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Cheltenham Festival Day 2 – Wednesday 16th March

March 15, 2011 by  
Filed under Horse Racing, Recent Articles

My assessment of Day 2 is based around long term festival trends and statistics. The key emphasis will be on laying favourites in races where the stats indicate favourites have a p00r long-term record.

Remember I will be posting the latest tips and advice  for the following days races on the false favourites blog home page each evening of the Cheltenham festival around 7.00pm.

1.30 The National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup (Amateur riders)

The faq`s

Favourites have an abysmal record in this race. Only 3 favourites have won in the last 21 years.  This race is difficult to predict accurately becuase its contested by amatuer riders and most of the horse are unproven at the distnace (a grueling test at 4miles plus)

  • No winning favourite since 1992 – And only 3 favourits have ever won this race in 2004- 1992 -1989
  • Jonjo O’Neill has won this race in – 2007, 2004, 2003, 2002 and 1995
  • Paul Nicholls has a very poor record in this race – 1 placed horse from 13 starters
Year Horse Age Trainer Odds
2010 Poker De Sivola 7 F Murphy 14/1
2009 Tricky Trickster 6 N A Twiston-Davies 11/1
2008 Old Benny 7 A King 9/1
2007 Butler´s Cabin 7 J O´Neill 33/1
2006 Hot Weld 7 F Murphy 33/1
2005 Another Rum 7 I A Duncan 40/1
2004 Native Emperor 8 J O’Neill 5/1JF
2003 Sudden Shock 8 J O’Neill 25/1
2002 Rith Dubh 10 J O’Neill 10/1
2000 Relaxation 8 H D Daly 8/1
1999 Deejaydee 7 M Hourigan 13/2
1998 Wandering Light 9 T A Forster 10/1
1997 Flimsy Truth 11 M H Weston 33/1
1996 Loving Around 8 E J O’Grady 10/1
1995 Front Line 8 J O’Neill 7/1
1994 Christmas Gorse 8 N A Gaselee 14/1
1993 Ushers Island 7 J H Johnson 15/2
1992 Keep Talking 7 T Thomson Jones 5/2F
1991 Smooth Escort 7 Mrs D Haine 7/1
1990 Topsham Bay 7 D H Barons 40/1
1989 Boraceva 6 G B Balding 4/1F

Bet advice

Take on the favourite

Odds & Liability

Obviously nobody wants to take unnecessary risks. However with Cheltenham festival being so competitive it often means the favourites can go off at bigger odds, although the amount of hype and mug money being thrown into the market means we can often obtain value lays on an over bet favourites. Use the liability function on your Betfair bet slip, if your not sure how to do this  here`s a tutorial

Staking & Bet execution

No lays above 5.20 on Betfair. Wait until the market has formed properly, (usually by mid morning on each day of the races), although there can be dramatic steamers and drifters just before the off as bookies and big players lay their bets off on Betfair. Alternatively lay in-play asking for odds realistically lower than those on offer, i.e. if the favourite is trading at 5.00 ask for 4.2 and so on.

Bear in mind that there will be a lot of money floating around in-play so look for odds close to what you want which don’t have thousands already offered. Betfair works on queing principle of (first come first served) So if a horse is trading at 5.20 pre race and then runs well naturally it will shorten in play. You will get matched as long as you choose the right odds.

Grab A FREE £20-£25 bet with Betfair here

4.00 Coral Cup (Handicap Hurdle)

Only two favourites have ever won this race 2003 & 1993 making it a truely competitive event, likely to be won by a decent priced outsiders

  • Only 2 favourites have won from the 17 years
  • No winner rated higher than 147.
Year Horse Age Trainer Odds
2010 Spirit River 5 N J Henderson 14/1
2009 Ninetieth Minute 6 T J Taaffe 14/1
2008 Naiad Du Misselot 7 F Murphy 7/1
2007 Burntoakboy 9 Dr R D P Newland 10/1
2006 Sky´s The Limit 5 E J O´Grady 11/1
2005 Idole First 6 Miss V Williams 33/1
2004 Monkerhostin 7 P J Hobbs 13/2
2003 Xenophon 7 A J Martin 4/1F
2002 Ilnamar 6 M C Pipe 25/1
2000 What’s Up Boys 6 P J Hobbs 33/1
1999 Khayrawani 7 C Roche 16/1
1998 Top Cees 8 Mrs J Ramsden 11/1
1997 Big Strand 8 M C Pipe 16/1
1996 Trainglot 9 J G Fitzgerald 11/2
1995 Chance Coffey 10 P F O’Donnell 11/1
1994 Time For A Run 7 E J O’Grady 11/1
1993 Olympian 6 M Pipe 4/1JF

The faq`s

Again Favourites don`t do particularly well in this race.

  • Only 2 winning favourites since 1992, with the last 20 winners started at no bigger than 11/1.
  • 10 of the last 11 winners were rated 142+ over hurdles.
  • 5 of the last 10 winners (Tiutchev, Moscow Flyer, Azertyuiop, My Way De Solzen and Tidal Bay) entered the race as the highest-rated hurdler in the line up.

Bet advice

Take on the favourite

Odds & Liability

Obviously nobody wants to take unnecessary risks. However with Cheltenham festival being so competitive it often means the favourites can go off at bigger odds, although the amount of hype and mug money being thrown into the market means we can often get  avalue lay on an over bet favourites. Use the liability function on your Betfair bet slip, if your not sure how to do this  here`s a tutorial

Staking & Bet execution

No lays above 5.20 on Betfair. Wait until te market has formed properly, usually by mid morning on each day the races, although there can be dramatic steamers and drifters just before the off as bookies and big players lay their bets off on Betfair. Alternatively lay in-play ask for odds realistically lower than those on offer, i.e. if the favourite is trading at 5.00 ask for 4.2 and so on.

Bear in mind that there will be a lot of money floating around in-play so look for odds close to what you want which don’t have thousands already offered. Betfair works on quing principle of (first come first served) So if a horse is trading at 5.20 pre race and then runs well naturally it will shorten in-play. You will get matched as long as you choose the right odds.

Grab A FREE £20-£25 bet with Betfair here

Jonathan Burgess

Jonathan Burgess is an official Betfair Accredited Trainer and racing columnist for various respected betting industry publications such as: Betting School, The Daily Punt and Betfair’s Education site. He also runs the Profitable – False Favourites Betting Tips Club. You can contact him here


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