The 5 most backed horses at the Cheltenham Festival 2021

Cheltenham is edging closer and excitement is building for the greatest show on turf. In the last month, oddschecker users have busy backing plenty of horses, but we’ve picked out the five most backed horses over the four days. 

Happygolucky has been one of the gambles of the last two weeks across the whole Festival and he now finds himself as the 5/1 favourite for the Ultima on the first day of the Festival. Kim Bailey’s seven-year-old has won two of his three chase starts so far this term and punters think a mark of 147 is lenient. He has very solid course form, including a fourth here at last year’s Festival in the Martin Pipe, where he was hampered at the last. Kim Bailey and David Bass have both had a fantastic season to date and Happygolucky can offer them more Festival success after Imperial Aura last year. 

Abacadabras had drifted for the Champion Hurdle following his second in the Irish Champion Hurdle but in recent weeks punters have been keen to back the 2020 Supreme runner-up. He hasn’t been at his best this year but a bigger field and a strong pace is bound to suit the seven-year-old. He will have to turn around the form with Honeysuckle but punters think he has every chance in doing so.

Houx Gris is the gamble in the Boodles, having been backed from 16/1 into the 5/1 favourite. The four-year-old has had just the one run for Paul Nicholls and been put away since. That was behind Adagio and Nassalam and he travelled well for a long way in the race. He’s been given a mark of 128 which punters clearly think is very workable.

Bob Olinger has been backed into favourite for the Ballymore in what could be one of the races of the week. Henry de Bromhead’s exciting contender has won twice since finishing second to Ferny Hollow on his first start over hurdles this season. His latest victory in the Lawlor’s of Naas was brilliant, showing his engine when staying on strongly to put the race to bed with ease.

Tritonic has been very strongly supported for the Triumph Hurdle following his impressive success in the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton last month. Alan King’s four-year-old made it two from two over hurdles and put his name firmly in the hat for the first race on the final day of the Festival. He’s now second-favourite for the race, just behind Zanahiyr.