Cheltenham’s Championship Races Are Far from Certain
The Cheltenham Festival is now less than four weeks away. Trainers are applying the finishing touches to their charges, and punters are digesting every scrap of form they can find. Enthusiasts have organized Cheltenham preview nights, and bookmakers are busy formulating their promotions and offers.
However, traditional ante-post books are not brimming with money like they once did. The advent of non-runner no-bet has changed the way punters approach the major races at the annual jump racing feast.
Constitution Hill won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Festival. This year he is scaring his Champion Hurdle rivals away. ©GettyImages
As with most recent festivals, the target for many talented runners is unclear. A case in point is the Champion Hurdle. Constitution Hill appears to be head-and-shoulders above the best of the current two-mile division. At this stage, Cheltenham Festival betting sites have Nicky Henderson’s charge priced at 1/3.
These skinny odds could shrink further as 2021 and 2022 Champion Hurdle winner, Honeysuckle may not chase a third title. She could be re-routed to the Mares Hurdle. Likewise, 2020 Champion Hurdle winner, Epatante may also head for this race, as could Love Envoi.
Nothing Certain about the Gold Cup Outcome
Thankfully the showpiece Gold Cup comes with less uncertainty. That is not to say identifying the winner is an easy task. Last year’s breathtaking winner, A Plus Tard, was the favorite throughout the summer. But he was pulled up on his seasonal bow in November. He has not been seen in action since. How good will he be on the third Friday in March?
Willie Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs became the Gold Cup favorite following an easy win in Punchestown’s John Durkan Chase a week before Christmas. He then landed the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup in February. The winning margin was eight lengths, but some punters questioned the form worth of performance. His Gold Cup odds were left unchanged at 13/8.
Who Will Blaze Away with the Stayers?
The Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup are the feature races of days one and four of the Cheltenham Festival. They bookend the other championship races, the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase and Thursday’s Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle.
Last year a bold front-running display saw Flooring Porter take his second Stayers Hurdle. But the eight-year-old has been disappointing in two starts this campaign, and Blazing Khal has jumped to the top of the betting.
Back with a bang!
Blazing Khal defies a 428-day lay-off by coming from off the pace to land the feature Grade 2 William Hill Boyne Hurdle in some style under a confident Philip Byrnes.
He is surely now a huge player in the Stayers’ Hurdle! pic.twitter.com/z2qbbS0ccO
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 12, 2023
An impressive ‘going away’ success in the Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle at Navan was enough for this Irish-trained horse to become Stayers Hurdle favorite. Notably, this was his first outing in 428 days. Blazing Khal is now unbeaten in four hurdle starts, but he is yet to tackle three miles.
At 7/2, Teahupoo is a point bigger in the Stayers Hurdle betting. His narrow 20/1 success in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle was followed by an impressive victory in Gowran Park’s Galmoy Hurdle three weeks ago. The third favorite in last year’s Champion Hurdle, subsequent steps up in trip has seen Teahupoo improve markedly this season.
Can Editeur du Gite Script Another Upset?
Punters face a conundrum in the Champion Chase. The key piece of form is the Clarence House Chase which was run at Cheltenham at the end of January. Here, Editeur Du Gite won on merit at odds of 14/1.
In doing so, Gary Moore’s horse upset the formbook by demoting last season’s Arkle hero Edwardstone into second. Defending Champion Chaser, Energumene finished third beaten over six lengths. Heading into the contest the duo were rated 10 and 16 pounds superior to their conqueror.
Can this enigmatic result be taken at face value? Punters say it cannot. Cheltenham Festival bookmakers have Energumene trading on 13/8, and Edwardstone is on 15/8. Editeur Du Gite, who also won the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase over the Christmas period at 28/1, is only 6/1 to win his third race of the season.
