Tag Archives: Cheltenham Festival

*Featured/Spotlights, Racing

Cheltenham Festival – 4 West Ham Players Try Commentary

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Four West Ham United Football (UK Soccer) Club players try their hand at English horse racing commentary and see how difficult it is to be a race horse broadcaster.

Below is a video showing ITV Racing’s Richard Hoiles attempt to teach West Ham players Joe Hart, Patrice Evra, Mark Noble and James Collins how to do horse racing commentary. As we horse lovers know, horses don’t come in large variety of colors, so it can be hard to determine what horse is racing and is coming down the winning stretch.

To assist these ‘newbie’ broadcasters in accuracy, Richard Hoiles displays the players a flip chart overviewing how to determine the differences in the horses via showing a horse’s racing silk colors, a horse’s markings and head gear worn, and emphasizing enthusiasm.

The men had 5 minutes to study a chart describing the horses and jockeys in the race for reference. Then each player went in the booth to do their own commentary watching a classic Cheltenham betting moment.

It is a riot watching the players learning the basics before taking their exam. But who would end up top of the class, and who would have to stay behind to do extra homework? Hint – check out defender Patrice Evra.

Watch the video to find out:


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Competitions, Racing

The Latest Hot Tips for the Cheltenham Festival

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As each day passes, the updates on the runners and riders for the forthcoming Cheltenham Festival come in thicker and faster. Many of the most fancied horses hold entries for two or even three races, with the owners and trainers keeping their options open as to which horses they will ultimately run where.

Often, it is a case of choosing between a better chance of victory in a support race and an outside shot of glory in one of the big money showcase events, and it is intriguing to watch the agonizing decision making as the entries slowly but surely fall into place.

This final jostling also has a major impact on the betting odds – after all, if a strong horse holds an entry for a minor race, it will inevitably be a favorite, and if the trainer withdraws it, the field suddenly becomes wide open.

An expert eye to make sense of it all

The Festival has the eyes of the racing world upon it from all corners of the globe, but to get a feel for the latest developments and gossip, it is important to have a source of information that’s close to the action. Racing Tips has a team of experts monitoring the news from the top stables, and keeping track of the bookmakers to provide a constant stream of festival predictions in the run up to the great event. Here are some of the latest stories that have attracted their attention.

Getabird to take flight

The news that Harry Fry has had to withdraw If The Cap Fits from the Supreme Novices Hurdle removes the biggest obstacle for Getabird in the opening race of the festival. Anything can happen in this race, and outside shots have a habit of doing well, so it is by no means a foregone conclusion. But the Mullins trained gelding has always been a warm favorite, and the withdrawal of the horse seen by bookies as his closest rival has pushed the temperature up a couple of degrees.

More questions than answers in the Stayers

A couple of weeks ago, we ran through the favorites for the key races, and Sam Spinner was at the top of the tree for the Stayers Hurdle on Thursday. That has been turned on its head by a number of factors. Supasundae’s fabulous win in Dublin has contributed to make the horse the new favorite among bookmakers, while Alan King’s decision that Yanworth will be a runner has also sent the oddsmakers into a spin. The advice from the tipsters? Ignore the battle for the favorites and place an each way bet on Nicky Henderson’s L’Ami Serge – with all the jostling higher up the betting card, this horse is still being offered at 12/1 and that’s just too good to refuse, particularly given that Henderson seems quietly confident in this one.

Cue Card in the RyanAir

One of the best loved horses on the circuit, everyone would love to see the 12-year-old Cue Card romp to glory in the Gold Cup, and no one more so than trainer Colin Tizzard, who didn’t have a single winner at last year’s festival. He is sorely tempted, and told reporters: “There is no reason why we shouldn’t go for the biggest one. Is that harder to win than the Ryanair?” The answer is that yes, it is, and this is one occasion when the head needs to rule the heart. The rumors are that Cue Card is likely to be withdrawn from the Gold Cup and race in the Ryanair Chase on Thursday, particularly given the news that Waiting Patiently, the horse that narrowly beat him to glory in the Ascot Chase last week, is now a doubtful starter.

Competitions, Racing

Meri Devie Finds Form to Give Mullins Added Hope for Champions Day

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With the Cheltenham Festival getting ever closer, all the talk is centering around just how many more trophies legendary trainer Nicky Henderson will add to his already overflowing cabinet. Over the years, he has trained a remarkable 55 Cheltenham winners, and with favorites like Might Bite, Buveur D’Air and Altior tipped to win the showcase races, there is every chance that he will take the tally above 60 this year.

A flying start for Ireland?

