Betfred have gone Non-Runner No Bet on the championship races at this year’s Cheltenham Festival. We asked racing industry figure Daryl Carter (@DarylCarter7) for his four to follow.
Ah, the time of year has come where bookmaker’s start to go non-runner-no-bet for the Championship races at the Cheltenham Festival and everyone gets to argue over whether it is a good deal or a bad deal!
Now considering my spare cash burns a hole in my pocket waiting in line at Greggs, imagine what it’s like waiting for the Cheltenham Festival to come around! This is only considered a positive move by Betfred in the Carter household. There is nothing worse in ante-post betting than seeing some value in a horse and everyone using that same old phrase “Yeah if they run!”
The important thing is to use the non-runner-no-bet deal to your advantage and I have already started to back my runners in the four Championship races Betfred have advertised:
CHAMPION HURDLE
I’m a huge fan of both mares in the Betfred betting but with the NRNB option the bet has to be HONEYSUCKLE at 6/1. Will she or won’t she run? Well, the answer may turn out to be yes after the run in her intended target of the Irish Champion Hurdle and she is likely to shorten up dramatically, and head the market at a much shorter price. She is still yet to go left-handed and she needs to prove that the drop back to two miles will be in her favour but she has shown the signs of a high-class mare.
Unbeaten in all six starts under rules and her point to point, she took her form to a new level when winning the Grade 1 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle. Previous winners include Champion Hurdler’s Hurricane Fly and Jezki while 2015 Champion Hurdle runner-up Arctic Fire also won this race. The drop back to 2m should pose no issue for her and if she runs here she must be a player.
CHAMPION CHASE
Analysing the Champion Chase at this stage is difficult but with non-runner-no-bet I’d be inclined to side with DEFI DU SEUIL at 7/2. Chacun Pour Soi’s air of invincibility was shattered at Leopardstown over Christmas and with the uncertainty around Altior’s preparation, he looks a solid enough bet back at the track he has proven to be so good at.
It may have been that a long season took its toll on Philip Hobbs’s runner at Punchestown when beaten by Chacun Pour Soi who came into the race the fresher horse. Winning the Grade 2 Shloer Chase at Cheltenham and then landing the Grade 1 Tingle Creek at Sandown this season has set him up nicely for back to back festival wins and the smooth preparation may give him the edge over his rivals if connections choose this route.
STAYERS HURDLE
It’s very hard to look past PAISLEY PARK here, and even at 11/10, he represents value. This race looks like it will cut up quite a bit given that five of the top seven in the Betfred betting are unlikely to take this route at the Festival. Emma Lavelle’s runner could well go off at a shade of odds-on come the day.
Last year’s Stayer’s Hurdle winner has no other targets this season and remains unbeaten since October 2018. This year’s renewal will be a notably weaker contest and he looks banker material for many punters.
GOLD CUP
The Gold Cup looks a vintage renewal and DELTA WORK hits all the right notes for me at 8/1. He ran out a good winner of the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and the extra distance of the Gold Cup trip will only benefit him. His jumping improved from his reappearance effort and he covered much more ground than his rivals at Leopardstown having been forced wide for most of the trip.
I felt, between me and you, that he was given a poor ride in the RSA last season by Davy Russell and he should have won that day. I have no doubt that he will prove the best of the staying chasers entering open company this season and I can’t for the life of me understand how Clan Des Obeaux is shorter than him in the market and at current times and if you’re backing anyone for the Gold Cup, it must be Delta Work.
DARYL CARTER’S NON-RUNNER NO BET PICKS
Honeysuckle – (Champion Hurdle) 6/1 Betfred
Defi Du Seuil – (Champion Chase) 7/2 Betfred
Paisley Park – (Stayers Hurdle) 11/10 Betfred
Delta Work – (Gold Cup) 8/1 Betfred
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