UK Horse Racing Tips

Archive for the ‘Racing Festivals’ Category

It hasn’t been the greatest preparation for Cheltenham 2018 from the Willie Mullins yard. The continued questions over the form of Faugheen and the injury issues of Douvan looks set to deprive him of two of his star turns, either all together or in peak form. There was also the tragic death of 2017 Stayers’ Hurdle winner Nichols Canyon. To cap it all off, he has been without regular jockey Ruby Walsh for the majority of the season.

Things have been looking up for Mullins recently though. Ruby Walsh should be back in the saddle very soon and, most importantly, a number of Mullins’ horses have started to show some excellent form in time for the Festival. Five of his best chances are discussed below, as well as their most dangerous competitors. If you are betting on the races, there are plenty of free bet promotions still available at Freebets.co.uk Free Bets: Cheltenham Festival.

Getabird:

Getabird looks like another gem unearthed by the Mullins and Ricci partnership. Four wins from four from the lightly-raced six-year-old gave reason for connections to be excited, but it was the victory in the Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Hurdle in December that really got punters noticing. A win in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle could point to a big couple of years ahead for Getabird.

Current Odds: 5/2 for Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Biggest Danger: Samcro, also 5/2 (William Hill).

Un De Sceaux:

Un De Sceaux would probably be considered a modern great had he not had the misfortune of coming up against Sprinter Sacre’s wonderful swansong period at the back-end of 2016. Still, two Grade 1 wins at the Festival demonstrate his class. He won the Ryanair Chase last year and looks likely to tackle it again. A big chance.

Current Odds: 3/1 for Ryanair Chase.

Biggest Danger: Fox Norton 11/2.

Min:

A lot of buzz has surrounded Min ever since his excellent victory in the Coral Dublin Chase in early February. That changed the whole complexion of the Queen Mother Champion Chase, with many punters expressing a preference for Min over the ante-post favourite Altior. Whether he can beat a fully-fit Altior remains to be seen, but that Dublin Chase win was a big, big statement.

Current Odds: 3/1 for Queen Mother Champion Chase:

Biggest Danger: Altior 5/4.

Footpad:

Footpad, along with Gordon Elliott’s Apple’s Jade, have probably been cited most frequently as potential winners of a Grade 1 race at Cheltenham this year. Footpad had an indifferent start to his career over hurdles (3 wins from 10) but has looked excellent since switching to chasing at the beginning of the season. The Arkle looks to be at his mercy.

Current Odds: 4/5 for Arkle Challenge Trophy.

Biggest Danger: Sceau Royal 11/2.

Killultagh Vic:

It is arguable that Willie Mullins has had better Gold Cup entries than Killultagh Vic down the years. However, circumstances may just be perfect for the nine-year-old to fill that gaping hole on Mullins’ impressive CV. Killultagh Vic was last seen falling (when leading at the last) in the Irish Gold Cup in early February, but that hasn’t stopped punters from considering him a real chance for glory. He is a gutsy performer, of the type that will relish a Gold Cup challenge.

Current Odds: 10/1 for Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Biggest Danger: Might Bite 3/1.

The Arkle Challenge Trophy, currently sponsored by the Racing Post, is currently scheduled as the second race on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival and, as such, is the first Grade 1 steeplechase of the week. The race is run over a distance of about 2 miles on the Old Course and is open to novice chasers – that is, horses that have not won a steeplechase before the start of the current season – aged five years and upwards. Let’s take a look at the best wagers ahead of the trophy.

Recent trends suggest that what we’re looking for, ideally, in a likely winner is a horse that has won, or been placed, at a previous Cheltenham Festival and has run since the turn of the year, finishing first or second in its preparatory race. The Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown and the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown have proved key trials for the Arkle Challenge Trophy in recent years, so the winners of those races seem as good a starting point as any at this early stage.

The Henry VIII Novices’ Chase – the first Grade 1 of the season for novice chasers in Britain – was run on December 5, on good to soft going, and won, in impressive fashion, by Sceau Royal. The winner, trained by Alan King and ridden by Daryl Jacob, reversed earlier Cheltenham form with the runner-up, North Hill Harvey, to the tune of 11¼ lengths on just 5lb better terms, in the style of an improving horse. The 6-year-old has finished unplaced in the Triumph Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle on two previous visits to the Festival, but is entered for the Grade 2 Lightning Novices’ Chase at Doncaster this Saturday, for which he is likely to start a hot favourite. The Doctor Dino gelding is currently top-priced at 6/1 for the Arkle.

The Racing Post Novice Chase was run, on yielding going, and won, in equally impressive fashion, by Footpad, who is now a top-priced 7/4 favourite for the Arkle. Interestingly, Willie Mullins’ 6-year-old also ran in the same races as Sceau Royal on his two previous visits to the Festival, but finished third in the Triumph Hurdle, 17¾ lengths ahead of his old rival, and fourth in the Champion Hurdle, 2¾ lengths ahead of Alan King’s charge. The Creachadoir gelding has only run twice over fences, but jumps well for a novice and – while thirteen stiff fences will, undoubtedly, play their part come March 13 – he looks a worthy favourite at this stage.

Contenders begin to arise for the highlight race in the 4th day of one of the most prestigious horse races in the world taking place March 13 to 16. Twenty two fences of pure adrenaline were stamina rather than speed wins the day with the highlight race on the 4^th day, the Gold Cup. The best of the best from Britain and Ireland will come to this prestigious jump race were legends like Golden Miller, Arkle, and Kauto Star have left their print.

We are still early before a definite list of contenders is announced, but handicappers all around the web are already giving out their top names to win the Gold Cup. Might Bite and Native River stand as strong candidates for the win, with Bristol du Mai as a powerful runner-up. Who will you pick?

