The Cheltenham Festival is billed as best four days of National Hunt (jumps) racing on the planet and the ‘good news’ for horse racing betting fans is that we are now only weeks away.
As aways over the four days, which get going on Tuesday 15th March, there will be plenty of Cheltenham Festival betting tips for punters to get stuck into, including all the so-called Cheltenham Festival bankers!
In recent years perming up the short-priced Cheltenham Festival tips in double, trebles and accumulators has got more and more popular, while one of the main questions pundits and horse racing fans get asked in the weeks before is…..Who Is Your Cheltenham Festival Banker?
Did You Know? The 2021 Cheltenham Festival saw 8 winning favourites (29% strike-rate)
So, what can we expect this year when it comes to the so-called ‘Cheltenham Festival Bankers’?
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DAY ONE, Tuesday 15th March 2022
CONSTITUTION HILL
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Price: @7/4 with bet365 (non runner, no bet)
(odds are subject to change)
This 5 year-old will be looking to give favourite backers a flying start at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival and after two impressive wins at Sandown there is plenty to like about him. The Henderson yard won this in 2020 and 2016 – however, they are only two from 39 since 1993 in this race.
The form of his recent Tolworth Hurdle 12 length romp has been franked with the fourth – Shallwehaveonemore – winning since, but the runner-up – Jetoile – didn’t advertise the form when last in the Betfair Hurdle recently.
Overall, this horse has done little wrong, but the question remains – what has he actually beaten? The ground will likely be a lot quicker than the heavy conditions he faced last time, while with the likes of Jonbon and Kilcruit as possible rivals, then you feel he’s going to need to improve again to take this.
VERDICT: BLOWOUT
EDWARDSTONE
Arkle Chase
Trainer: Alan King
Price: @13/8 with bet365 (non runner, no bet)
(odds are subject to change)
The Alan King yard, who won this race back-to-back in 2006 and 2007, will be all the rage to grab some more Cheltenham Festival glory here. Edwardstone has been a strong Arkle Chase betting tip for many months and it’s easy to see why after winning his last four starts over fences.
The latest was an easy 4 ½ length success at Warwick in the Kingmaker Novices’ Chase. Those against him might look to the fact he’s been beaten three times at Cheltenham, but those runs came over hurdles.
He was a fair hurdler, but is clearly showing the potential to be a better chaser and even though the Irish will bring some decent challengers in Blue Lord and Riviere D’ Etel, this Alan King-trained 8 year-old is expected to be hard to beat here.
VERDICT: BANKER
HONEYSUCKLE
Champion Hurdle
Trainer Henry De Bromhead
Price: @2/5 with bet365 (non runner, no bet)
(odds are subject to change)
Last year’s Champion Hurdle winner will, of course, be very popular to follow up here as she hopes to follow in the hoof-prints of Buveur D’Air (2017/2018) and win this race in back-to-back years.
She’s now won ALL (yes, all) of her 14 races over hurdles and grabbed the latest of those successes in the Irish Champion Hurdle – her third win in that race – at the start of February at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Some, however, were not as impressed with her that day with some shoddy jumps, but she still got the job done by 6 ½ lengths.
Those looking to take her on will pin their hopes mainly on last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner – Appreciate It, but this horse has not been seen since winning that Festival race 12 months ago. Honeysuckle will also get the handy 7lbs mares’ allowance and that can give her the edge again here.
VERDICT: BANKER
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DAY TWO, Wednesday 16th March 2022
SIR GERHARD
Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Price: @6/4 with bet365 (non runner, no bet)
(odds are subject to change)
Sir Gerhard is also entered in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on day one, but this looks the preferred target for this Willie Mullins hurdler. 2-from-2 over the smaller obstacles and has Cheltenham Festival winning experience, having landed the Champion Bumper here last season. Won well at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out too and is certainly another exciting prospect for the powerful Mullins team.
However, his jumping wasn’t great the last day, while he only had seven rivals to beat there, so what he’s actually beaten is the big question. He’ll also be trying this longer 2m5f trip for the first time, so even though he looks the sort to need further, it’s still a big unknown.
VERDICT: BLOWOUT
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
Festival Novices Chase
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Price: @Evs with bet365 (non runner, no bet)
(odds are subject to change)
Landed the Martin Pipe Conditional jockeys’ race over hurdles at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival and has carry that progression over fences this season. This Willie Mullins-trained 6 year-old heads here 2-from-2 over the bigger obstacles and is another that used the Dublin Racing Festival to prep for this.