However, his long-term rival Willie Mullins is determined that Henderson will not have everything his own way. The Irishman is only seven winners behind Henderson in the all-time Cheltenham stakes, and as they cast their eye over the Tuesday race card, the tipsters at Cheltenhamracing.net think that Champions Day provides Mullins with the best opportunity to chalk up some early winners before his arch-rival has a chance to unleash the big guns.

Getabird and Footpad are two horses that are early favorites, but there could be some surprises later in the day, if Meri Devie can repeat the promise she showed at Punchestown last week. Let’s take a closer look at Mullins’ chances on the opening day of the festival.

Supreme Novice Hurdle

The opening race at Cheltenham is always something extra special, and has a real carnival atmosphere. It is also a tough one to call, with a large field and a track that is something of an unknown quantity till it has been seen in use. There are still more than 50 horses in contention, but Willie Mullins’ Getabird is the favorite among bookmakers and the UK media.

Mullins has also entered Duc des Genievres and Laurina, both of which are enjoying shortening odds and could certainly be worth a look as each way bets.

The Arkle 

After the frenzied action of the opening race, there is a feeling of the festival settling down into a rhythm with The Arke, an altogether calmer affair, with a far smaller field of entrants. Here, bookmakers are strongly leaning towards Mullins making it two out of two. Footpad was the early favorite when the runners were first announced, and has remained at the top of the betting cards ever since. As the days have gone by, the odds have shrunk steadily, and few are now offering anything better than even money.

If any horse can spoil the party, most eyes are on Petit Mouchoir, who ran Footpad desperately close at Leopardstown last year. But don’t overlook Brain Power. He might not be Nicky Henderson’s most famous horse at the festival, but those in the know think he could have the makings of a future star.

Mare’s Hurdle

Last year’s mare’s hurdle was won by the Gordon Elliot trained Apples Jade, and she is favorite to make it two in two years. However, Meri Devie’s strong performance in Dublin after an otherwise inconsistent season gives Mullins another opportunity to steal a march on Henderson. Mullins commented that she jumped well, and he feels she is ready to show what she can do at the next level. The distance is longer, but he said: “Two and a half miles is no problem to her.” Some bookmakers are offering odds as long as 40/1. Does the Irish trainer know something they don’t?

The Champions Hurdle

So what of the showpiece race on Champions Day? From the word go, the pundits have said Nicky Henderson’s Buveur D’Air will romp to a second successive victory. Does Mullins have a horse that can pull off an upset? Henderson himself certainly thinks so, and the bookmakers agree that Faugheen is one to watch. The 10-year-old suffered a dip in form at the Dublin festival, but Henderson knows that if anyone can bring the horse to peak fitness at the right time, it is his long time friend and rival.

*Featured/Spotlights, Racing

Nicky Henderson Remains Tight Lipped about Terrefort’s Cheltenham Chances

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The Cheltenham Festival is looming ever closer, and champion trainer Nicky Henderson has more at stake than anyone. Over the past 40 years, he has trained countless Cheltenham winners, and 2018 looks set to be no different – he has trained three of the favorites from the four showcase festival races.

But while Might Bite, Buveur D’Air and Altior have dominated the racing media to date, there is a growing question mark over one of the most promising five-year-olds in racing. Will the exciting Terrefort even take to the track at this year’s festival?

The view from bookmakers and tipsters

Despite still being a month away, there are new tips available every day in the run up to Cheltenham. The team at Cheltenham Fest provide expert insight for all the races, and feel that the real drama will come from the support races, such as the RSA Chase on Ladies’ Day, and the JLT Novices Chase, which is the first race of the day on Thursday. Both are races in which Terrefort is provisionally entered, but Henderson has warned that this highly promising gelding might miss the festival entirely.

About Terrefort

Henderson is a man who knows a winning horse when he sees one, and Terrefort could be something very special. He only took over training the horse a month ago, but has already seen him win twice, at Huntingdon and Sandown. The Sandown win, in particular, was impressive, and Henderson will be careful not to overwork the youngster.

Henderson commented that Terrefort needs to run on soft ground to avoid risk of injury. He complemented the owners, saying they support his decision either way and added: “He has surprised us a lot, and it might be worth looking after him a bit.”

Who to back?

If Henderson decides to keep Terrefort back till Cheltenham 2019, which horses are the ones to watch in the RSA Chase and the JLT Novice Chase? The Anthony Honeyball trained Fountains Windfall is the horse that has attracted all the early discussion. He beat some high-quality opposition at Kempton last month, to win by five lengths in the 32Red.com Handicap Chase. Bookmakers are now quoting 8/1, and the odds are ever-shortening. Monalee, trained by Henry De Bromhead, is another to watch, after a fabulous win at the Dublin Festival last week.

