(5 minutes read)
Some people work hard all year to create the perfect family Christmas. Some of us look forward to well-deserved long summer breaks in sun soaked tropical resorts. Some of us get excited towards the end of June as the Glastonbury Festival showcases some of the best musical talent in the world.
We all have highlights in the year in which we work and save for. But for some, the whole year is defined by four frantic days in March when like-minded enthusiasts descend on the home of National Hunt racing to enjoy the spectacle of the best winter equine gladiators staking their claim to the top prizes in the sport. It’s also the closest parallel to a betting utopia.
Some even call it The Cheltenham Tank: the pool of cash set aside to do battle with Cheltenham bookies. Urban legend like stories of professional punters checking into Cotswolds hotels with suitcases full of cash are plentiful in the run up to these glorious four days. And these stories are often no exaggeration.
No race meeting over the year attracts such a frenetic and fever pitched atmosphere of race betting ferocity. But for some, it’s fraught with danger. 28 races could potentially be a financial disaster waiting to happen. Cheltenham Festival races are nothing like what you see during the rest of the NH calendar.
Races are run at breakneck speeds, luck in running and jostling for correct positions are vital and then of course you have that finishing hill to contend with. It needs a special punting approach that is patient, shrewd and carefully thought. And that’s why we’re here. We’ll take a look at the kind of races you should latch onto, ones to avoid and where you can find betting value.
BETTING AT CHELTENHAM
On Course Bookmakers
There are two main ways to bet at Cheltenham Racecourse. The most exciting way is of course to place a bet with the on course independent bookmakers. You can find them in all of the enclosures.
They can be spotted by their large umbrellas and electronic boards of the horses running in each race. So how do you place a bet at Cheltenham?
All you have to do is approach the bookmaker and tell him/her the number of the horse you want to back (this can be found in the race card program or newspaper) and say the amount you wish to bet.
The bookmaker will then give you a betting slip which will contain the details of your bet and how much you will win. Remember you can only cash the bet with the bookmaker who took your bet.
There is a minimum bet for these bookmakers which is usually £5, although some may accept as low as £2 but this is very rare especially on Festival days.
Bookmakers accept mainly Sterling although many accept Euros during the Cheltenham Festival week due to the large travelling Irish contingent.
These bookmakers are also increasingly accepting debit card bets although cash is still the preferred currency.
Betting On The Tote
Betting on the Tote is another option available at Cheltenham Races.
The Tote are located all across the racecourse and these appear as conventional betting offices run by staff in red uniforms. Again, you need to tell the member of staff the number of your horse and place at least £2, as this is the minimum bet. 
However, instead of set prices, the Tote bet works as a pool bet so the final odds depend on how many people bet on that particular horse. Tote accepts cash or card. The Tote also offers different types of bet which are all listed here.
FIND THE BANKER
Finding the Cheltenham Festival banker of the meeting is a challenging task. By definition, a Cheltenham banker is a horse that is absolutely guaranteed to win: it is your idea of the horse most likely to win that week. The odds will almost certainly be very short, perhaps even odds on.
The size of the punt is most likely going to be four or five times your average stake in order for the winnings to be worthwhile. Effectively, it is an insurance policy designed to cover all your losses if you have a bad week on the handicaps or other races.
The choice of horse is therefore crucial. The key is not always the horse itself. The quality of the opposition must also be taken into consideration. For example, a potential banker race would not be a race where there are two very short priced market leaders in a small field. The banker needs to be head and shoulders above the rest.
HANDICAPS
Above: A typical blanket finish in The Coral Cup, one of the most competitive and exciting handicaps of the Cheltenham festival.
Handicaps during The Festival provide some of the most memorable entertainment over the four days with nearly every race providing a blanket finish and plenty of outsiders getting into the winners enclosure.
However, they must be treated with the upmost caution: you will not find your banker here. Plenty of sources will be lining up to give you the big handicap snip of the week with enticing odds and attractive sound bites from the connections.
Considering that every handicap is 20 runners +, it’s wise to keep your head and do your homework. Therefore, make a checklist. Does the horse have a tendency to laze at the end of races? If it does, leave it.
