It’s becoming tradition for our good friends at bet365 to stand up and be counted as one of the offering NRNB on the five Championship Cheltenham Festival races and those markets are now available to view and bet on. We have taken a browse through the races in question in search of possible early value…..
The biggest race on day one of the Festival is of course the Champion Hurdle, where 2017 winner Buveur D’Air is already a very short price to defend his crown. With major fitness concerns over Faugheen, the inclination is to look beyond the top of the market in search of a bet. At odds of 7/1, the Willie Mullins trained MELON looks a decent option. He travels very strongly, is improving in the jumping department and is likely to get better when he encounters spring ground. He’s young, talented and hails from the top yard in Ireland.
Douvan’s season ending injury and Altior’s sidelining until the new year has left a dull look to the Queen Mother Champion Chase on day two of the 2018 Cheltenham Festival, as things currently stand. But again, the Non Runner No Bet markets allow for a speculative punt, with the added insurance of your stake back if the horse doesn’t show up. So you’re guaranteed either a run for your money, or your money back! For this race, a cheeky tenner on top novice FOOTPAD could be worth a look at 9/2. If the race cuts up further, this hugely talented horse could easily switch to the big time, allowing the likes of Sceaux Royal to represent owners in the Arkle. It’s about a 9/2 shot to happen that way in reality, but if it did, those odds about the horse winning would be great value.
The Ryanair market is very tricky, but older campaigners Cue Card (14/1 NRNB) and Djakadam (10/1 NRNB) catch the eye, both could arguably be much shorter on the day if turning up in good order. Smad Place at 25/1 catches the eye, if it ever came up soft and he took his chance; the classy grey. In the Stayers’ Hurdle, Jessica Harrington’s SUPASUNDAE does catch the eye at 7/1. He is enjoying an ideal prep on unsuitable ground in Ireland, but will come alive during the spring. He’s a Festival winner who could well be up to this grade, while the unfortunate recent passing of Nichols Canyon has left the race looking wide open.
The main event is the Cheltenham Gold Cup, where King George winner MIGHT BITE is the standout runner, particularly after a poor run from Sizing John over Christmas. bet365 is offering 3/1 NRNB which could look a very big price on the day about such a talented horse, who has looked every inch a Gold Cup horse this season. At much bigger odds 40/1, FOX NORTON makes some appeal if connections choose to keep him at longer trips; but it is more likely he’ll go for the Ryanair.
Cheltenham Festival 2018 build up is underway and in the meantime, bet365 are offering Non Runner No Bet on Cheltenham Festival 2018 championship races, so you can bet in confidence with your Cheltenham bets!
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