As for the JLT Novice Chase on St Patrick’s Day, punters, bookmakers and tipsters are all eyeing up Willoughby Court. Trained by Ben Pauling, this horse is undoubtedly another star for the future, and if he doesn’t go up against Terrefort this time around, there will be plenty more opportunities. A six-year-old gelding, he shocked everyone with some big wins at Warwick and Cheltenham last year. The latter was one of the classic races of 2017, as he and Neon Court slugged it out all the way for a near photo finish. Bookmakers have already slashed their odds to 4/1, making him the runaway favorite.

*Featured/Spotlights, Racing

Get Ready for Ladies’ Day at the Cheltenham Festival

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Mention the Cheltenham Festival to a non-racing fan, and they will immediately think of glamourous ladies in extravagant dresses and hats, sipping champagne as they watch the action. The showcase event of the day is the Queen Mother Champions Hurdle, a race named in honor of the late wife of King George VI. She was a fanatical racegoer and was a familiar face for TV audiences around the world.

Picking the winners

Her Royal Highness did not just attend for the fun and champagne; she also loved to place wagers on her favorite runners, and thousands will be following in her footsteps this year. There are seven races on Ladies’ Day, and with tips for every race, the tipsters at Cheltenham Fest can give some expert advice to royals and commoners alike! Here are their top tips for what promises to be a thrilling second day at the Cheltenham Festival.

The RSA Chase

The third race of the day, and the one immediately preceding the showcase event is the RSA Chase, and it is well worth catching. The bookmakers have Presenting Percy as the 3/1 favorite, but the tipsters only have eyes for Fountains Windfall. Trained by Anthony Honeyball, the horse shocked everyone with a big win at Kempton last month against some top ranked competition. He is currently available at 8/1.

The Queen Mother Champions Chase

In general, the odds settle and the picture becomes clearer as a race draws closer. For the main event of the day, however, there are still questions to be answered, and the bookmakers’ favorite could change. Currently, Nicky Henderson trained Altior is odds on to win. The horse looks head and shoulders above all others and is currently enjoying an eleven race winning streak.

The complication is that this might be Altior’s first race in almost a year after a long injury. Henderson insists he is fitter than ever, and the bookmakers clearly agree, but all was thrown into disarray by confusion over whether the horse will get a run out at Newbury this weekend. If he doesn’t, it makes the horse something of an unknown quantity, and the odds might start to lengthen.

The tipsters’ advice is to take advantage of the confusion and place an each way bet on 14/1 outsider Great Field. He’s in great form, and a fabulous win in Dublin last year proves he’s well capable of rising to a big occasion.

The Cross Country Chase

With the showcase race out of the way, there is no letup in the action, with more races to come. Next up is the Cross Country Chase. Last year, Cause of Causes won in style and he is the 7/2 favorite to repeat the feat for a second year in succession. Our tipsters can see no better place to bet your money on a winner, but for an interesting each way option, they have singled out Auvergnat. This is a horse with plenty of experience, who has been finishing consistently in the top four over recent outings.

*Featured/Spotlights, Racing

A Guide to This Year’s Cheltenham Festival Favorites

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Racing is big business in the UK, and while the Grand National might be the most famous event in the National Hunt racing calendar where betting is concerned, the Cheltenham Festival beats it in terms of sheer entertainment.

The festival takes place over four days at Prestbury Park, a picturesque racecourse just outside the usually quiet and quintessentially English town of Cheltenham, close to the English and Welsh border. Every March, thousands of racegoers take over the town to witness 28 top class races, culminating in the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup at 3:30PM on the final day.

Two nations battle

One of the most compelling factors of Cheltenham is that it is not just a race between horses. There is also national pride at stake between the English and the Irish. Every year, there is an informal battle to see which country can scoop the most trophies. In particular, look out for two of the most famous trainers from either side of the Irish Sea.

Willie Mullins is from an Irish family that has been riding, breeding and training horses for generations. In 2015, he set a festival record with eight of the 28 winners.

However, when it comes to overall festival wins, even his record is surpassed by English trainer Nicky Henderson. He has been in the business for 40 years, and has been particularly successful at Cheltenham.

The battle between Mullins and Henderson is one of the most intriguing sideshows in British horseracing, and it all comes to a head at Cheltenham.

