The Blue Riband of steeple chasing for this year’s Cheltenham Festival looks to be the most competitive for some years.
The Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup without doubt boasts the strongest field possible with the likes of King George winner Clans Des Obeaux, 2018 RSA Chase winner Presenting Percy and the current champion, Native River all practically holding joint favouritism.
It’s a rarity for all the key players in the staying championship to actually make it to the big race: and they have!
Therefore, we are in for a treat. So can Native River make it 2 in a row? He’s certainly got his favoured ground and with more rain forecast, The Venn Farm team led by Colin Tizzard will be confident.
NATIVE RIVER: THE GROUND IS KEY
To get the best out of Colin Tizzard’s staying chaser star, desperate ground is needed. His memorable Gold Cup epic dual last year with Might Bite saw Native River register his greatest ever performance on ground that rendered the rest of a quality field fairly redundant.
The ground won’t be quite as tacky as last year for Friday’s showpiece but soft enough to play into Native River’s hands. If he can produce something even shorter than last year’s effort, that should be enough.
Form this season has been just about satisfactory. Bristol De Mai is near unbeatable at Haydock, so the Betfair Chase second on unsuitable ground was acceptable enough for a first run of the season. The Kempton tight speed track has never been the right kind of venue for Native River so the third there was also a decent enough run.
Now that he has his favoured track, distance and going, we should see the real Native River once more
For the third year running, he is our choice again!
4/1 is the best price (Bet Victor, Coral) currently available.
CLANS DES OBEAUX
Paul Nicholl’s youngster has really graduated through the ranks this season, with two blistering performances in the King George and his Ascot Denman Chase warm up win. He just keeps getting better and better.
Paul Nicholls is extremely excited and believes his horse is the most improved young horse in the field. He’s also had a similar preparation to that previous Nicholls superstar, Kauto Star, by winning the two same races in preparation for The Gold Cup.
Clans Des Obeaux is by far the most unexposed horse in the race and goes into it with the best form and with plenty of scope for improvement. The biggest danger to Native River retaining his title.
Best priced with Bet Victor at 9/2.
PRESENTING PERCY
Extremely hard to assess as he has not been seen over fences since his highly impressive RSA Chase victory in last year’s Cheltenham Festival.
He had a warm up prep run at Gowran Park in January over a 3 miles hurdle Grade 2 which he won fairly comfortably. In many people’s minds, he is the mystery horse but he has a vast army of followers if the ante post markets are anything to go by.
Quite simply, if he reproduces the RSA form, he’s in with a superb chance but the lack of outings this season is a worry.
THE REST
KEMBOY
Kemboy is another relative mystery horse who comes into the reckoning on the back of an emphatic Grade 1 win over 3 miles at Leopardstown over the Christmas period.
The form has worked out well as Monalee, whom he beat, went on the win the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase in good style.
11/1 best with Coral.
THISTLECRACK
Colin Tizzard’s enigmatic Thistlecrack has had a great season, his most noticeable run being his brave and tenacious second behind Clans Des Obeaux in The King George.
The outstanding each way proposition for me. He knows Cheltenham inside out having won there in the Stayers Hurdle in 2016 and if he produces anything like his Kempton performance, he has a superb chance to bow out his career in great style.
But he must improve a little on his jumping.
16/1 best with Betfred and 4 places each way.
MIGHT BITE
The talk from Seven Barrows is suggesting that Might Bite might be back to something like his 2017-2018 best. This season has been nothing short of horrific where he finished last in his two starts in The Betfair Chase and King George.
However, trainer Nicky Henderson believes that a change in medication for Might Bite’s long standing problem with ulcers may have done the trick.
He worked out well in a recent gallop exercise also. However, he is a risky betting proposition and a decent run beforehand would have been useful.
14/1 best with Bet Victor and Coral: both offering 4 places each way.
OVERALL
A really cracking renewal of The Festival showpiece race. Extremely competitive and therefore challenging to whittle any of these top quality staying chasers into a short list. In fact, any of the first seven in the betting have a realistic chance of winning based on talent and previous performances.
Therefore, a conservative approach is needed and now that the ground has come up right, the choice of Native River to repeat his 2018 success seems a shrewd option.
NATIVE RIVER TO WIN, 4/1 Bet Victor, Coral
Gold Cup Day Betting Promotions
50/1 Presenting Percy to win Gold Cup
Key Terms of the Offer:
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Offer ends 15:30pm Friday 15th March 2019
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80/1 Clan Des Obeaux to win Gold Cup
Key Terms of the Offer:
New Customers can get Clan Des Obeaux at an enhanced 80/1 to win Ryanair Chase. Max Stake £1. Winnings paid in free bets. Full T&Cs Apply. 18+|Gamble Aware.
Offer ends 15:30pm Friday 15th March 2019
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Money Back as a Free Bet on all losers if Sir Erec Wins
Key Terms of the Offer:
Applies to the win part of each-way singles only. Max free bet £/€10 per customer. T&Cs apply.
Ends 13:30 Friday 15th March 2019
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Cheltenham Day 4 –
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Key Terms of the Offer:
New customer offer, Minimum stake £/€10, minimum odds 1.2 (1/5). Qualifying bet must be placed on the 13:30 Cheltenham, Fri 15th March. Cashed out bets are excluded. Full T&Cs Apply. 18+|Gamble Aware.
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What are the best betting offers for Cheltenham Festival 2019?
If you like a betting offer then you'll love the Cheltenham Festival. The four day spectacular is a great time for making the most of your betting. Our comprehensive article on the latest and best Cheltenham Festival 2019 Betting Offers has everything you need to know! Check it out!
Enjoy the race, this will be a cracker!
Best priced odds. All odds are correct at the time of publishing (22:00 13th March 2019) and are subject to change.
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