This year's Cheltenham Festival is scheduled to begin on Tuesday March 12 with the Supreme Novice Hurdle sparking the famous Prestbury Park roar from the packed stands, signalling the start of four incredible days of horse racing. The biggest names will be in attendance, battling over some of the sport's most respected titles, and the preparation is well underway.
It's a festival firmly set in the calendar of fans from the turn of the year, with a host of graded contests included in the schedule. There can be no doubt about the headline act, however, and that's the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
A 3m 2f Grade 1 contest first run in 1924, we've had some memorable winners over the years, including Best Mate, Kauto Star and Mill House. Last year's prediction Native River lived up to the hype when being crowned 2018 champion, earning backers a fantastic 5/1 when doing the business for jockey Richard Johnson and trainer Colin Tizzard. 4/1 favourite Might Bite crossed the line in second, with Anibale Fly making up the major places when carrying an eye-catching 33/1 price tag, each-way backers earning a crust.
Nicky Henderson approaches the race with recent form on side, having trained two of the last eight winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but he hasn't booked a spot in the winner's enclosure since Bob's Worth's victory back in 2013.
Punters keeping tabs on the form got a look at some of the main contenders in January when Cheltenham hosted their trials day. The Trial Cotwold Chase – a Grade 2 race seen as a warm-up for the Gold Cup – was won by Frodon at 9/4 for Paul Nicholls and traders acted swiftly, cutting the victor's price in the ante-post Cheltenham Gold Cup betting for the Gold Cup to 20/1. That's a quote that will catch the eye of value hunters.
Colin Tizzard – winner last year with Native River – had the favourite in that trial but Elegant Escape failed to live up to the billing, finishing second at an SP 2/1, beaten 3/4 of a length. He's not expected to find the improvement needed to win the big prize and bookmakers are confident enough to offer him as a 25/1 also-ran, and that's if he even makes the final field. One forced back to the drawing board, it would seem.
If traders are to be believed in their ante-post betting we'll see Presenting Percy join some famous winners of the festival and those looking to get in early can back the market leader at a best price of 3/1. A tad tight for such a big race, perhaps, but he has attracted a fair share of support and his price is expected to shorten between now and the final declarations, so get on early if you rate him.
Native River is marked at 11/2 to pull off an incredible two-in-a-row. A big ask, but there will be a few happy to stick with him, especially those who made a profit 12 months ago and feel the horse owes them nothing. Others near the head of the betting at the time of writing are Clan Des Obeaux at 10/1, Kemboy 10/1 and Road To Respect 12/1. There will be much chopping and changing on the trading floors between now and the start, that much is guaranteed.
