In the build-up to the Festival in March, we reveal the most popular ante-post picks with Oddschecker users.
Each week we will give you an updated list on which horse is the most popular with ante-post punters as the Festivals gets ever closer
10. Min
In the market for no fewer than four Festival races, the Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old was second in Altior’s Supreme Novice Hurdle back in 2016. Prominent in the betting for the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Ryanair and even the Gold Cup, Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci have plenty of options available to them come March.
9. Might Bite
King George winner and Gold Cup favourite, Nicky Henderson’s star chaser has Festival form on his CV thanks to his win in last year’s RSA Chase. Six wins from his eight completed starts over fences, he’s a three-time Grade 1 winner and a worthy favourite for the big one.
8. Yorkhill
Another Willie Mullins runner with multiple options at the Festival, the Gold Cup experiment looks to be over following his disappointing run in the Christmas Chase at Leopardstown last time out. The Champion Hurdle is now back on the cards along with the Champion Chase and the Ryanair. A winner at the last two Festivals, whichever race he turns up in he is likely to be near the top of the market.
7. Footpad
Short-price favourite for the Arkle, he’s another of the Willie Mullins battalion who are set to attempt to conquer Prestbury Park. Perfect so far over fences, he was fourth in last season’s Champion Hurdle and had previously finished fourth in the Triumph Hurdle the year before. With that strong course form behind him, he’s considered one of the Festival bankers already.
6. Finian’s Oscar
The early signs hinted he could be a contender in the top novice chases at the Festival, however two lacklustre efforts over the larger obstacles have seen connections change tact and they now have the Stayers Hurdle on their agenda. A multiple Grade 1 winner as a novice, he adds some star quality to that division and is an intriguing contender for the crown.
5. Apple’s Jade
Another considered a Festival Banker by many, Gordon Elliott’s star mare is another with plenty of options available to her. Winner of last year’s Mares’ Hurdle, she is favourite to repeat the feat in March. Capable of placing in the Champion Hurdle and Stayers Hurdle, there are plenty of punters hedging their bets in both races with NRNB now available and she is another of those in the Banker category.
4. Getabird
Cheltenham wouldn’t be Cheltenham without a short-priced Willie Mullins favourite in the Supreme. That now looks likely following the six-year-old’s dominant performance in the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown earlier this month. That win saw bookies cut him into 3/1 favourite for the Festival curtain raiser, but there could still be a twist in the tale as he remains prominent in the betting for the Ballymore and Albert Bartlett over further…
3. Samcro
Seen by many as the second coming (although not by his trainer Eddie O’Leary), Gordon Elliot’s charge seems to be the horse on everyone’s lips when it comes the next big star of the national hunt game. Visually impressive on both his starts over hurdles to date, connections seem to have settled on the Ballymore being his target with a run in the Supreme or Albert Bartlett looking like outside shots at present.
2. Faugheen
The machine is back! Willie Mullins pulling off some training performance to have him somewhere approaching his best en route to a 16 length precession in the Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle on his first start for over 18 months. Then, just as we were preparing to re-write the history books and tear up the trends, the ten-year-old followed it up with a stinker in the Ryanair Hurdle just a month later. Nothing has come to light since to explain his poor showing but there are still plenty who are retaining the faith the former Champion can reclaim his crown.
1. Buveur D’air
To do so however, he will have to topple the current champ. Nicky Henderson’s star hurdler has looked imperious so far this season and is arguably better than ever. Whilst Faugheen is now the wrong side of ten, the JP McManus seven-year-old is still yet to reach his peak and could even still be improving. Odds-on for the Champion Hurdle in March, he is a banker for many and a Festival acca must.
