Cheltenham Festival Tips

Our Cheltenham festival tips for the 2008 Cheltenham Festival proved quite successful so I’ll take a similar approach and see if I can manage another level stake profit. You can also get our blog previews from earlier in the season via the links below.

2009 Champion Hurdle

2009 Queen Mother Champion Chase

2009 World Hurdle

2009 Gold Cup

Tuesday 10th March

Champion Hurdle

Binocular is all the rage for the 2009 Champion Hurdle and rightly so but I’d need to think a horse was an absolute certainty to back at as short as 2/1 at the Cheltenham Festival, so at his current price of even money, I couldn’t think about getting involved.

Nicky Henderson’s Punjabi had done nothing wrong until falling when looking like being in with a big chance at Kempton on Boxing Day. He put up some terrific efforts last season including a 3rd place in the 2008 renewal of this race. At a best priced 16/1, he looks definite each way value and one of our Cheltenham festival tips.

This weekends Totesport Trophy could shake up the Champion Hurdle betting with a number of possible runners for the Cheltenham involved. Whiteoak is a very interesting contender. She hasn’t been seen since finishing 2nd to Elusive Dream at Aintree last year but prior to that won the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle at the 2008 Cheltenham Festival. A big performance on Saturday could see her 100/1 Champion Hurdle quote tumble.

Katchit from the Alan King yard hasn’t quite looked like the same horse this season but his handler has always said he’ll be better at Cheltenham and his record at the track supports this theory. I also believe he’ll be back to his best at the track he loves and he’d be my win bet to pick off Binocular coming over the last.

Recommended bets

2pts win Katchit @ 16/1 with Totesport

1pt e/w Punjabi @ 14/1 with Bet365

1/2pt e/w Whiteoak @ 100/1 with Paddy Power

Wednesday 11th March

Queen Mother Champion Chase

Even shorter than Binocular in the Champion Hurdle, Paul Nicholls Master Minded appears to be a good thing for the Champion Chase but his current price of 1/3 isn’t so good for punters. His performance in this event last year really was breathtaking and his victories this year have been of a similar standard. It’s hard to put up a win bet against him.

The horse that’s a cracking e/w bet if he takes his chance is Voy Por Ustedes. Alan King has been quoted as saying he will likely aim Voy Por at another races because Master Minded looks unbeatable but I hope the trainer decides he’s worth taking on. The Alan King runner beat Master Minded at Aintree and reversed the Cheltenham form albeit over a slightly longer trip. Voy Por has a tremendous record over 2m and I can’t see him out the 1st 3 if he takes his chance.

At bigger odds, David Pipe’s Well Chief can run a big race. He’s getting on in years but still has relatively few miles on the clock due to injury problems. His talent is unquestionable and Pipe has been quoted as saying he should run well.

Recommended bets

1pt e/w Voy Por Ustedes @ 16/1 with Skybet

1/2pt e/w Well Chief @ 25/1 with VC Bet

Thursday 12th March

World Hurdle

The 2009 World Hurdle looks a very competitive event without the all conquering Inglis Drever in the line up. Punchestowns, Big Bucks and Fair Along all look to hold strong claims but this is actually a race where I’m keen to back the favourite, Kasbah Bliss. He only found Inglis Drever too go in last year’s renewal and his trainer Francois Doumen knows exactly what it takes to win the World Hurdle having also trained Baracouda, a horse that made this race his own.

Recommended bets

2pts win Kasbah Bliss @ 11/4 with Blue Sq

Friday 13th March

Gold Cup

Another race where we will know more after the weekend when Denman makes his long anticipated seasonal debut. Along with Master Minded, Denman was the horse everyone was talking about last season and he proved owner Harry Findlay right when he convincingly beat stable mate and Gold Cup Champion Kauto Star. There had been question marks over Kauto this season until his superb display in the King George. Both horses are battling for favouritism at the head of the 2009 Gold Cup market but I’m personally keen to take the pair on.

Barbers Shop has shown himself to be a very decent chaser this season with a 2nd place in the Paddy Power Gold Cup before winning a hot little race at Sandown. He’s shown he handles the track well, I think Nicky Henderson’s runner is a decent e/w alternative to the big 2.

Of the rest, Joe Lively could also be in contention for a place. He thrives at Cheltenham as demonstrated by his two victories there this season. He probably wants a bit of cut in the ground to be seen at his best so if we get some rain before the big day, Joe Lively is well worth a bet.

Recommended bets

1pt e/w Barbers Shop @ 20/1 with Paddy Power

1/2pt e/w Joe Lively @ 33/1 with Ladbrokes

2008 Results

Posted 4th February 2009

We hope that you win lots of money following theseCheltenham festival tips. To make it a little easier for yourself, use some of the bookies money to back them!!

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