Cheltenham Festival 2023

Last Updated: 15:30, 08/01/23

Champ Kiely wins the Grade 1 Lawlor's of Naas Novice Hurdle

15:30 Sunday

Champ Kiely’s strong run in the Lawlor's hurdle ahead of Irish Point and Dawn Rising has seen odds for Ballymore shorten from 16/1 to 7/1 in places.

This win provides Willie Mullins his ninth victory in the Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle.

One last Hoorah for Honeysuckle

14:38 Sunday

Authorised Speed the latest Champion Bumper underperformer

11:34 Sunday

Architect Tips reaction to Tolworth Hurdle 

15:00 Saturday

The Paul Nicholls-trained Tahmuras extended his unbeaten record over hurdles to three when claiming the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle earlier today at Sandown by two-and-half-lengths.

The ground was pretty testing but he cruised through it, especially in the backend of the race and despite a mistake at the last two hurdles, he stayed on strongly to prove his superiority over the rest. 

On the back of that impressive display, a lot of firms cut the winner to as short as 10/1 for both the Sky bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle and the Ballymore at the Cheltenham Festival. He must have a great each-way chance of continuing his trend of improvement at Cheltenham in March. 

Although the former reversed the form, the Evan Williams-trained, who beat the winner last time, ran a lovely race despite his inexperience to take second and that eye-catching run in defeat has saw him cut into 25/1 generally for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

As for the favourite, Authorised Speed, who returned a well beaten fifth, it is back to the drawing board and he has taken a big drift in the Supreme ante-post market to 33/1.

Love Envoi cut to 6/1 for Mares Hurdle after Sandown win

10:00 Saturday

The Harry Fry trained seven-year-old put in a solid round of jumping to secure back to back wins after claiming victory at the same course at the start of December.

Bookmakers responded to the win by cutting odds for her to win the Mares Hurdle from 8/1 to 6/1.

It looks a potentially competitive clash on the opening day of the festival with the possibility of Honeysuckle heading for the race and Marie’s Rock looking in excellent form.

Key Cheltenham ante-post prices to watch this weekend

15:47 Friday

Johnny Ward's first Irish Angle column for Cheltenham

12:18 Friday

Ward on ante-post betting: "It's a personal thing perhaps but I love ante-post bets. The beauty or otherwise of betting on the dogs is that you know your fate within half a minute (or sooner if I've backed the dog) whereas the beauty of a long-term bet is watching the price change over time and talking about it for months."

What he thinks about NRNB promotions: "It can offer incredible value if you're willing to think outside the box. Essentially it can be like backing the second favourite, the odds-on favourite refuses to go into the stalls and you are paid out without a rule four."

Ward's fancy for the Ryanair Chase: "French Dynamite looks a lovely each-way play at 25/1 for the Ryanair with Hills. You're getting 5s he finishes in the first three. The race will cut up and there could be less than eight runners. You're getting 5s the first 3 non-runner no bet!"

To read the article in full, click HERE.

Johnny's weekly Irish Angle column will become exclusively available to signed up oddschecker users in the build up to the Cheltenham Festival as part of our Super Service. Look out for more information on site next week, but in the meantime you can sign up to oddschecker for free here.

Appreciate It declared for 2m Novice Chase at Naas on Sunday

11:00 Friday

One of Willie Mullins' leading Cheltenham hopes Appreciate It will continue preparations on Sunday in a two mile chase at Naas.

With a number of potential options over two miles it appears Mullins may favour the nine-year-old over two miles in the spring with the possibility of facing Jonbon in the Arkle Chase.

No Gaelic Warrior for the Lawlor's of Naas Novice Hurdle

10:38 Friday

Declarations for Sunday's Lawlor's of Naas have just been released and one surprising omission is Gaelic Warrior. Willie Mullins' five-year-old came second in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle last year at Cheltenham and there was an expectation we would get to see the five-year-old run at Naas this Sunday. 

Gaelic Warrior is also entered for the Clonmel Muster Hurdle on the 12th of January and Mullins may see this as a better route in the build-up to Cheltenham for the five-year-old. Gaelic Warrior is currently 7/1 for the Ballymore and 8/1 for the Coral Cup. 

Two weeks until the Clarence House

10:13 Friday

Just a reminder of the eight horses entered for the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at Ascot, which served up a classic between Shishkin and Energumene last year.  

