National Hunt Chase - Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham odds: Gold Cup fancy Royale Pagaille heavily backed for National Hunt Chase

Royale Pagaille has shortened significantly into the 2/1 clear favourite for the National Hunt Chase over the course of the morning following a lot of money for the seven-year-old for the race.

5/2 was widely available early this morning on Royale Pagaille but that has since gone and some firms are going as short as 7/4 on the seven-year-old.

54% of all bets this morning have been placed on Royale Pagaille through oddschecker, so it’s no surprise to see his odds tumbling.

You can still get a standout 3/1 with one firm on oddschecker, as they are still offering ante-post betting on the race.

In turn, he's drifted for the Gold Cup on the Betfair Exchange. He’s now available at 16/1 for the race, having been matched as low as 9/1 in recent weeks.

National Hunt Chase odds:

  • Royale Pagaille 2/1
  • Galvin 7/2
  • Latest Exhibition 8/1
  • Next Destination 11/1
  • Escaria Ten 12/1
  • Longhouse Poet 12/1

 

The markets would suggest that connections have opted to go down the National Hunt Chase route for their exciting chaser.

Venetia Williams' seven-year-old has come alive this season winning all three of his starts in mightily impressive fashion. Most recently, winning at Haydock by 16 lengths, announcing himself as a real Cheltenham contender, whichever race he was being aimed at.

That now looks highly likely to be the National Hunt Chase according to the betting, where he will go off a short priced favourite, now overtaking Galvin in the market across the board.