The Cheltenham Hill doesn’t take prisoners. The horse must have staying credentials. Is it a sound jumper for chases? The Cheltenham fences are the toughest in the business, especially the penultimate straight when approaching the third last, which has a tricky downhill approach:
The sort of horse you should look for in a handicap is one that is on the upgrade, on a winnable mark (carrying no more than 10.7 or 10.8), not too old (6-8 yr. olds best) and has a tendency to perform well in Spring: it’s so common to see horses performing below par throughout the autumn (probably due to the easing ground) and then suddenly burst into form at the Festival with livelier ground.
Finally of course, take full advantage of the generous each way offers: plenty of firms will be offering up to 5 places or even 6 places for each way bets in all of the handicaps.
ANTE POST BETTING: START NOW!
Ante post betting is now a less risky proposition. Up until end of January, most bookmakers only offer full ante post rules which means that if your horse fails to start the race for whatever reason, your stake will be lost. Currently. some of our partner firms are now offering NON RUNNER NO BET which means your stake is returned in the event of the selection being a non runner. Some firms are even offering Best Odds Guaranteed.
Here is a summary of the latest ante post betting offers from our partner firms:
Bet 365 are offering Non Runner No Bet AND Best Odds Guaranteed on all non handicap Cheltenham Festival races.
William Hill are offering NON RUNNER MONEY BACK on all Cheltenham Festival races.
Bet Victor are offering NON RUNNER NO BET on all non handicap Cheltenham Festival races.
Betfred are offering NON RUNNER NO BET on all Cheltenham Festival races.
Boylesports atre offering NON RUNNER NO BET on The Champion Hurdle, The Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase, Stayers Hurdle and The Gold Cup.
STEAR CLEAR OF THE NOVELTY RACES!
Above: The Cross Country Chase. Great to watch but best avoided as a betting proposition!
The Festival includes a number of races which are designed to attract the floating enthusiast. These are the Cross Country Chase (Wednesday) and The Foxhunters Chase (Thursday). The Cross Country can be particularly dangerous to punters as it often attracts classy 11/12 year olds looking to wind down their careers and offering enticing odds.
In most cases, the gruelling nature of the course with its consistent undulations and madcap fences (including fences in alarmingly quick succession and mini hills) is too much for the uninitiated. If you are going to play with this race, stick to horses which have done the course and stayed.
The Foxhunters should be treated the same way as most of the jockeys have limited experience of the Cheltenham track and considering the time of the race, immediately after The Gold Cup, it’s probably a good time to put the kettle on and relax!
AND FINALLY...
Don’t go mad. So many talking horses have met their nemesis at the Festival. Choose your bankers carefully and keep the handicap punting to a fun level. Be sure to size up the form in the novice hurdle events and be extremely wary of the Irish challenge as Irish owners and trainers are legendary for being economical and shrewd with their information!
Many of the Irish horses have been primed only for Cheltenham and it’s imperative to get a good insight into their form at lesser known tracks such as Down Royal, Dundalk and Thurles where they have been quietly prepped for the big ones at Cheltenham.
Have a wonderful four days, punt carefully and cautiously and remember when the fun stops...stop.
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MORE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL!
- How To Bet on Horse Racing!
- How To Win at Cheltenham Festival!
- Beginners Guide to Cheltenham Festival!
- Cheltenham Festival 2024 Events Page!
- Champion Chase 2024 Betting Preview (Day 2 at Cheltenham Festival 2024)!
- Champion Hurdle 2024 Betting Preview (Day 2 at Cheltenham Festival 2024)!
- Ryanair Chase 2024 Betting Preview (Day 3 at Cheltenham Festival 2024)
- Stayers Hurdle 2024 Betting Preview (Day 3 at Cheltenham Festival 2024)
- Gold Cup 2024 Betting Preview (Day 4 at Chelteham Festival 2024)
- Best Each Way Long Shot Bets!
- Best Bankers for Cheltenham Festival 2024!
- Best Bets for Cheltenham Festival 2024!
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