Cheltenham Ante Post Betting Tips – Favourites in Every Race
- 14/03/2023
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The ante-post betting markets are heating up for the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, and our experts have delved into the markets for each race, identifying the horses it looks worth keeping a close eye on and producing an ante-post tip for each of the 28 races.
Day 1 – Tuesday, March 14th, 2022
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Ante Post Tip
This year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle market had a huge shake up after the Dublin Racing Festival as FACILE VEGA was soundly beaten after a fast and furiously run race. Stablemate Il Etait Temps landed the spoil and was duly cut in price for the race in March.
However, don’t write off Willie Mullins’ Champion Bumper winner off just yet as we are unlikely to have a race run at that tempo in March. That run was too bad to be true and we will stick with him in the opener.
- Facile Vega – Odds 7/2
Arkle Chase Ante Post Tip
El Fabiolo caught the eye in Dublin and could well give this a really good go. However, Jonbon has simply not put a foot wrong since becoming a chaser and seems to have everything in his favour. He will look to dominate from the front and use his effective jumping to put the field under pressure. There’s jumping questions across the rest of the pack and if Jonbon can get into a rhythm early he should be too good.
He is going to take a serious amount of stopping in this year’s Arkle and should give Nicky Henderson more success in this race.
- Jonbon – odds 5/4
Ultima Handicap Chase Ante Post Tip
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Champion Hurdle Ante Post Tip
Constitution Hill has been the ante-post favourite for the 2023 Champion Hurdle since he demolished the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle field at last year’s Festival.
He has only got shorter in the betting as we have got closer to this year’s event. He has made light work of both assignments winning grade 1 events at both Newcastle and Kempton by a combined 29 lengths.
For many punters he is the ‘banker’ of the week and will be in all of the Cheltenham accumulator bets no doubt.
There will be some smart horses planning on making it a contest however, with Willie Mullins aiming State Man at the Day 1 feature. There’s a good chance that Honeysuckle, the winner over the past two seasons, will also be lining up.
- Constitution Hill – Odds 1/2
Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Ante Post Tip
The Mares’ Hurdle is shaping up to being an intriguing contest on Day One with former Champion Hurdler Honeysuckle looking likely to join last year’s winnner of this race Marie’s Rock. Another former Champion Hurdler Epatante is also likely to feature, as well as the promising Love Envoi and Brandy Love.
We’re narrowly in favour of Epatante, who has run with credit being beaten by Constitution Hill this season, before hosing up last time at Doncaster confirming she still has plenty of class.
- Epatante – Odds 4/1
Boodles Juvenile Hurdle Ante Post Tip
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Challenge Cup Novices’ Chase Ante Post Tip
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Day 2 – Wednesday, March 16th, 2022
Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Ante Post Tip
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Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase Ante Post Tip
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Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle Ante Post Tip
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Queen Mother Champion Chase Ante Post Tip
The Champion Chase Ante Post market was thrown wide-open thanks to the re-scheduled Clarence House Chase in February. Run at Cheltenham instead of Ascot, Editeur De Gite was as brave as they come fending off the fast-finishing Edwardstone. Hot-favourite Energumene disappointed in behind, and subsequently drifted in the market.
The value now surely lies back with Energumene. He coasted to victory in this last year, and you can’t help thinking that the market has overreacted somewhat. He wasn’t on his game last time, but the master Willie Mullins will surely get him spot on for the Festival in March. There’s a nagging doubt about how much that gruelling finish took out of the front two in the Clarence House Chase so at the odds Energumene is the bet in this.
- Energumene – Odds 7/4
Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase Ante Post Tip
This is potentially the NAP of the entire Festival in the form of Delta Work. He won this last year beating a valiant Tiger Roll and should have far too much class than his rivals.
He clearly enjoys the unique nature of this race, and came third in a simlar event here two starts ago despite conceding bags of weight all round. He will race of level weights in this in March and it would be a huge shock should he not win, and win well.
- Delta Work – Odds 11/10
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase Ante Post Tip
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Weatherbys Champion Bumper Ante Post Tip
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Day 3 – Thursday, March 17th, 2022
Turners Novices’ Chase Ante Post Tip
The 2022 running of this race was at the mercy of Galopin Des Champs last year until he fell at the last. It was left to Bob Olinger to pick up the pieces in a dramatic finish.
This year will see another hot favourite in Mighty Potter who has won all his starts over fences so far and looks a really exciting Chaser. He has 5 Grade 1’s to his name so far and can add another to the tally here. This race is likely to cut up in the declaration stage, and his likely main rival will be Appreciate It who was somewhat disappointing last time.
- Mighty Potter – Odds 5/4
Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Ante Post Tip
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Ryanair Chase Ante Post Tip
The Ante Post market took a shake in this race with the two-time winner Allaho being declared unfit to go to The Festival with injury. That meant Fakir D’Oudaries was installed as 5/2 favourite. However, a few days later Shishkin demolished that rival, as well as contender Pic D’ory in the ascot Chase.
After some below par runs, the mighty Shishkin looked better than ever tackling the extended distance for the first time and he will likely go off a shade of odds on. The race doesn’t look a strong renewal and it would be a brave person who goes against Nicky Henderson’s star here.
- Shishkin – Odds 11/10
Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle Ante Post Tip
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Plate Handicap Chase Ante Post Tip
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Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Ante Post Tip
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Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase Ante Post Tip
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Day 4 – Friday, March 18th, 2022
JCB Triumph Hurdle Ante Post Tip
Owner Rich Ricci had the winner of this race last season with Vauban. He could well repeat that this season with the highly rated Lossiemouth.
She lost nothing in defeat last time having been shuffled back on the turn by the front runner. She came back with a huge amount of credit but couldn’t catch the winner Gala Marceau who reopposes. If that race hasn’t left too much of a mark, Lossiemouth remains the one to beat in a division she has dominated barring last time.
- Lossiemouth – Odds 11/8
County Handicap Hurdle Ante Post Tip
Traditionally one of the tougher races to call with a real handicap puzzle for punters to decipher. It’s hard to know who will be entered until closer to the Festival. However, West Cork who was 4th in this race last season competes off a 7lb lower mark having been tailed off in his runs this season. This looks a plot job from Dan Skelton and he can go close.
- West Cork – Odds 16/1
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Ante Post Tip
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Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Ante Post Tip
This year’s Gold Cup Ante Post betting is dominated by another Mullins in mate, Galopin Des Champs. Punters will remember his dramatic fall in the Turners’ Novice Chase last season at the last fence when clear.
He’s been perfect over fences ever since and is a worthy 6/4 favourite for this year’s Gold Cup. He’s proved the extra distance to be no problem this year and it will take a big performance to stop him. Perhaps King George winner Bravemansgame will give him the most to do and rates an each way bet at bigger odds.
- Bravemansgame each way – Odds 8/1
St. James’s Place Hunters’ Chase Ante Post Tip
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Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase Ante Post Tip
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Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Ante Post Tip
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What’s the best ante-post bet for this year’s Cheltenham Festival?
The Cheltenham ante post betting has markets for all 28 races at the Festival and we’ve identified our top Cheltenham Festival ante post selection which you can check out below.
- Delta Work – Cross Country Chase