win Odds)
- The Supreme Novices Hurdle: MELON (win) - 7/2 with Sky Bet! (Remember: Moneyback on all losing bets with Sky Bet!)
- The Ultima Handicap Chase: LABEL DES OBEAUX (e/w) - 16/1 with Coral!
- The Champion Hurdle: PETIT BOUCOIR (win) THE NEW ONE (e/w) 7/1 with Sky Bet!
- The Close Brothers Handicap Chase: CAPTAIN REDBEARD (e/w) 20/1 with bet365!
WEDNESDAY (Best Priced Win Odds)
- The Coral Cup: AIR HORSE ONE (e/w) 16/1 with William Hill!
- The Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle: DOMPERIGNON DU LYS (win) 10/1 with Coral!
THURSDAY (Best Priced Win Odds)
- The Pertemps Handicap Hurdle: ROCKLANDER (e/w) 16/1 with bet365!
- The Stayers Hurdle: LIL ROCKEFELLER (e/w) - 25/1 with bet365 or FCAST with UNOWHATIMEANHARRY to win
- The Brown Advisory Handicap Chase: THOMAS CRAPPER (e/w) - 16/1 with Coral!
- The Fulke Walwyn Handicap Chase: CHAMPERS ON ICE (e/w) - 12/1 with Betfred!
FRIDAY (Best Priced Win Odds)
- The Cheltenham Gold Cup: NATIVE RIVER (win) 7/2 with Sky Bet, SAPHIR DU RHEU (e/w) - 66/1 with Bet Victor!
- The Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle: ROBINSHILL (e/w) 33/1 with bet365!
- The Grand Annual Handicap Chase: QUITE BY CHANCE (e/w) 33/1 with Coral!
The very best of luck with all your selections for The 2017 Cheltenham Festival! To make the most of the Festival make sure you check out our the latest Cheltenham Festival Betting Offers here!
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