2010 CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL LATEST FAVOURITES AND BETTING PREDICTIONS

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We are getting closer by the day to the penultimate moment of the English jumps racing season- the Cheltenham Festival. It’s been a very interesting year with plenty of excitement unfolding every weekend and the betting markets have certainly started heating up as punters start locking in their bets on the probable runners for the 2010 Cheltenham Festival.

We’ll be examining the main contenders in the key races of the 4 day event.

The 2010 Supreme Novices Hurdle, which runs March 16, looks to be all about Dunguib at the moment. The Philip Fenton-trained 7 year-old has taken four wins from four starts this season without even really having to shift into top gear. You’ll find him around 4/5 for the victory and he looks to be the Cheltenham Banker. He took the Wetherby’s Champion Bumper last year and looks to build on that success once again.

Fan favourite Captain Cee Bee is trading at 7/2 across the board for the 2010 Arkle Chase. The only real blemish on the 9 year-old record this year was a fall on boxing day when he was well-poised to take a race from Sizing Europe. His other two runs this year oozed quality and remember that he bested the talented Binocular last year in the Supreme Novices.

The 2010 Champion Hurdle looks to be a much more competitive race than some with about 4 quality runners with a great chance. Multiple Grade 1 winner Solwhit trades at 4/1 with the stellar Go Native also trading at the same price. Khyber Kim is likely pointed at this one and he’s at anywhere from 7/1-9/1 with most major bookmakers. Punjabi is also on the list and trades at 10/1.

The 2010 RSA Chase at Cheltenham looks all about Punchestowns. He’s proven to be a quality selection for my Ten To Follow and he has been a big favourite for this one since early in the season. You’ll find him at 3/1 across the board.

Master Minded looks to be another Cheltenham Banker with an odds-on listing for the 2010 Queen Mother Champion Chase. He bested Well Chief and a talented field of 12 in this race last year and he will be looking to defend his title. Paul Nicholls 7 year-old bay has proven himself over course and distance and is seeing the lions’ share of the betting volume.

The 2010 Ryanair Chase looks to be another tight one with Poquelin at 4/1, Barbers Shop at 11/2 and the well-respected Tranquil Sea at 6/1. This is a very deep field with jumpers like Planet of Sound and Voy Por Ustedes also set for a dash here. This one might be a feather in the cap of the long odds punters with Deep Purple and Chapoturgeon both listed at lengthy prices.

Another banker dominates the 2010 Ladbrokes World Hurdle, as Paul Nicholls’ Big Bucks trades as low as 4/7 for the win here. He’s lightly-raced this season with only two starts, capturing a Grade 2 and a Grade 1 in those outings. He bested Punchestowns in this race last year and looks set to defend his title. The field doesn’t scare me off backing him, but a lengthy bet on War of Attrition at 33/1 could pay dividends.

The other big favourite at this year’s festival is the irrepressible Kauto Star. This legendary gelding has already etched his name into the history books and has still produced the story of the season- scoring by a whopping 36 lengths to take the King George on Boxing Day. His partnership with Ruby Walsh is the stuff of racing lore, and after Denman unseated Tony McCoy in the Aon Chase, all things look to be coming up Kauto. You’ll find Paul Nicholls’ legendary jumper at 4/5 with most major bookmakers.