Surprisingly the race I seem to always win on at the festival is the X country chase, looking back over the years I have backed the winner of that race near enough every year. Horses like Balthazar King, Garde Champetre and Spot The Difference spring to mind, among others. I know many dislike it, but I'm a fan of it as I've always found it easy to solve. The handicap mark isn't that important in this race, as it is in others. The main thing to look for is a horse that jumps really well and has proven form on the course. I think this is a bigger test of a horses jumping and balance, than it is a horses engine. So don't be put off by horses who have run well before, but are higher in the handicap. My bogey race at the festival is without doubt the Supreme Novices Hurdle, as far as I can remember I do not recall ever backing the winner of this race. I have had a lot of 2nds, the likes of My Tent Or Yours, Finians Rainbow and Get Me Out of Here where all narrowly denied, but I've never been on the winner. You look back on the race historically and it is a very bad race for favourites, as I find there are so many unknown quantities in the race. I don't always back the jolly, but I always back the horse I feel has the strongest form, so it's usually one of the fancied horses.
Nice thread shergs! The supreme novices been good to me in the past, picked the winner 3/4 years but havnt made mind up about this years.oh and mares race has been quiet good the last four to The bumper and ryanair havnt been to kind to me though
The Albert Bartlett has been awful - Boston Bob- had a beefy bet on him on course then the late brindisi breeze had done him
Albert Bartlett has been good to me past few years, Brindisi Breeze, At Fishers Cross and had a nice each way on Deputy Dan last year. Bogey would have to be Gold Cup, Sir Des Champs 2 years ago when he looked home and hosed and Bobs Worth cost me the placepot last year.
The Gold Cup gets the from me, despite the fact I'm still smarting from a) Denman getting the better of Kauto in 2008, and b) Silviniaco Conti tipping up 2 years ago. I don't even bother with a bet in the Supreme Novices anymore, but do pay very close attention to the race as a piece of form for subsequent festival runners. A good run in the Supreme is always good form for the future. Handicaps are always bookies benefits imo, but I seem to do better in the Festival handicaps than those at any other meeting, flat or jumps. Havve nevver gone close in the Coral Cup though.
No particular races for me. Had a fiver on a 4 horse 100/1 accum once, which was handy, but that was just making use of Timeform's 50 to follow and their black book. I know which races will always be bad for me; handicaps, maidens, novices and bumpers and any other race where horses I fancy have any question marks against them (not Timeform ?)
I was a very sweet on Quevega before she had ever run at Cheltenham when most on 606 were big fans of Lucy Wadham's United. As a general rule I am far more successful in graded races than in handicaps and novice graded races tend to be where i spend most of my time researching markets and form primarily because I think there's big advantages to be had for the punter when you deal with less exposed runners. I generally prefer hurdles to chasing but this year is an exception as the Novice Chase division, barring the Arkle, is sensational. My worst race is any handicap and the bumper. I love the bumper and bumper racing in general but really do struggle to hit the bullseye at Cheltenham for some reason.
Only been following racing and going to Chelts since '05 so not as long as some of the more esteemed members of the forum... Good - Arkle, World Hurdle, Pertemps and Gold Cup. Bad - Supreme, Albert Bartlett (Simonsig was a good year though!!), RSA Chase and Champ Chase. Ugly - Triumph. The rest are hit and miss Shergs.
Hi Dan how you doing? I've got lots of photos and a lovely video of Frankel from our Newmarket visit, but have absolutely no idea how to upload to site
very well thanks Florida and hope you and yours are good.I have no idea how to upload vids but Ron is a bit of a wizz so hopefully can help. Good luck with your festival bets!
If your video is on YouTube there is a code underneath the video that you just copy and paste onto here
That's your best bet FP. Upload to You Tube then you can insert the video into your post. Just shout if you need any help.
I do not bet on Cheltenham every year, just having a few small bets if I happen to be at home watching it on the box. Hence I have no favourite betting race or one that I specifically avoid. My simple rules are: 1. Never bet on any of the handicaps as most of the bent trainers have been fiddling their horses all season to get them on a decent mark so the form is not worth a candle. 2. Avoid the short-priced Irish favourites in any of the novice races as they are always talked up as the next Istabraq/Arkle and frequently turn out to be nothing of the sort having picked up mediocre novice events at lesser Irish tracks beating trees.
General rule of thumb, as it is for me all year round, is avoid the handicaps especially at Cheltenham. I often succumb to temptation and get sucked in though, it is Cheltenham after all, but I'd really struggle to name any winners I've had. A golden tip is veer clear of 'punters pal' Paul Nicholls' handicap good thing that he'll tout round all the preview nights. There'll always be one he gives and you can be sure they'll get soundly thrashed! Caid du Berlais was last years and old boy Sam Winner the year before. That's definitely one thing to take from the preview nights! I wouldn't say I do hugely well in any races tbh lol, but I certainly think the Graded novice events are generally winnable enough from a punters point of view. You don't see that many huge shocks in those races. However in the opener it's been sound advise to clear of Hendo's Supreme favorites, Binocular, Amaretto Rose, My Tent, Darlan, Spirit Son, Kyber Kim all form a very long list of his fancied ones to get beaten. L'ami Serge must be the bookies wet dream this year!
