Tag: Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham blog – Latest Special Offers and news update

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Let’s hope the Imperial Cup was not an indication of what is to come at Cheltenham next week! Two 33-1 outsiders fought out the finish with not a fancied horse in sight. Hopefully Betcirca followers were still in clover after following our tips at Wolverhampton where Mindurownbusiness (9-2) and Sovereign Debt (6-1) gave us a 38.5 – 1 winning double.

Cheltenham Special Offers

The Cheltenham offers keep pouring in with the emphasis very much on Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh. Corals are offering new customers 5-1 about Ruby riding a winner at the meeting (up to a maximum £5 per customer) and Racebets are now making a similarly tempting offer.

Back Ruby to ride a winner on day 1 at odds of 7-1 (maximum £5 per customer). With Douvan, Un De Sceaux, Faugheen and Annie Power lined up, surely it is unthinkable that he could be beaten on all four? If you’re not yet a Racebets customer, why not help yourself to a likely £35 in your account come Tuesday night.

32Red are offering 3-1 about Willie Mullins training a winner on the opening day up to a maximum of £10 per customer. Simply use the promo-code Willie3 when you register. It could be argued that it is a safer bet than backing Ruby as he could get injured (finger’s crossed that it won’t happen!)

Unibet customers can get their first Cheltenham bet refunded as a free bet (up to maximum of £10) if they fail to find the winner. Please note that each-way bets are not included in this promotion. Also, if your horse finishes second in the Champion Chase on Wednesday, Unibet will refund your stake as a free bet (up to a maximum of £20).

Latest News

Today’s most significant Cheltenham scratching was Rock On Ruby from the World Hurdle. That will at least give jockey Noel Fehily peace of mind as he had reluctantly deserted his old friend in favour of Zarkandar.

All of the fancied horses are among the 18 remaining in Friday’s Cheltenham Gold Cup. Ballycasey, Champagne Fever, First Lieutenant, Spring Heeled, Theatre Guide and Ma Filleule were the only horses withdrawn. A final decision is yet to be made on Coneygree who also holds an entry in the RSA Chase.

Imperial Cup winner Ebony Express earned a 20-1 quote for the County Hurdle for which he picks up a 5lbs penalty.

Cheltenham blog – Top 3 offers and ante-post roundup

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Only four more sleeps to the start of the Cheltenham Festival! We at Betcirca aim to keep you right up-to-date with the latest news on market movers, runners and riders and special offers.

Most bookmakers went “non-runner – no bet” on all 27 races from the start of this week following the lead set by Bet365 on February 20th. If you placed a bet after that date with them, you will get a full refund so please be careful before you throw away those betting slips!

Our Top 3 Cheltenham Special Offers

Paddy Power – If Douvan wins the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, all losing bets up to a maximum of £50 per customer will be refunded as a free bet. The same applies should Un De Sceaux win the Arkle Trophy. Both races are on the opening day which promises to be one of the biggest betting days in the history of the Cheltenham Festival. Willie Mullins could saddle as many as five favourites and bookmakers fear a monster pay-out.

William Hill – Back any horse in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and, if you do not win, you will get your money back as a free bet up to a maximum of £25 per customer.

Coral – NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. Join Coral now and get odds of 5-1 against Ruby Walsh riding a winner at the Cheltenham Festival. This offer applies only to a maximum £5 but should pay out an almost instant £25 profit. Ruby not only has Douvan and Un De Sceaux on Tuesday, he also rides Champion Hurdle favourite Faugheen and the odds-on Annie Power.

We have already previewed several of the big races in detail with some ante-post each-way tips. Click the links below:

ARKLE TROPHY – Vibrato Valtat @5-1

CHAMPION HURDLE – Arctic Fire @16-1

CHAMPION CHASE – Champagne Fever @6-1

RYANAIR CHASE – Johns Spirit @9-1, Hidden Cyclone @10-1

WORLD HURDLE – Saphir Du Rheu @5-1, Whisper @14-1

TRIUMPH HURDLE – Top Notch @16-1, Pain Au Chocolat @20-1

CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP – Lord Windermere @14-1, Djakadam @16-1

Latest News

The going at Cheltenham is reported to be good to soft, good in places. There is some rain forecast over the weekend but it seems unlikely that the going will be worse than good to soft by Tuesday. Foxrock will run in the Ryanair Chase instead of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and he is generally an 8-1 chance.

