Bookies braced for Cheltenham betting bonanza

February 13, 2020 by Leave a Comment

UK bookmakers are bracing themselves for a record breaking Cheltenham Festival this year. The meeting runs from March 10th to 13th with punters expected to gamble in excess of half a billion pounds over the four-day meeting.

The Cheltenham Festival is the highlight of the jumps racing season in Great Britain and Ireland with 28 top class races totalling over £4.5 million in prize money. The festival accounts for more than half of the top forty betting races in the UK in terms of turnover. So where can we expect to see the smart money go at Cheltenham 2020?

Epatante favourite for Champion Hurdle

The Champion Hurdle is the feature race on the opening day with leading owner J.P. McManus chasing a record ninth win in the race. Trainer Nicky Henderson is only one behind him and they team up with ante-post favourite Epatante. She was a 33-1 outsider at the start of the season but those odds were slashed following her impressive win in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

There has also been a very strong market move for Henderson’s Shishkin in the opening Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. He put an early season fall behind him to register easy victories at Newbury and Huntingdon and will probably start even shorter than his current odds of 3-1.

Ireland has won 10 of the 12 renewals of the Mares’ Hurdle and has the two market leaders this year in Benie Des Dieux and Honeysuckle. Connections of both horses are considering a tilt at the Champion Hurdle as an alternative so punters should make sure they bet only “with a run”.

Altior aiming for fifth Cheltenham Festival win

Henderson will also be the focus of attention on day 2 with star chaser Altior going for his third successive Champion Chase and fifth festival success. His record unbeaten run of 19 races came to an end over a longer distance at Ascot in November. The ten-year-old successfully reverted to his optimum trip of two miles at Newbury in February.

Steeplechase scene black whiteAltior faces stiff opposition in Defi Du Seuil and Chacun Pour Soi but is certain to attract huge public support.You can get a comprehensive guide to every race at the festival and free Cheltenham Tips at the OLBG website. This long-established site hosts a thriving racing forum as well as providing interesting statistics, betting trends and pointers.

Henderson has yet another leading Cheltenham contender in Champ, as short as 7-2 favourite for the RSA Chase despite falling on his last start. Envoi Allen is rated by many as the Irish banker bet of the meeting in the opening Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. Many punters will be keen to double him up with the Willie Mullins-trained Appreciate It in the Champion Bumper, a race the trainer has won a record 9 times.

A spectacular day’s racing could be capped by Tiger Roll, the winner of the Aintree Grand National for the past two seasons. He is favourite to win the Cross Country Chase for a third successive season.

Paisley Park expected to dominate Stayers’ Hurdle

Paisley Park is the shortest priced favourite of the weekin the Stayers’ Hurdle on day 3. He is unbeaten in seven races and has won his prep races with the minimum of fuss.Sire Du Berlais landed one of the biggest gambles of the week in the Pertemps Network Final 12 months’ ago. He caught the eye when qualifying at Warwick this season and it would be no surprise to see him start shorter than his current odds of 8-1.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday is the climax of the meeting, won last year by 12-1 chance Al Boum Photo. He is a general 4-1 favourite to become the first horse since Best Mate (2002-2004) to retain his crown. Delta Work and Kemboy, first and second in the Irish Gold Cup, give the raiding party a very strong hand again this year.

On a cautionary note, the final day of the meeting in 2019 proved to be a bonanza for bookmakers with winners at 66-1, 50-1 and 20-1. Only Hazel Hill in the Foxhunter Chase prevented a whitewash for favourite backers.

By Harvey Mayson

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Latest 2020 Cheltenham News Updates

January 17, 2020 by Leave a Comment

We are in the new decade of 2020 and the Cheltenham Festival 2020 is just a couple of days away. Some of the leading horses and jockeys are expected to participate at the biggest world horse racing event in the UK. Top bookmakers are gearing up for the event and luring punters with exciting betting offers for the expected races there. This year’s event is expected to be very competitive as the leading jockeys and top horses are going to participate.

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest horse racing events in the UK that is only rivaled by the Grand National. It is a perfect gift for all horse race fans and punters alike who like to try their luck by placing bets on their popular sport. While the festival is known to be a horse racing event, it does more than just horse racing. It is also acts as a perfect venue for people from different parts of the globe to converge and get to know each other!

