Nicky Henderson’s towering gelding looks every bit a Cheltenham winner.
Ok Corral has become the most popular ante-post horse of 2019, overtaking Guillaume Macaire’s Master Dino, who has since been ruled out of the entire year with injury.
Having drifted out to 2/1 when many expected him to go off as favourite, Ok Corral proved any doubters wrong with a serene performance in the Class 1 Novices’ Chase at Warwick on Saturday afternoon.
Nicky Henderson’s gelding was already the 8/1 favourite for the four miler at the Cheltenham Festival, but after coasting to an impressive victory at Warwick, that price is long gone.
Now as short as 3/1 for the National Hunt Chase, he’s accrued a huge 95% of bets on that market in the last 24 hours.
With two wins from two starts this season, Ok Corral is unbeaten over fences and the JP McManus-owned nine-year-old looks dead set for a shot at the National Hunt Chase in March.
Bookies aren’t predicting much of a competition at this stage in the ante-post betting. Impulsive Star is the closest challenger in that market as it stands, way out at 16/1, but also a popular bet since winning his race at Warwick on Saturday afternoon.
Oddschecker spokesperson George Elek: "You would never have thought this was just the second time Ok Corral had raced over the larger obstacles with the way he glided to victory at Warwick.”
"A second place finish in last year's Albert Bartlett proves Henderson's nine-year-old can handle the famous Cheltenham hill and at this stage, he looks one of the bets of the festival.
"The flood of activity on this market over the weekend has seen Ok Corral shoot to the top of the list of most backed ante-post horses this year."