He’d travelled well through the race that day and having tasted the hustle and bustle of the Cheltenham Festival last season has another plus in his corner here. His biggest rival will be the Paul Nicholls-trained Bravemansgame, but he’s taken to have just a bit more pace than that runner, which will be the deciding factor. Note: Galopin Des Champs is also entered in the Turners Novices’ Chase (Thurs).
VERDICT: BANKER
SHISHKIN
Champion Chase
Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Price: @4/7 with bet365 (non runner, no bet)
(odds are subject to change)
Becoming a Cheltenham Festival stalwart having already won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (2020) and the Arkle Chase (2021) as he now looks to add the Champion Chase to his Festival CV. He’s unbeaten over fences (7 wins) and remained at the head of the Champion Chase betting market after seeing off a big rival – Energumene – in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January.
Those looking elsewhere for the winner will say he had a very hard race that day and needed every yard of the trip to get on top at the line. Yes, it’s always a risk taking on a horse that’s unbeaten in his sphere and the slightly shorter trip here will favour Energumene, who prior to that defeat had won all five starts over fences. Add in the likes of Chacun Pour Soi, plus last season’s winner and runner-up – Put The Kettle On and Nube Negra – then it might not just be a two-horse battle anyway!
VERDICT: BLOWOUT
FACILE VEGA
Champion Bumper
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Price: @8/13 with bet365 (non runner, no bet)
(odds are subject to change)
It’s no secret that the Willie Mullins yard love to win the Champion Bumper – after all they’ve won the prize three times in the last four years and a staggering eleven times in total! They are sure to be mob-handed again and are no strangers to winning this pot with a second, third or fourth string. However, Facile Vega looks their main hope after his easy 12-length win at Leopardstown last time out at the Dublin Racing Festival. If you are looking to take him on then – don’t forget – Appreciate It – won that same Leopardstown race in similar fashion in 2020 and could only manage second here. Horses that run in this sphere can also improve rapidly from their opening few races too, so there is every chance something will come out of the woodwork. Overall, it’s hard to knock what he’s done, but rates poor value in a race that has thrown up some fair-priced winners before.
VERDICT: BLOWOUT
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DAY THREE, Thursday 17th March 2022
BOB OLINGER
Turners Novices’ Chase
Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
Price: @1.80 with bet365 (non runner, no bet)
(odds are subject to change)
Another of the big Irish 2022 Cheltenham Festival bankers for many after winning both starts over fences so far. Also won the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle here at the Festival 12 months ago. Has won both starts over the bigger obstacles with the minimum of fuss and could easily go to the top of the chasing tree.
That said, the jury is still out to what he’s beaten this season over fences, while there is a chance he could face Galopin Des Champs, who is also entered in the Festival Novices’ Chase, plus the exciting Venetia Williams-trained L’Homme Presse.
VERDICT: BLOWOUT
ALLAHO
Ryanair Chase
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Price: @8/11 with bet365 (non runner, no bet)
Bounded clear to win this race 12 months ago and has been a huge Cheltenham Festival tip for a repeat success in 2022. The last (and only) horse win this race twice was Albertas Run (2010 & 2011), but it will be a brave punter that says this beast of a horse can’t join that roll of honour.
His only defeat in his last five races over fences came over the shorter 2m trip in the Champion Chase at Punchestown last April. However, this season has won both starts and the form of his latest win at Thurles was given a shot in the arm recently when the runner-up Fakir D’oudairies won the Ascot Chase.
VERDICT: BANKER
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DAY FOUR, Friday 18th March 2022
PIED PIPER
Triumph Hurdle
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Price: @15/8 with bet365 (non runner, no bet)
(odds are subject to change)
This former royal runner, who used to be trained on the flat by John Gosden, went into many a notebook after his easy 9-length win at Cheltenham in January. Prior to that he beat Vauban at Punchestown and with that horse a likely runner here too, then he’s already got the better of him.
The Elliott yard have also won two of the last eight runnings of this and its no secret connections think this is one of their best chances of the week. However, we feel Vauban can turn the tables here and has since got back to winning ways in Ireland. When Pied Piper beat him in December, he also faced some interference so did well to get within ½ a length. Vauban has clearly progressed since so it might not be all plain sailing for Pied Piper backers here.
VERDICT: BLOWOUT
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