For any fan of National Hunt racing, the next week is going to be like Christmas and that’s because the 2011 Cheltenham Festival has nearly arrived.
There will be 27 races taking place between Tuesday and Friday, although winners are always hard to find due to the high quality fields that line up for each race.
Let’s take a look at the betting for the main races on Tuesday and see if there is any value knocking around
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – 1.30
This race has been a graveyard for favourite backers in previous years, with Dunguib failing to oblige at short odds last year and Cousin Vinny also beating beaten twelve months earlier. Once again, there is a stand-out favourite in the form of Cue Card (9/4 Paddy Power), a horse which many consider good enough for the Champion Hurdle.
Paddy Power actually have an excellent promotion on this race which will see them refund all losing bets if Cue Card wins the race, so it could be worth paying them a visit. Many people will like the look of Spirit Son (5/1) and Recession Proof (8/1), although Zaidpour (7/1) has been the big mover in the past week.
Arkle Chase – 2.05
Medermit is the favourite to win this race with every bookmaker, especially since Alan King announced that this horse represents his best chance of success at the Cheltenham Festival. Coral and Paddy Power are the only firms to offer 3/1 about the horse with every other bookie now going 11/4.
However, Ghizao is strong-fancied by many and has been the subject of a gamble which means the horse is now 4/1 (William Hill), while Finian’s Rainbow (4/1 Ladbrokes) has class but perhaps not the jumping ability of the other two.
Champion Hurdle – 3.20
There was breaking news on Sunday morning with Nicky Henderson announcing that Binocular would not be lining up in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday and it now means that the trainer’s best chance of success is Oscar Whisky, a horse which is available at 8/1 with Ladbrokes.
Menorah is the favourite with most firms and Ladbrokes offer 10/3 about the Philip Hobbs horse which could follow in the footsteps of Rooster Booster for the trainer. Hurricane Fly is going to be well backed by the Irish and it will be interesting to see whether the raider can replicate his form over the sea when he arrives at Prestbury Park. The Fly is available at 7/2 with Paddy Power.
However, the horse that beats them all could be Peddlers Cross, especially as it has not yet tasted defeat and is open to improvement. William Hill offer odds of 4/1 and that could be an each-way bet to nothing with place terms of ¼ odds for the first three places.