  • Amarillo Sky      
  • Edwardstone      
  • Energumene      
  • Fugitif      
  • Funambule Sivola      
  • Messire des Obeaux      
  • Minella Drama      
  • Sizing Pottsie

 

Energumene is the 4/6 favourite for the race, with Edwardstone at 5/4. Meanwhile, for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham Energumene is 8/11 with Edwardstone 11/4.

Click here for Architect Tips' ante-post tips and preview for the Champion Chase..

Selected ante-post prices to watch out for this weekend

16:47 Thursday

Watch out for the following in the Lawlor's of Naas & Tolworth Novices' Hurdle:      

  • Grangeclare West: 8/1 for the Ballymore & 11/2 for the Albert Bartlett      
  • Gaelic Warrior: 7/1 for the Ballymore, 8/1 for the Coral Cup, 14/1 for the Martin Pipe, 16/1 for the County Hurdle & 20/1 for the Supreme      
  • Inothewayurthinkin: 14/1 for the Martin Pipe      
  • Irish Point: 20/1 for the Supreme      
  • Champ Kiely: 14/1 for the Martin Pipe, 16/1 for the Ballymore      
  • Dawn Rising: 20/1 for the Ballymore

 

Architect's outside fancy for the Tolworth at Sandown

12:57 Thursday

 "I fully respect Tahmuras from the Nicholls stable but surely L’ASTROBOY should be a lot closer in the betting despite the former improving a lot since going over hurdles and warrants a bet at the odds. 

"Evan Williams’ charge beat the second-favourite for this race fair and square on debut in a bumper and won nicely on his hurdles debut back in November."

Architect Tips picks out his favoured outsider for the Grade 1 Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown - a key trial for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Supreme & Ballymore contender confirmed for the Tolworth

10:36 Thursday

Arctic Bresil has been declared for the Grade 1 Tolworth Novices' Hurdle on Saturday at Sandown by trainer Henry de Bromhead.

He is 20/1 best price for the Ballymore at Cheltenham (10/1 worst price), while the six-year-old can be backed at 33/1 for the Supreme (14/1 worst).

The other declared Tolworth runners are:      

  • Authorised Speed       
  • Blow Your Wad       
  • Colonel Harry      
  • L'Astroboy       
  • Nemean Lion       
  • Tahmuras       
  • Ukantango

 

Favourite for the 2:25 at Sandown is Authorised Speed. Andy Holding said this of his chances: "Once again, Gary Moore appears to have a decent bunch of novice hurdlers at his disposal and Authorised Speed is arguably top of the pile.

"Hard to fault on his two victories so far over hurdles, he has solid Sandown form under his belt and with conditions likely to be fairly testing come the weekend, he has an obvious opportunity to shine – particularly now that ante-post favourite Luccia has been withdrawn from the race.

Constitution Hill one of eight Tolworth winners to win at Cheltenham

08:22 Thursday

Who will be the latest winner of the two-mile Sandown feature to follow success in the Tolworth with a win at the Cheltenham Festival? There have been eight so far.

Authorised Speed is a 25/1 shot for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Architect looks left-field for Champion Chase value

16:09 Wednesday

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is the feature race on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival and the complexion of the ante-post market is sure to be a lot clearer as to who will start favourite for the big one in March after the Clarence House Chase has concluded on January 21st at Ascot.

Writing in his ante-post preview for the race, Architect Tips says it's difficult to split defending champion Energumene and Tingle Creek winner Edwardstone, but his slight preference would be for "solid favourite" Energumene (albeit he can’t tip him at 8/11).

He added: "With this in mind, and looking slightly left-field, I will take one more chance on his stablemate CHACUN POUR SOI (best price 25/1 NRNB with Hills). Yes, he was beaten by the former at Punchestown, has failed in this race twice previously and was behind Blue Lord when last spotted.

"However, when you take into account he has the second-highest RPR in the race (overall) and has six Grade 1 wins to his name, I just cannot understand why he is the same price as the likes of Editeur Du Gite and a few others who haven’t won a Grade 1 let alone six of them.

"There’s a strong possibility he will line-up in the Ryanair Chase this year but with the NRNB on offer, he is worth an each-way play at the odds in case he does or doesn’t feature here as I can’t see him beating this big of a price if he does line-up."

Luccia will not run in the Tolworth Novices' Hurdle this Saturday

13:24 Wednesday

Nicky Henderson's Luccia has been pulled out of this Saturday's Grade 1 Unibet Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown. The five-year-old was the 6/4 favourite going into the race but due to an unsatisfactory scope will not participate on Saturday.

Bred by owner Paul Sandy, Luccia won two bumpers last season before putting in an impressive hurdling debut at Newbury in November. 