Picking a winner

So much for the trainers, then, but what of the horses? With four days, 28 races and literally hundreds of entrants. It is little surprise that an estimated £500 million ($700 million) will be bet trackside and online in the days up to and including the festival. For the casual observer, it can be hard to know where to start, which is why we have asked the tipsters at Cheltenhamfestival.net to single out the pick of the festival runners. There are certain to be a few surprises along the way, but here are their picks for some of the top races, whether you are looking to back an outright winner or an each way shot.

Champions Hurdle
To win –  Buveur D’Air
To place – My Tent Or Yours

Last year, Nicky Henderson’s Buveur D’Air was an outsider who won the race in relative comfort. This year, the horse has gone from strength to strength, and the bookmakers have him as odds-on favorite to retain the trophy.

Another from the Henderson stable, My Tent Or Yours, came in second last year. This was the third time in four years he had done so, and at 16/1, racing fans are already queueing up to place their each way bets.

Queen Mother Champion Chase
To win – Altior
To place – Great Field

Going into Ladies’ Day and it’s three for three for Nicky Henderson from our expert tipsters. Altior has been unbeatable in his recent outings, with an amazing 11 straight wins, dating back to October 2015. The bookmakers have him at even money to make it a round dozen.

The outsider to watch is Great Field. He is the first Willie Mullins horse to get a mention and is also in winning form.  There’s every chance he could pull off a surprise, and is certainly in with a good chance of placing.

Stayer’s Hurdle
To win – Sam Spinner
To place – L’Ami Serge

This could be one of the most closely fought of the showcase races, but Sam Spinner, trained by Jedd O’Keefe, is the bookmakers favorite. However, our tipsters fancy Nicky Henderson’s L’Ami Serge as the archetypal dark horse, who could easily pull off a surprise win.

Gold Cup
To win – Might Bite
To place – Native River

The romantics might fancy last year’s winner Sizing John, but for the realists, it’s Henderson all the way. Might Bite looks like the class of the field and will be tough to beat.

Outside the main combatants, Native River is coming into form at just the right time. He came third last year and is well capable of doing so again.

Competitions, Racing

Faugheen Heads to Cheltenham

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Following his most recent run, Faugheen certainly has questions to answer but there is no doubting he is one of the greatest horses of recent times. Through his 15 starts he has only tasted defeat on two occasions this being his most recent run and to the ill-fated Nichols Canyon when he clearly badly needed the run. If Faugheen had not had his injury it would be likely we are talking about a three-time Champion hurdle winner to equal the likes of the Istabraq, who to many is the greatest champion hurdler in history.

Faugheen reached a peak RPR of 177 following his 2016 victory in the Irish Champion hurdle where he beat a top horse in stablemate Arctic Fire by 15 lengths with Nichols Canyon a further 13 lengths behind. When Faugheen was performing to this level would any horse have been able to defeat him? This is an unfortunate question that we will never get the answer to. With all this in question it was very unfortunate to see Faugheen be pulled up on his most recent start but no problems or answers have been found as to why this happened.

Faugheen will now head to Cheltenham looking vulnerable, but if he returns to the level he ran to on his comeback we are set for a fascinating clash between two Champion hurdle winners as Buveur D’air looks to defend his crown. The Cheltenham Festival 2018 odds on Paddy Power has the reigning champion as the clear favourite. Check this infographic out to see how Faugheen compares to the greatest Champion hurdlers throughout history.

Competitions, Racing

2018 Cheltenham Festival

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The Cheltenham festival 2018 is now just a few months away as anticipation continues to build for jumps racing premier fixture. The penultimate day is all about St Patrick’s Day as the Irish fans descend on Cheltenham to support the away side.  The main race on day three is the Stayers hurdle which this year looks to have a fairly open look to it. However, the underdog Sam Spinner will be looking to provide his small-time connections with success and he continues to improve on each ran. The latest Cheltenham 2018 Betfair odds has Sam at the head of the betting at 7/2.

There looks to be plenty of challengers that could include Apple’s Jade. She is likely to defend her crown in the Mares hurdle but if she took her chance would without a doubt head the betting as she continues to dominate. A key challenge as things stand looks to be Supasundae who looks a stayer to follow following a hard-fought defeat to the previously mentioned Apple’s Jade. Check out the infographic below to find out the key facts and horses in the main races come March.

*Featured/Spotlights, Racing

Cheltenham Festival Racing 2018

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The 2018 Cheltenham Festival will take place in March at Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK. The Festival 2018 will take place over 4 days from Tuesday March 13th with the Cheltenham Gold Cup taking place on Friday March 18th. The date of the horse races usually coincides with Saint Patrick’s Day which makes it popular for Irish visitors.

With 2018 here, the Cheltenham Festival gossip is starting to take shape now with Native River, Sizing John and Samcro all being hotly discussed ahead of next year.