Might Bite

Might Bite leads the odds after his win at the King George VI, a key race to spot possible winners and top contenders for the Gold Cup. Trained by Nicky Henderson, Might Bite was amazing throughout the 2017 season and unbeaten in 5 starts, a key factor that separates him from the rest of contenders that have been a bit irregular in their recent victories or lacking enough competition appearances.

Native River

Second favorite to some to win the Gold Cup and the surprise of the season after winning The Hennessy and Welsh National, stamina is his virtue. Rain favors River’s pace, so keep an eye on the weather just before the race and previous night.

Native River stands with 8/1 odds, but deceive be not as this horse is strongly underestimated. But top experts keep talking about this 8 year old with the perfect conditions to win the Gold Cup (ended third last year); stamina + perfect age + 2 good wins. Many horses win the Gold Cup on the second and third try, so history is also behind Native River. This is why we place him as a close rival Might Bite and can safely say we expect to see him finish in the top 3.

Bristol du Mai

Bristol du Mai was supposed to be shoulder to shoulder with Native River in terms of who is best, a progressive stayer that impressed at Haydock with top class routing. Not all races have been perfect, Newbury was an awkward ride ending behind Native River, but that is attributed to a tactical move. We can expect a great performance from this horse that is still to show the best it can do. The odds are for Mai at the moment stand at 20/1, but that is just a poor public impression and can be a great runner-up price for many.

Sizing John

Cheltenham loves legends and Sizing John might go for a second win this year at the Gold Cup. However he had a poor performance in December during the King George, and stands with odds at 5/1, not a strong favorite for many.

We are still early before selecting the final top contenders, but so far Might Bite is the overall favorite based on recent achievements and with Native River and Bristol du Mai as strong followers. Checkout everything you need to know about Gold Cup Day betting before it hits the news and enjoy one of the UK’s finest racing days.

The month of March will bring the mega Cheltenham Festival for all the horse-racing fans. Bringing the best jockeys from all the Great Britian and Ireland, the Cheltenham Festival is the best horse racing event whose prize money is second only to the Grand National.

The Festival is the delight of all the bookmakers. A heavy sum of money is betted every year on this mega event at Prestbury Park, and this year will probably be no different. The Gold Cup race probably will see a lot of betting activity in the whole event. If you are looking to join the betting scene but are looking for safe bets you are better checking the Odds for the Cheltenham Festival brought to you by the top online bookies Odds for Cheltenham Festival.

If you are a punter and have plenty of free bets already, then it would be wiser to use them on the Gold Cup or any of the other main championship races. But if you don’t have your free bets yet, then you can choose from the top bookmakers on the Cheltenham Festival 2018- Free bets page where you will find all of the leading bookmakers. It is important to remember that the bookmakers only get recognition after being reviewed completely and then only the best bookmakers are mentioned. It is important to remember that the bookmakers only get recognition on this site after being reviewed completely and then only the best bookmakers are mentioned.

You might like the 888sport’s offer of Bet £10 Get £30, or Betfair’s offer of getting £5 bonus on placing your first bet. And for the Newbies, Betway seems to be offering the best offer with receiving a 100 percent match for making a deposit between £10 and £30. While Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and Betfred are not behind as well whose betting offers are extremely lucrative and appealing.

Let’s look at the previous six winners of the Gold Cup.

Sizing John (2017):

The British bred, Irish trained racehorse has been one of the best horses in recent times. Even the first attempt at 3m saw him winning the Irish Gold Cup in 2017. Yet it was not the only win in his superb year. He won the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase while he claimed the Cheltenham Gold Cup as well that year.

While mostly ridden by Jonathon Burke, Sizing John is now ridden by Robbie Power in the recent times. And this new rider seems to fit him very well as he has won all the best races in recent times. He is also one of the favorites for the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Don Cossack (2016):

The thoroughbred racehorse is the German bred and Irish trained horse who is retired now. Many leading jockeys like Bryan Cooper, Davy Russell, A.P. McCoy and Paul Carberry had the opportunity of riding such an amazing horse.

The 2014-15 national Hunt season saw the best of him as he won six out of the seven races, including races like the Powers Irsh Whiskey Chase, Daily Star Chase, Punchestown Chase, Melling Chase and Punchestown Gold Cup etc.

In May of 2016, he became the best National Hunt performer in Britain and Ireland after winning the same award the previous season as well. That year saw his biggest career victory by winning the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Coneygree (2015):

The British Thoroughbred racehorse Coneygree became the first novice chaser who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup since 1974 when Captain Christy had won it. Although his career was marred by injuries after that win, yet that win was so memorable that people remembered it for a long time. That year he had won the Denman Chase as well.

Lord Windermere (2014):

The Irish Thoroughbred racehorse Lord Windermere had won the RSA Chase in 2013. The next year the biggest victory of his career came his way when he won the 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup. It was a huge surprise when the trainer Jim Culloty managed to win again who already had won three times as a jockey on Best Mate.

Bobs Worth (2013):

The British trained Thoroughbred racehorse Bobs Worth has won many major races. In 2011, he managed to win the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle. The RSA Chase came in his career in 2012. While the biggest win of his career came in 2013 when he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup. That Gold Cup win made him the first horse to win three different Cheltenham Festival races since the amazing Flying Bolt in the 60s.

Synchronised (2012):

The British trained Thoroughbred racehorse Synchronised was an amazing long distance steeplechaser whose 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup win was the greatest win in his career. Two races namely the Midlands Grand National and Welsh National came to him in 2010 while he also won the Lexus Chase in 2011. The 2012 saw the climax of his career when he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup. However, that year witnessed the tragic end of such an incredible horse after suffering a fatal injury in the Grand National.