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 2020 closer to the date and see what are the horses with the potential to win this season.
These are the favourite horses for the Cheltenham races selected by Paddy Power on 03/02/2020:
- MARSH NOVICES CHASE: Faugheen
- ARKLE CHASE: Notebook
- RYANAIR CHASE: Min
- QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE : Chacun Pour Soi
- ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICES’ HURDLE: Latest Exhibition
- SUPREME NOVICES HURDLE: Asterion Forlonge
- CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP: Delta Work
- TRIUMPH HURDLE: Aspire Tower
- CHAMPION HURDLE: Honeysuckle
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.
2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup Favourites
| Horse |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Boum Photo | 4/1 | 7/2 | 4/1 |
| Santini | 5/1 | 9/2 | 5/1 |
| Delta Work | 4/1 | 5/1 | 4/1 |
| Lostintranslation | 7/1 | 7/1 | 7/1 |
| Clan des Obeaux | 6/1 | 7/1 | 8/1 |
| Kemboy | 6/1 | 7/1 | 6/1 |
| Native River | 12/1 | 14/1 | 12/1 |
| Presenting Percy | 10/1 | 8/1 | 12/1 |
| Monalee | 25/1 | 25/1 | 28/1 |
| Bristol De mai | 33/1 | 33/1 | 33/1 |
*All odds subject to change. Last update 06/02/2020. 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However, ante-post betting can be fraught with danger because if the backed horse is withdrawn before the day of the race all stakes are lost.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:
Cheltenham Races – Favourites
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.
Champion Chase
The 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. Other favourites for the Champion Chase include Chacun Pour Soi and Defi Du Seuil.
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.
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The 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. Last year’s hero Al Boum Photo is the this year’s favourite to win it all. By sending the seven-year old into the Gold Cup his contesters can expect a real challenge with the main players being pushed all the way to the line. Many of the big bookmakers have Al Boum Photo as a joint favourite which shows the the respect he has earned himself in the industry.
Our Cheltenham tips for Gold Cup also include Santini and Delta Work. Unibet and bet365 offer the best* odds on Delta Work who is one of the Cheltenham favourites after recent successes in winning the Savills Chase over Christmas and succeeding in the Irish Gold Cup.
Winners At Cheltenham – Best Odds
Check back for an odds comparison for the biggest Cheltenham favourites closer to the meeting:
| Race | Favourite Horse | Best Odds* | Bookmakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryanair Chase | Min | 9/2 |  |
| Cheltenham Gold Cup | Delta Work | 4/1 |  |
| Champion Chase | Chacun Pour Soi | 3/1 |  |
| Supreme Novices | Asterion Forlonge | 5/1 |  |
| Champion Hurdle | Epatante | 4/1 |  |
*All odds subject to change. Last update 06/02/2020. Source: racingpost.
Cheltenham Odds Summary
The best bookmakers for the best odds for winners at the festival are Unibet and Betfair and Paddy Power. 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
New customers with Paddy Power and Unibet can take advantage of the welcome offers as long 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. At the time of writing, bookmakers have not offered odds boosts or extra places for Cheltenham favourites just yet. However, check out the Cheltenham Betting Offers here, where we update betting offer regularly.
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.