Triumph Hurdle Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Triumph Hurdle used to be something of a lottery but winners have been easier to find in recent years. The classy Zarkandar won this in great style while the ill-fated Our Conor was one of the easiest winners in the history of the race.

There could well be something of his class on show again this season with Nicky Henderson set to run three, all of which have sound claims. The market has been dominated by Peace And Co since he sauntered to victory on his debut at Doncaster. Henderson has wisely avoided listing his runners in order of preference as both Hargam and Top Notch have top class form.

I dipped my toes in the ante-post market at 16-1 for Top Notch before his Haydock win and I’m pleased to see that connections still plan on running him. He is in the same ownership as the favourite and it must have been tempting to save him for Liverpool. Although it was a very poor field for the Victor Ludorum, he won like an improving juvenile and I’m hopeful of him making the frame.

Alan King has got fond memories of this race, both as a trainer and as assistant to the late David Nicholson. Mysilv was a very popular winner and Katchit went on to win the Champion Hurdle, the only five-year-old to do so in recent times. King runs Pain Au Chocolat here, a winner at Plumpton and Sandown on his last two starts. His latest victory is hard to assess as they crawled for the first half mile but he certainly has an each-way chance.

Punters were tripping over themselves to get on Beltor after he bolted up at Kempton in the Adonis Hurdle. He was no great shakes on the flat but horses can improve stones for a few flights of hurdles. He did race very keenly and you would have to worry about him settling in this big field. At first glance he looks more of an Aintree type but connections are having a tilt at the big one.

You cannot rule out the Willie Mullins runners and he looks set to saddle his Leopardstown first and second, Petite Parisienne and Kalkir. There did not really seem to be any excuses for the runner-up but there are no obvious lines linking the English and Irish form.

Top Notch @16-1 William Hill*

Pain Au Chocolat @20-1 BetVictor

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3 (Non-runner – no bet)

*Ante-post

Arkle Challenge Trophy Preview

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If you are betting on the Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham next week, it is well worth considering the special offer by Paddy Power. They are refunding all bets on losers if the favourite Un De Sceaux wins the race for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh. This offer also applies to each-way bets and on the favourite Douvan in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

The favourite suffered his first defeat when falling three out at Thurles in November with the race at his mercy. A year ago, the media were speculating whether or not Mullins would risk Un De Sceaux in the Champion Hurdle but the trainer decided to take him to France instead.

That proved to be very lucrative with Grade 3 and Grade 2 hurdle race victories at Auteuil before being put over fences this winter. Following his fall at Thurles, Un De Sceaux recorded easy victories at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown including a fifteen lengths win over Clarcam in the Irish Arkle Chase in January. He is yet to be truly tested over fences but could face a large field here and his jumping will have to spot on.

His  main market rival is Vibrato Valtat who would probably be favourite in a normal year for Paul Nicholls. The grey was a fair handicapper over hurdles but he looks very classy over fences. Prior to his latest victory at Warwick, I wondered whether he would always keep a bit to himself on the run-in. He does not always seem to find as much off the bridle as appears likely but he quickened four and a half lengths clear of Top Gamble at the midlands track. Odds of around 5-1 with a free bet refund if the favourite wins looks a tempting offer.

Josses Hill would have been on many short-lists at the start of the season but he has not lived up to expectations over fences so far. He has only a workmanlike Doncaster victory to his credit so far, although jockey Barry Geraghty insists that a fast pace will see him in a much better light. It may be that he has been slow to come to himself this season. Henderson’s last four runners have all won including Hurricane Higgins at Lingfield on the flat so the yard could be hitting form at the right time.

