Cheltenham Favourites
Cheltenham favourites will generate a great deal of interest at the jumps occasion that matters most and the biggest betting meeting of the year. Customers look forward to Cheltenham favourites because the festival is a huge betting opportunity as well.
Cheltenham Favourites – Top 5
Each year there are special horses that stick out from the rest of the competitors to become that season’s favourite bets among the punters.
Check out the Cheltenham favourites for 2021 closer to the date and see what are the horses with the potential to win this season.
Here are the main Cheltenham Tips when it comes to the types of bets you can place:
- Win bets on the Cheltenham favourites races such as the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle, Ryanair Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
- Each way bets on the Cheltenham favourites races such as the Triumph Hurdle, bumper, cross country race and handicaps.
- The number of races won by a horse trained in Britain and Ireland and which nation has the most winners.
- The leading jockey at the festival.
- The leading trainer at the festival.
Cheltenham Festival Favourites Horses Day 4
Cheltenham Favourites & Results 2020
| Race | Favourite Horse | Winning Horse | SP | Bookmakers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheltenham Gold Cup | Santini | Al Boum | 10/3 | Bet with |
| Albert Bartlett’s Novices’ Hurdle | Thyme Hill | Monkfish | 5/1 | Bet with |
| County Handicap Hurdle | Saint Roi | Saint Roi | 11/2 | Bet with |
| Martin Pipe | Front View | Indefatigable | 25/1 | Bet with |
*Last update 13/03/2020. Source: racingpost.
Cheltenham Betting Tips 2021 and Festival Betting Guide
2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup Results
| Cheltenham Gold Cup Results | Gold Cup Winner | SP* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al Boum Photo | 10/3 |
| 2 | Santini | 5/1 |
| 3 | Lostintranslation | 10/1 |
| 4 | Monalee | 20/1 |
| 5 | Delta Work | 5/1 |
*Last update 13/03/2020. Source: racingpost.
Cheltenham Favourites – Ante-Post Betting Guide
One of the Cheltenham’s perks is ante-post betting on the major championship races. From about six months before the Festival, bookmakers such as Paddy Power and Betfair issue ante-post betting for races like the festival’s Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase.
However, ante-post betting can be fraught with danger because if the backed horse is withdrawn before the day of the race all stakes are lost. In the weeks leading up to the Festival, some bookmakers offer the concession of non-runner/no bet.
This means if a horse is taken out of the race before race day it counts as a non-runner. Bookmakers refund all the placed stakes on the horse. In placing ante-post bets on Cheltenham favourites you should identify which bookmaker offers non-runner/no bet for all 28 races at the festival.
Initially, the offer might only apply to the feature race on each of the four days of the festival but nearer the time will be extended to cover all the races. Operators like Paddy Power and Betfair will offer extra places and odds boosts on winners at Cheltenham.
Read on to learn about the different races that you can bet on during this festival:
Day 1 – Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle is the championship race for two-mile hurdlers and it takes place over the Old Course on the first day on the Festival.
Read back to see odds on the favourites for next year.
Day 2 – Champion Chase
The 2021 Champion Chase on the second day of the Festival is the championship race for experienced chasers and the race distance is two miles. The favourite with every bookmaker including Paddy Power is Altior. However, Unibet and Betfair offer the best odds for this horse.
Paddy Power offers the joint best price for some of the outsiders in the Champion Chase. William Hill overall offers the best value for most horses in this race which is one of the Cheltenham favourites. All the UK bookmakers settle each way bets at one fifth the odds for 3 places.
Day 4 – Cheltenham Gold Cup
The 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup is the most prestigious horse race in the sport. It is run on the fourth day of the festival. It counts over three miles and two furlongs and there are 22 fences. Unibet and Betfair offer the best odd on the favourite Al Boum Photo, who is one of the Cheltenham favourites after winning the last two Cheltenham Gold Cups.
Paddy Power does not offer the best odds for the first few horses in the betting. William Hill and Unibet offer the best odds on the most horses entered for this event. Betfair offers the best odds for last year’s winner, Native River.
Winners At Cheltenham – Best Odds
Check back for an odds comparison for the biggest Cheltenham 2021 favourites closer to the meeting.
Cheltenham Favourites Best Odds Summary
The best bookmakers for the best odds for winners at the festival are Unibet and Betfair who both offer more value than Paddy Power. The place terms for each operator are the same when betting each way on Cheltenham favourites. All the major UK bookmakers offer odds in ante-post betting for all 28 races at the festival.
Cheltenham Festival: Horse Racing – Cheltenham Festival – Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain – March 12, 2019 Jeremiah McGrath on Beware The Bear celebrates winning the 2:50 Ultima Handicap Chase REUTERS/Eddie Keogh/Ritzau Scanpix
Live Cheltenham Betting
Paddy Power, bet365 and Unibet are three of the biggest UK bookmakers and each operator offers live betting on Cheltenham favourites. Customers can bet on the winner of a race at the festival once the race has begun. Prices are updated as the race develops and betting is available until the outcome is obvious.
Some operators offer place only betting and others will accept each way betting for live races which are often Cheltenham favourites.
Live streaming is available with several UK online bookmakers but customers must place a bet to gain access to this service. There is also a cash out option with Cheltenham favourites which means customers cash close bets before expiry to guarantee a profit or limit a loss.
Cheltenham Betting Offers
At the time of writing, no bookmakers offered odds boosts or extra places for Cheltenham favourites. However, new customers with Paddy Power and Unibet can take advantage of the welcome offer as longs as the qualifying bets and rules are compliant. The welcome offers are generally matched deposit and bet bonuses. Any bonus funds can be used for betting on winners at Cheltenham. Each welcome offer is available when the Terms & Conditions are followed completely.
Check out the Cheltenham Betting Offers here.
Cheltenham Favourites Summary
The festival is huge for betting and all the major bookmakers offer ante-post betting for the winners at Cheltenham. Customers can place win and each way bets on races at the festival and some bookmakers offer enhanced odds.
Non-runner/no bet is a popular concession during the few weeks before Cheltenham. It is easily the biggest betting meeting of the year with opportunities to enjoy welcome offers and place bets on Cheltenham favourites.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
|---|---|
| Ante-post betting | Risk in ante-post odds |
| Cheltenham concessions for all customers | No value in some place terms |
| Extra places and enhanced odds | No free bets for existing customers |
*All odds subject to change.