The heroes of Cheltenham 2016 achieved remarkable things but what are their prospects looking like this year?
Day One
| Race | 2016 Winner | SP | Expected entry 2017 | Best Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supreme Novices' Hurdle | Altior | 4/1 | Arkle | 1/3 |
| Arkle Challenge Trophy | Douvan | 1/4 | Queen Mother Champion Chase | 1/3 |
| Festival Handicap Chase | Un Temps Pour Tout | 11/1 | Ultima Handicap Chase | 20/1 |
| Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy | Annie Power | 5/2 | NR | NR |
| David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle | Vroum Vroum Mag | 4/6 | Mares' Hurdle | 9/4 |
| National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup | Minella Rocco | 8/1 | Gold Cup | 25/1 |
| Close Novices' Handicap Chase | Ballyalton | 12/1 | NR | NR |
Day one could see a repeat of a winning double from last year, with Altior and Vroum Vroum Mag likely to be running after their wins in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle respectively.
Having beaten Min in the Supreme in 2016, the much talked about Altior is expected to run in the Arkle and is the big favourite for the race at 1/3. Vroum Vroum Mag also is near the top of the betting for the Mares' Hurdle after winning the same race last year as the 4/6 favourite. She has some competition this year though, with Limini the 2/1 favourite and Vroum Vroum Mag just behind at 9/4.
It's not expected both of hose mares will run in that race though, with one of them expected to run in the Champion Hurdle. That will probably pave the way for the other to take home the Mares'.
Day Two
| Race | 2016 Winner | SP | Expected entry 2017 | Best Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle | Yorkhill | 3/1 | Novices Chase | 2/1 |
| RSA Chase | Blaklion | 8/1 | Ultima Handicap Chase | 25/1 |
| Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle | Diamond King | 12/1 | Brown Advisory Plate | 14/1 |
| Queen Mother Champion Chase | Sprinter Sacre | 5/1 | NR | NR |
| Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase | Any Currency | 11/1 | Cross Country Chase | 12/1 |
| Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle | Diego Du Charmil | 13/2 | County Hurdle | 20/1 |
| Champion Bumper | Ballyandy | 5/1 | Supreme Novices Hurdle | 9/1 |
From the winners on day two last year, Yorkhill looks the most likely to repeat that success should he run in the JLT Novices Chase. He's the 2/1 favourite for that race but could also run in the Arkle or the Champion Hurdle, where he is best priced at 9/1 and 8/1 respectively.
Diamond King and Diego Du Charmil will both be trying to win handicaps again, having won the Coral Cup and Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle in 2016. Diamond King goes into the Brown Advisory Plate on day three as a 14/1 shot, while Diego Du Charmil is 20/1 to win the County Hurdle on the last day.
Day Three
| Race | 2016 Winner | SP | Expected entry 2017 | Best Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JLT Novices' Chase | Black Hercules | 4/1 | Ultima Handicap Chase/Ryanair Chase | 16/1 |
| Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle | Mall Dini | 14/1 | Kim Muir Handicap Chase | 12/1 |
| Ryanair Chase | Vautour | Evs | NR | NR |
| Ryanair World Hurdle | Thistlecrack | Evs | NR | NR |
| Festival Group Plate | Empire Of Dirt | 16/1 | Ryanair Chase | 7/1 |
| Mares Novices' Hurdle | Limini | 8/11 | Mares Hurdle | 2/1 |
| Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase | Cause Of Causes | 9/2 | Kim Muir Handicap Chase | 16/1 |
Limini, having won the Mares Novices' Hurdle in 2016, is all the rage for the Mares Hurdle and Champion Hurdle. As mentioned above, if she was to run in the Mares Hurdle she would be the favourite at 2/1, while a stronger field would await in the Champion Hurdle where she is a 12/1 shot.
Empire of Dirt has a real chance in the Ryanair Chase, over the same course and distance as last year's win. Having won the Festival Group Plate at 16/1 in 2016, he is 7/1 to win the Ryanair and is only behind Un De Sceaux in the betting.
Day Four
| Race | 2016 Winner | SP | Expected entry 2017 | Best Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JCB Triumph Hurdle | Ivanovich Gorbatov | 9/2 | County Hurdle/Coral Cup | 20/1 |
| Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle | Superb Story | 8/1 | NR | NR |
| Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle | Unowhatimeanharry | 11/1 | Stayers Hurdle | 11/8 |
| Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup | Don Cossack | 9/4 | NR | NR |
| Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup | On The Fringe | 13/8 | Foxhunters Chase | 6/4 |
| Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle | Ibis Du Rheu | 14/1 | Ultima Handicap Chase | 25/1 |
| Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase | Solar Impulse | 28/1 | Grand Annual | 50/1 |
From 2016's day four winners, Unowhatimeanharry is many people's banker of the festival when he goes in the Stayers Hurdle and is the 11/8 favourite. That's after winning the Novices' Hurdle last year at 11/1.
Another considered to be a banker is On The Fringe who won the Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup in 2016 at 13/8 and is 6/4 to repeat the feat on the last day of this year's Cheltenahm at 6/4.