A review of the latest betting odds for the Cheltenham Festival 2020

Being one of the biggest horse racing betting events in the national hunt calendar, punters are usually on the look for exciting betting offers from bookmakers. As a punter, you are also perhaps looking to review the latest Cheltenham betting odds 2020. Well, the event features some of the best jockeys and horses that you could select to help you win a bet.

Basically, bookmarkers usually offer lower odds for horses or jockeys that are favorites to win a race. If you wish to increase your chances of winning a bet then the best thing you could do is choose a horse or jockey with the lowest odds. While lower odds may not offer you much of possible win price, your chances of winning remain high.

Conversely, horses or jockeys that are not likely to win a race are usually offered higher odds. This is usually a subtle strategy used by bookmarkers to persuade punters to pick jockeys or horses that are least likely to win.

So, which betting is good – online or brick and mortar betting?

The Cheltenham Festival is just around the corner and if you that punter seeking to try his/her luck through bets perhaps you are wondering what type of bet is best. Is online betting better that the traditional betting at a physical brick and mortar shop? Of course, you will have a variety of horse races that you can opt to place your bets for.

As the prestigious sporting event keeps drawing nearer, you certainly have the choice to select which type of betting to go for. There is the in-shop betting that involves walking into a physical betting shop and pacing your bet on either of your favorite jockey or horse to win a race. You also have the option of choosing a bookmaker and placing your online bet on a favorite horse or jockey to win at the race. The choice obviously is yours but several reports suggest that online betting has got more benefits and advantages over the traditional in-house bets.

Here is a sneak peak at some of the amazing benefits and advantages of online betting:

  • If you are signing up for a bookmaker for the first time, you get offers such as the introductory free bet offer and amazing bonus offers. These are things that lack on in-house betting shops.
  • There are some bookmarkers that do offer ¼ odds offers which are non-existent in-house betting shops.
  • Instant payouts on winnings right on your bookmarker account unlike in-shop betting shops that you need to collect winnings yourself in person.
  • Online betting also offers you important betting information such as a team’s, recent stats and performance so that you can make an informed betting move. This is lacking in in-house betting shops.
  • When you are betting online, you will also have various funding options including debit card, PayPal, mobile wallet etc.
  • You also have the opportunity to watch live sporting action from bookmakers with live stream.
  • Bookmarkers also provide their users with a complete bet slip history thus raising confidence amongst users.
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58 horse entered to compete in Marston’s 61 Deep Midlands Grand National

March 7, 2019 by Leave a Comment

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The Martson’s 61 Deep Midlands Grand National will take place on Saturday, March 16th at Uttoxeter. The 50th anniversary of the race has 58 horses entered. The Midlands Grand National is the top horse race of the year held at Uttoxeter Racecourse. The event is run over four miles and two furlongs as horses race for a piece of the £150,000 prize fund. With 58 competitors entered into the race, there are plenty of options for horse race bettors. Horse race fans can use WV horse betting and wager on the outcome of this year’s exciting Midlands Grand National.

The marquee race held at Uttoxeter attracts top names. Leading trainers from Ireland and Great Britain will descend on the racecourse for the Class 1 chase.

Midlands Grand National – What is it?

The Midlands Grand National is one of the top steeplechase races on the British racing calendar. A number of former winners have gone onto success in the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup. It ranks as one of the most exciting race days each year due to the top horses, jockeys, and trainers that compete.

The racecourse features 24 jumps and a distance of four miles and two furlongs. Horses five-years old and above can enter the race.

Midlands Grand National – Top Horses

Nineteen of the 58 horses entered into this year’s race carry a BHA rating of 140 or more. Horse racing fans will see some of the most exciting staying steeplechase horses running in the race.

One of the early favourites is Yala Enki. Trained by Venetia Williams, Yala Enki has seven career wins. The horse’s last victory came in November at Bangor. That victory saw Yala Enki take top prize in a three-mile Handicap Chase. Yala Enki holds the highest BHA rating of the horses running at 155.

Cheltenham Festival – Recent news

Despite holding the highest BHA rating, Yala Enki is not the favourite according to leading sportsbooks. That honour goes to Robinsfirth. The 154-BHA rated horse is trained by Colin Tizzard and goes into Uttoxeter at odds of 8/1, according to top bookmakers.

