- Supreme Novices Hurdle
- Arkle Challenge Trophy
- Will Hill Trophy Handicap Chase
- Champion Hurdle
- Cross Country Handicap Chase
- David Nicholson Mares Hurdle
- Centenary Novice Chase
- National Hunt Steeple Chase
- Neptune Investment Hurdle
- RSA Chase
- Queen Mother Champion Chase
- Coral Cup
- Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle
- Champion Bumper
- Jewson Novices Chase
- Pertemps Handicap Hurdle
- Ryanair Chase
- Ladbrokes World Hurdle
- Byrne Group Plate
- Kim Muir Challenge Cup
- JCB Triumph Hurdle
- County Handicap Hurdle
- Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle
- Cheltenham Gold Cup
- Foxhunter Steeple Chase
- Conditional Jockeys Hurdle
- Grand Annual Chase
Cheltenham Foxhunter Steeplechase
Foxhunter Chase betting verdict
This race is for hunting horses that must have finished first or second twice in hunter chases and is another race for amateur riders to demonstrate their capabilities. Zemsky and Derek O’Connor landed the spoils last year, and Chapoturgeon, On The Fringe and Salsify are battling to justify favouritism in the early ante-post markets this time around. Get a free £25 bet from William Hill.
Experience is key
Experienced horses are the ones to look out for in this race. The stiff numbers of fences are capable of catching a lot of horses out who lack fluency over obstacles. Last year Baby Run from the Twiston-Davies yard justified joint favouritism to land the spoils at 9/2. The 10yo gelding had placed five times over course and distance before landing the £40,000 Foxhunter Steeplechase prize. So those runners with previous promise over the obstacles at Prestbury are definite contenders when analysing the form picks for this race. What probably does make it harder though, is that horses eligible for this race must have a couple of first and seconds to their name in hunter chases at the very least. This means horses are going to arrive for this race in similar good form which makes it difficult to predict the outcome.
Keep an eye out for…
Sam Twiston-Davies is one of the top young amateurs to keep an eye out for and no doubt his father will be giving him the best possible chance of riding a Cheltenham Festival winner in this race. The major stables are always worth chancing in this hunter race, Paul Nicholls claimed consecutive victories in 2004 and 2005 while ex-jockey Jonjo O’Neill took the honours in 2007 with 9yo Drombeag. And it is horses this age that have a very good recent record winning four of the last six so could another be about to take what is often referred to as the ‘amateur Gold Cup’?
The last two runnings of this event have gone to single priced winners but prior to these we saw a 33/1 in 2008 and two 20/1 winners in 2006 and 2007. Trends aren’t quite so predictable for this race and chancing with a big price outsider could pay once more. Value is a certainty in this race as two 66/1 horses have made the placings in the last decade so do not be put off by the price because you just never know!
Foxhunter Steeplechase betting verdict
The Queen’s Barbers Shop has put in a couple of nice rounds of jumping on his way to wins at Fakenham and Fontwell respectively. He takes a huge step up in class though, and MONKERTY TUNKERTY who finished full of running when scoring for the first time under rules at Warwick shades the vote. Chapoturgeon is likely to go off market leader but has been well beaten on his last four visits to Cheltenham and may have to settle for minor honours.
1- Monkerty Tunkerty
2- Chapoturgeon
3- Barbers Shop
Bet 365
Victor Chandler
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