Cheltenham Festival 2008

The turning of the New Year sees a different focus in the National Hunt scene as trainers, jockeys and punters alike begin to hike up the gears before the sprint towards the Cheltenham festival. The mid-March jamboree promises to be every bit as good as last year. Click here for a free £25 to bet on National Hunt racing with Stan James December saw several previous scorers throw down the gauntlet to the pretenders to their crown. Kauto Star's dominant display in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day quite rightly sees him trading at as short as evens with VCbet to follow up in the Blue Riband event at Prestbury Park. His stable-mate Denman was not to be outdone however, and Coral were so impressed by his faultless performance when routing The Listener and pals in Ireland, that they have the Paul Nicholls-trained duo vying for favouritism for the Gold Cup at 6/4. Ladbrokes and Paddy Power lead the rest by going a best-priced 2/1. Reigning Ladbroke World Hurdle champion Inglis Drever thrashed a select field of six horses in the Long Distance Hurdle early last month and the sponsors go 6/4 - the joint-shortest in the betting village - that he follows up his heroic effort in the three-mile championship ahead of Mighty Man last year. Straw Bear was trading at 4/6 for the Stan James Christmas Hurdle 12 months ago and his gutsy success this time around at the expense of fellow Champion Hurdle hopeful Harchibald on Boxing Day saw his odds slashed for the two-mile Championship. As big as 20/1 earlier this month, his festive victory by a head at Kempton sees him as short as 10/1 to wrest the hurdling title from Sublimity. Sublimity dented his credentials behind the impressive Osana in the Boylesports.com international Hurdle at Cheltenham and it is 7/1 with Blue Square that Osana confirms his superiorty over the champ in March. Lastly, Boxing Day saw a new favourite for the Royal and SunAlliance Chase, the championship event for Novice stayers. The dour Joe Lively made an impression when grinding his rivals into the ground at Kempton and although it was hardly a vintage renewal of the race, it was a good performance nonetheless. Trained and ridden by the Tizzards, Joe Lively has proved himself around Cheltenham already, and it is 10/1 with Totesport that he betters such illustrious former winners of the Feltham such as Gloria Victis, Bacchanal, Jair Du Cochet and Strong Flow by going on to win in Gloucestershire in the same season. Click here for a free £25 to bet on National Hunt racing with Stan James