Who Are The Favourites To Win The Two Biggest Races At Cheltenham This Year?

The Premier Event Of The Horseriding Calendar

The Cheltenham Festival stands out as the premier event on the horse racing calendar and a significant highlight in British sporting culture. Each March, elite horses, skilled jockeys, and top trainers converge in Gloucestershire to compete for victory and the substantial rewards that come with it. With the world’s finest stallions in contention, it’s common to see favoured horses dominating the key races of the four-day festival, drawing a large number of bets. This trend will continue in 2024, especially in the two races that stand out as the jewels in the Cheltenham crown.

During the week, numerous highly supported racehorses have caught the attention of the enthusiastic public. El Fabiolo is a short-priced favourite in the Champion Chase on day two, while Banbridge finds himself well-backed in the RyanAir Chase on Day Three. Oddschecker compares all the best Cheltenham free bets and odds, including promotions for new users who sign-up to top bookmakers. They have listed the former of those two as a 1/2 frontrunner, with the latter a little more distant at 3/1.

While both of those races are highly coveted, the two that stand head and shoulders above the rest are the curtain-raising Champion Hurdle and showpiece finale Gold Cup. But which horses do both the bookies and punters alike fancy to romp to glory in those two? Let’s take a look…

Day 1: Champion Hurdle – Constitution Hill

Constitution Hill has experienced a rapid ascent. Under the tutelage of Nicky Henderson, this bay gelding has set new records and outclassed its competitors. Its current season has been marked by several remarkable Grade 1 victories, making its 1/3 odds seem almost generous, believe it or not. The big question is not necessarily whether the horse will succeed in the Champion Hurdle, but by what margin.

Last year, he was similarly well-backed, just as he is this time around. And jockey Nico de Boinville didn’t disappoint, cruising to a resounding nine-length triumph. This year, Constitution Hill aims to follow in the footsteps of previous champion Honeysuckle, who won back-to-back races in 2021 and 2022. Winning consecutive races has become somewhat tradition in this Grade 1 extravaganza. The likes of the aforementioned champion, as well as Buveur d’Air and Hardy Eustace, have all won consecutive races since the turn of the millennium. Constitution Hill will be aiming to emulate those all-time greats.

Experts may occasionally depend on intuition, yet the reigning champion’s statistics speak the truth. Here, the advice is not to wager on the horse’s win, but to explore additional bets like victory margin or a forecast involving the runner-up. But nothing is ever guaranteed, especially at Cheltenham.

Over the years, frontrunners have tumbled, and a recent poor run from the odds-on favourite has the bookies spooked. So, does one rely on the consensus, or heed murmurs of a potential upset? The previous year’s second-place finisher, State Man, is anticipated to contend for triumph once more. Yet, the question lingers whether he has managed to close the nine-length distance gap from the past year.

Day 4: Gold Cup – Galopin Des Champs

Galopin Des Champs is the even-money favourite to win the coveted Cheltenham Gold Cup. And it’s not by chance. The horse’s class, consistency, and evident ability throughout the season indicate a strong contender at the festival. Having won the race last year as an odds-against favourite, he now enters the race as the one to beat, at even shorter odds. Last year, Galopin Des Champs managed to handle the pressure, but can he do the same this time around?

The Gold Cup frequently presents captivating stories – tales of heroic recoveries from injuries or opportunities for redemption after setbacks. The competition is teeming with such tales. Despite the reigning French champion showing no signs of being affected by them, these narratives inject a level of thrill and uncertainty that must be taken into account when shaping your betting strategy.

Can he and jockey Paul Townend prove that lightning does indeed strike twice, or will they crumble from two years of being in the spotlight?