Luccia can still be found at 3/1 for the Mares Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham and 25/1 for the Supreme. 

Holding's Cheltenham fancy lined up for Lawlor's of Naas Hurdle

09:56 Wednesday

Writing in his ante-post tips preview for Cheltenham 2023 last month, Holding said of Gaelic Warrior: "It was difficult for me to decide which race to put him up in. I've got to think about what's going to happen between now and the Festival.

"There's an opportunity for him to slip into the Ballymore division under the radar. Straight away after he got beaten in the Boodles, they said he'd be back to Cheltenham next year as a novice in the Ballymore, so they're giving you that little nugget. He was absolutely amazing the other day at Tramore - a bit of a mickey mouse race but I've never horse win by so much (86 lengths). 

"The only negative is he did jump to his right when he lost at the Boodles, so maybe going left handed is a problem but he's a seriously good horse that I had to include."

Next stop Cheltenham for Constitution Hill

08:36 Wednesday

Nicky Henderson's six-year-old is a best price 4/11 (worst 2/7) for the Champion Hurdle.

Bet365 Non Runner No Bet on the Five Championship races

16:24 Tuesday

As confirmed by Racing Weekly favourite Pat Cooney...

Arkle third favourite entered for Novice Chase at Naas

15:56 Tuesday

The nine-year-old is a best price 6/1 for the Arkle Chase (worst 4/1).

Cheltenham Gold Cup 2023: Architect Tips Ante-Post Preview

13:58 Tuesday

Galopin Des Champs is the big favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup 2023, but Architect Tips fancies an each-way play on his stablemate STATTLER.

Last season’s National Hunt Chase winner reappeared in the Savills New Year's Day Chase win at Tramore and ran a great trial to finish second to former Gold Cup winner, Minella Indo.

Champion Chase dress rehearsal in the Clarence House?

12:59 Tuesday

Galopin Des Champs heads 27 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup

12:52 Tuesday

Nicky Henderson has passed up Shishkin's chance for Champion Chase redemption. Last year's winner Energumene (4/5) is one of 14 entered along with Edwardstone (11/4) and Blue Lord (7/1).

Instead, Shishkin has been entered in the Gold Cup and the Ryanair, for which Allaho (2/1 ante-post favourite) heads 27 entries in pursuit of his third straight win in the race (no Bravemansgame).

27 have been also entered for the Gold Cup, headlined by 7/4 favourite Galopin Des Champs. L'Homme Presse is the second favourite at best price 8/1. Bravemansgame, winner of the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day, is 10/1.

Betfred offering Non-Runner No Bet on the biggest races

12:06 Tuesday

Betfred are the second major UK bookmaker to offer punters Non-Runner No Bet of Cheltenham ante-post markets.

The offer is exclusive to select raecs so if you back a horse in the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Stayers' Hurdle and Gold Cup you will receive money back if your horse doesn't run.

T&Cs Apply.

Hermes Allen the most backed since Boxing Day

10:48 Tuesday

Cheltenham Gold Cup one of the first for early entries

09:39 Tuesday

Early entries for the Cheltenham Gold Cup - as well as for the Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase - will be out later today. 

This time next week, it will be the turn of the Champion Hurdle, Mares' Hurdle and Stayers' Hurdle.

Before Christmas, Andy Holding shared his four ante-post tips for the Cheltenham Festival 2023, which included PROTEKTORAT for the Gold Cup.

He wrote: "It's almost as if the bookmakers haven’t given him the credit he deserves for winning that Betfair Chase and instead concentrated on the demise of A Plus Tard (later withdrawn from the Savills on veterinary advice).

"There are often reasons why horses run badly and people will draw the wrong conclusions when basically he was running in a very strong race in conditions he couldn't cope with.

"When you go back and do the time figures, it was almost like the Henry de Bromhead team had underestimated the opposition and what it took to win that race. 

"Protektorat was on the money throughout the whole race; he jumped, he travelled and the figure he put up was sensational. We get time figures of that ilk about once every two or three years."

New Year's Day winner to challenge Honeysuckle in the Mares'

09:15 Tuesday

Nicky Henderson's Marie's Rock was an 8/1 shot before landing the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle on New Year's Day at Cheltenham. 

She is now a 4/1 best price second favourite for the Mares' Hurdle behind ante-post market leader Honeysuckle (4/1 best but 2/1 with some bookmakers).

 

William Hill go NRNB for all races at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival

09:00 Tuesday