Vibrato Valtat @5-1 Paddy Power*

*Money back as a free bet (up to a maximum of £50) if Un De Sceaux wins

Ryanair Chase Preview

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With reigning champion Dynaste and 2013 winner Cue Card both injured, there will be a new name on the roll of honour for the Ryanair Chase next week.

The two and a half mile race was added to the Cheltenham festival programme in 2005 to provide a viable alternative for horses that were not suited to the Champion Chase or Gold Cup distances. The favourite is Don Cossack who has won his last four races for Gordon Elliott including the Punchestown Chase in December. He had four and a half lengths to spare over Boston Bob that day but fell at the corresponding meeting in the RSA Chase.

Alan King has been bullish about the chances of Balder Succes since he beat Ma Filleule at Ascot. He had originally been regarded as a Champion Chase prospect but King has switched him up in trip with excellent results. The big worry for his supporters is his appalling record at Cheltenham having failed to complete in all three previous visits.

Nicky Henderson does not appear to have such a strong hand at the festival this year, although he would probably settle for Sprinter Sacre winning. He is confident that this is the race for Ma Filleule and the grey mare should give her supporters a good run for her money. Having won the Topham at Aintree, I just wonder if she will find this a bit sharp.

Quicker ground would bring Johns Spirit into contention. He was a fine second to Caid Du Berlais in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and ran well for a long way in the King George. He has won three times here in big handicaps, all on good or good to soft ground.

The absence of the previous two winners has persuaded John Hanlon to divert Hidden Cyclone from the Champion Chase. The ten-year-old seems equally effective over two and two and a half miles and was only beaten by Dynaste here a year ago. His jumping has not always been the best but he looks a lively contender in a wide open race.

It looks worth opposing the favourites here with a couple of sporting each-way bets on Johns Spirit and Hidden Cyclone.

Johns Spirit @9-1 William Hill

Hidden Cyclone @10-1 William Hill

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3 (Non-runner – no bet)

Horse Racing Preview 24th January

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

It’s Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham on Saturday and there should be clues to many of the feature races in March.

The action gets under way at 12.40 with Peace And Co looking to cement his position at the head of the Triumph Hurdle market. He is one of several exciting French imports trained by Nicky Henderson and he absolutely hacked up on his debut at Doncaster. The value of the form is debatable and I can hardly believe that he is as short as 9-4 for the Triumph Hurdle. Even so, it will be a major surprise if he is beaten here.

The BetBright Cup at 1.50 sees the return of Many Clouds who did this column a favour in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November. He steps out of handicap company to face last year’s Ryanair winner Dynaste. David Pipe’s grey finished an honourable second in the King George VI Chase last time out but is probably better at shorter distances. Smad Place was only fifth in the Hennessy but will provide a good test if he is fit enough.

Tactics could be important and it may de down to Leighton Aspell to set the pace on Many Clouds. I have reservations about Dynaste up the Cheltenham hill but I think he will have too much class for these.

The horse that I am most looking forward to seeing in action on Saturday is Value At Risk in the Neptune Trial at 3.00. He was trained in Ireland by Philip Fenton last season and finished third in the champion bumper at Punchestown. He was very impressive when coasting to victory at Newbury by 22 lengths on his first start for Dan Skelton. I think he will win on Saturday and his price will fall for the Neptune so it may be worth taking some of the 16-1.

The feature race at Doncaster is the Skybet Chase at 3.15. Tony McCoy has taken the ride on If In Doubt who was useful over hurdles but lacks experience over fences. Easter Day ran well for a long way on his first start after a year off the track and must be respected but most of the other runners look fully exposed. It could be an opportunity for some McCoy magic.

Finally, good luck to Harry Spiller who has his first runner as a trainer at Lingfield tomorrow. The Third Man proved expensive for punters when trained by John Gosden last year but is not without a chance in the 2.35.

Peace And Co 12.40 Cheltenham @4-7 Bet365

Dynaste 1.50 Cheltenham @9-4 Paddy Power

Value At Risk 3.0 Cheltenham @15-8 Bet365

If In Doubt 3.15 Doncaster @11-2 William Hill

*Value At Risk – Neptune Hurdle @16-1 Paddy Power

*ante-post