Cheltenham free bets 2018 will keep you updated with the festival in every way imaginable, making sure we don’t just bring you the best Cheltenham betting offers, but the finest free bets, tips, enhanced odds and predictions from across the web.

The festival is all about big betting with 600 million pounds expected to change hands during the 28 Cheltenham Festival Races. The feature horse race will now be the fourth race on the card each day supported with grade one races and handicaps. In September 2017 it was announced that all races will have 48-hour declarations. This is great news for punters and racegoers who will now have more time to study the runners, riders and race form.

The first day of the Cheltenham Festival features the Champion Hurdle and is the main race on day one. The other major races on the first day include the Arkle Trophy and the Supreme Novices Hurdle. There are also some very good handicaps to take in including the Festival Handicap Chase which is always competitive and the Novices Handicap Chase which gives the first season chasers a shot at glory.

Day 2 of the 2018 Cheltenham Festival is on the 14th March with the feature race being the Queen Mother Champion Chase. The Queen Mother Champion Chase is another favorite within the Freebets.com camp, and we’ll be sure to bring you the best odds when we get them.

Another top race on day 2 is the Neptune Novices Hurdle which is the long-distance hurdle for future Stayers’ Hurdle candidates. Run on a distance of around three miles on the new course, it’s a big race for punters, with plenty of money going on last year’s winner Nichols Canyon.

The Ryanair Chase is another of Thursday’s finest and has seen a Willie Mullins horse win for the last two years. Will he make it three in a row in 2018?

The highlight of the final day of the 2018 Cheltenham Festival will be the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Gold Cup day is one of the biggest in the horse racing calendar and the bookies will be begging you to use their Gold Cup free bets and promotions.

With a prize pot of over £500,000, it’s one of the most lucrative races in the sport and is run over three miles, taking in 22 fences. Last year was won by Sizing John, a 7/1 shot ridden by Robbie Power. He’s among the Cheltenham Festival favorites again with bookies already backing him at 6/1. However, there’s still a way to go and the race is well worth studying the form for.

The Triumph Hurdle kicks off day 4 and the Grand Annual is the last race on the card. The Foxhunters also get their chance on the Friday of the Festival.

Competitions, Racing

Cheltenham Betting Tips You Cannot Afford to Overlook

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Considered one of the most looked forward to and popular horse racing festivals in the United Kingdom, the Cheltenham Festival offers a great number of betting opportunities to the interested punters.

Although you can avail Cheltenham free bets, offers and tips from several reputed online bookmakers, are you aware how to make them count? Let’s tell you about some very important Cheltenham betting tips you cannot afford to overlook.

Don’t get overly obsessed with the hyped up horses and trainers

All such festivals throw up various ‘so-called’ certain possibilities that people often latch onto quickly causing ridiculously short prices on fiercely competitive horse racing. The odds are often cramped up so badly as if it was some five-runner race in Thurles or Plumpton, in UK, on a Monday. All that talk about value-based betting is thrown right out of the window. These so-called superstars and super horses are touted as unbeaten, no matter where they may have competed in the past. The fact they belong to some well-known owners is good enough to send the market into a tizzy. You should avoid getting carried away by all such hype and bet purely based on your own due diligence.

Keep your bets at minimum, unless you have a solid edge

A large number of horse race bettors indulge in huge bets over the 4 days of the Cheltenham Festival, placing punts much bigger than they normally prefer to. There rush from one race to the other, trying to chase their losses. Please note, in case it’s a must for you to get involved in every race, ensure that you keep your bets small, unless you strongly feel that the odds are in your favour.

Follow the Cheltenham form

A task that every punter must accomplish before betting on any race is watching the last 3 years’ recordings of the Cheltenham Festivals, and taking detailed notes related to the festival form. The results of the previous years can tell you how the horses may perform in the present year. Particularly keeping the ultra-tough handicaps in mind, you’d be able to see things clearly and jot down any runners which performed exceedingly well compared to the bare result. Regardless of what their recent form may be like, these runners can be expected to perform well once again, if the circumstances haven’t changed greatly.

Punt in the morning instead of later in the day

As there would be plenty of punters in the fray, it might provide terrific value if you bet in the early morning hours on the race day. Any astute horserace bettor would set a 5 AM alarm every morning of the festival and place his/her bets well in time, not waiting until the dust has settled and everyone knows what’s going to happen.

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Open accounts with multiple bookmakers

It would be better if you have already-running accounts with multiple bookmakers and have already deposited ample money into each one of them. This way, you’d be able to quickly benefit from the competitive racing prices.