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The cornerstone of any Cheltenham Festival 2025 betting strategy! Finding the bankers of the meeting! We check out and recommend the top most bombproof bankers of Cheltenham Festival 2025 and guide you to the most competitive best odds from our partner firms, Bet365, William Hill, Betfred, Bet Victor and Boylesports.
What is a banker?
It's very simple. This is the horse that essentially ensures your Cheltenham Festival 2025 remains profitable or at least keeps your head above water! The theory is that you find a horse that will definitely win, that is, no other horse will come near it barring a fall or last minute withdrawal.
The trick is to find the right horse. The scary bit is that the bet requires a significant punt to make the maths work of course.
The key point to consider is not the quality of the horse, although this is of course important, but the measurement of the opposition. Therefore, picking a Cheltenham banker which is 4/6 but faces a tough rival at say 15/8, is not the right option.
The horse needs to be a strong favourite but with no viable danger of being beaten. The only thing that can beat the horse on paper are the obstacles or being withdrawn. With that in mind, we will only give you recommendations which are categorised as Non Runner No Bet (NRNB).
Non Runner No Bet
Bet365, Betfred and William Hill are offering Non-Runner No Bet on all Cheltenham Festival 2025 races. Boylesports are offering NRNB on The Champion Hurdle, The Champion Chase, The Stayer’s Hurdle, The Ryanair Chase, and The Cheltenham Gold Cup.
What is Non-Runner No Bet?
Antepost betting often offers lucrative odds but at an enormous risk as stakes are not returned if the horse does not participate in the race. Non Runner No Bet means that if a bet is placed on a particular race, stakes will be returned in the event that the horse is declared as a non-runner.
The Bankers
1. Kopek Des Bourdes, The Supreme Novices Hurdle, Tuesday March 11th
This Willie Mullins trained entry was spectacular in his latest win in the big Grade 1 novices event at Punchestown earlier this month. Despite being hampered by a loose horse 2 out, he still delivered in some fashion and will take all the beating in the festival’s opening race and get punters off to the perfect start. 4/5 best NRNB with Bet365, William Hill and Betfred.
2. Majborough, The Arkle, Tuesday March 11th
Now that the enigmatic Sir Gino has been sadly withdrawn, the complexion of this race has completely changed. The Willie Mullins trained Majborough was always going to be a major threat to Sir Gino so this looks like a formality for the JP McManus owned 2024 Triumph Hurdle winner.
He has been in scintillating form, most noticeably winning the Irish Arkle Novices Chase at Punchestown earlier this month, winning comfortably with something in hand. Available as NRNB with Bet365, William Hill and Betfred at 4/7.
3. Constitution Hill, The Champion Hurdle, Tuesday March 11th
The only barrier to the best national hunt horse in training regaining his 2 mile hurdle crown is whether he gets to Cheltenham or not. He has the beating of State Man as demonstrated in his 2023 triumph and he beat Lossiemouth comfortably in a below par performance in The Christmas Hurdle.
Perfect Cheltenham banker material. He just needs to get there. NRNB is definitely the order of the day and he is 4/7 NRNB with Bet365, Betfred and Boylesports.
4. Galopin Des Champs, The Cheltenham Gold Cup, Friday 14th March
It is rare that a banker should be featured in the most challenging race of the week. However, the Willie Mullins superstar bidding for a third consecutive triumph in The Cheltenham Gold Cup, the first time this feat has been achieved since Best Mate in 2004, simply has no rival.
Galopin Des Champs was mesmerising in the Irish Gold Cup at Punchestown and providing the horse can get into a decent rhythm and position, the third Gold Cup is his to lose. Like most of these banker chances, he just needs to get there. Unsurprisingly, not much value to be had but could round up some decent accumulator bets. 1/2 best odds with Non Runner No Bet with Bet365.
Please note all odds are correct at the time of publishing (1am 18th February 2025) and are subject to change.
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