Midlands Grand National 2018 champion, Regal Flow, finds himself down the odds list of leading bookies. The former winner is 40/1 to win the race for a second straight year. Regal Flow will be joined by 28/1 odds listed horse Milansbar. The Neil King trained horse finished second at last year’s event. It was the second time Milansbar finished as runner-up at the race.

Midlands Grand National – Can Regal Flow repeat as winner?

Regal Flow will attempt to do what no horse has done in the previous 49 editions of the Midlands Grand National. He will try to win it for a second time. No horse has won the race more than once, which may indicate why leading sportsbooks have given Regal Flow such long odds for a former winner.

Trained by Bob Buckler, Regal Flow will be 12-years old when he takes to the Uttoxeter Racecourse. Since winning last year’s edition of the Midlands Grand National, Regal Flow has finished no higher than fifth place in his last six races. Regal Flow last ran in January at Taunton finishing fifth. Buckler will hope his 12-year-old can surprise everyone on race day and take top-prize once more.

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Ascot Matchbook Clarence House Chase odds

January 13, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Steeplechase scene black whiteThe Matchbook Clarence House Chase will take place on Saturday, 19th of January at Ascot. The race will see Willie Mullins’ Un De Sceaux clash with Nicky Henderson’s Altior in what could be one of the most exciting races of 2019. Nine horses will enter the gates for the race, but leading sportsbooks have Altior miles ahead of the competition. Horse racing fans can find the latest race odds at PA horse betting and stay up to date on all of the latest action. While Altior is the favourite going into the race, Un De Sceaux has won the Matchbook Clarence House Chase three years in a row. Will Altior end the day in the winner’s circle or will Un De Sceaux upset the favourite?

Matchbook Clarence House Chase top 5 odds

Altior: 1/3

Altior has won each of his last 16 races. The horse hasn’t tasted defeat since April 2015 at Punchestown. The nine-year-old is the easy favourite for this year’s Matchbook Clarence House Chase as Altior will renew his long rivalry with Un De Sceaux. In early December, Altior defeated Un De Sceaux at Sandown before finishing off the year with another win Kempton.

Un De Sceaux: 5/1

Despite winning the last three Matchbook Clarence House Chase races, Un De Sceaux goes into this year’s event as a distant second in odds. The horse does offer good value to race betters as the Mullins’ trained horse aims for a fourth win at Ascot. Mullins has already stated the horse would prefer a very soft track. The trainer believes the 11-year-old horse would have a better chance of finishing the day as winner with soft conditions.

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Waiting Patiently: 5/1

Waiting Patiently’s last race at Ascot ended in a win last February. After a 312-day break, however, the horse finished off 2018 on a sour note unseating his jockey at Kempton. Trainer Ruth Jefferson watched her stable star win his first six starts over fences and hopes are high Waiting Patiently could win once more at Ascot. The horse is entered in the 32Red Casino Chase as a warm-up for the 19th of January event.

Politologue: 8/1

Paul Nicholls’ Politologue finished a disappointing fourth in the King George IV Chase at Kempton in December. It came after two consecutive wins. The Sam Twiston-Davies ridden horse could bounce back with a big victory at this year’s Matchbook Clarence House Chase. His last two races at Ascot have resulted in wins. Politiologue is familiar with the course, but will be racing against some top-notch competition.

Fox Norton: 14/1

Fox Norton has been labelled a “forgotten horse” as he attempts to battle Altior and company for a win at Ascot. The nine-year-old Colin Tizzard trained horse hasn’t won a race since November 2017. That win came at Cheltenham. The two-time Grade 1 winner has been beset by injury over the last year-plus. He is now ready to run and hopes are high in the Tizzard camp that Fox Norton will spring a surprise at Ascot. Prior to Fox Norton’s 2017 injury, the horse registered 11 career wins.

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Far Hills Race Meeting may offer Legal betting

August 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Steeplechase grass flying Decision awaits Chris Christie’s approval

FAR HILLS — Legalized betting at the annual Far Hills Race Meeting is a signature away. The state Senate unanimously approved the measure by a 38-0 vote Monday and it now moves on to the desk of Gov. Chris Christie. The state Assembly unanimously passed the bill on June 2 to allow the New Jersey Racing… [Read more…]

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