Cheltenham Festival 2020 betting: Weekend evaluation sixteen and 17 November
Big meetings on either side of the Irish Sea meant there were numerous ante-post pointers on offer, for each the Festival and other seasonal highlights.
With high-class National Hunt action at each Cheltenham and Punchestown this weekend, there have been loads of performances that impacted the ante-post markets for the major events this season. Here are a few that had been notably noteworthy:
Thyme worth ready for
The opening day of Cheltenham’s three-day November fixture was lost to waterlogging so the track did remarkably well to empty in time for racing to take place on Saturday, however it was no place for the faint-hearted.
However, the situations did not stop the Philip Hobbs-trained Thyme Hill putting up an excellent display in the Grade 2 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, the gelded son of Kayf Tara, a fantastic third in final term’s Champion Bumper on the Cheltenham Festival, backing up the wonderful impression he made when successful in Grade 2 firm on his hurdles bow at Chepstow 5 weeks earlier.
Leading two out under Richard Johnson, he stayed on strongly up the hill (despite the champion jockey dropping an iron) and looks very much one to go to warfare with back at the Festival. He is now in to 12/1 (from 20’s) for the race of the identical name on March 11.
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Mullins stars back with a bang
It was heartwarming to see the Willie Mullins-trained star turns Douvan and Faugheen return to action on the again of prolonged absences and both won in good style at Cork and Punchestown respectively this weekend, although they still have a bit to show.
Douvan, having solely his third race in two-and-a-half years and first in 560 days, confirmed a lot of his old sprint underneath Paul Townend to comprehensively beat Jett in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase and was duly cut to simply 10/1 (from 33’s) for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Former Champion Hurdle winner Faugheen, who’ll have fun his 12th birthday in just over six weeks’ time, made a really late begin to his novice chase profession a winning one when scoring on his first outing of the campaign despite an almighty blunder at the eighth fence of Punchestown’s Naas Oil Beginners Chase.
His class noticed him through here as he made a few different errors, and he will have to leap a lot better to be a real contender for the JLT Novices Chase on the Cheltenham Festival, for which he has been reduced to 16/1 (from 33’s) on the back of his debut chase success.
Champion Hurdle Dream still alive and well
Prior to Saturday’s Grade 1 Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown, last season’s three-time Grade 1 winner Klassical Dream was 3/1 ante-post favorite for this season’s Champion Hurdle.
He travelled properly and looked the one to beat two from residence however might only carry on one paced approaching the last as his Willie Mullins-trained secure companion Saldier shot via to attain in good fashion, with Petit Mouchoir just nabbing second.
Bookmakers reacted by pushing Klassical Dream out to 5/1, whereas Saldier was minimize to an analogous price having been 14/1 going into the race.
I wouldn’t be too quick to give up on final season’s Supreme Novice Hurdle winner although. He should come on plenty for this first run of the time period and may still be Ireland’s main hope mid-afternoon on March 10.
Approach throws National hat into the ring
If you’re on the lookout for an early long-term ante-post funding for the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree in April, you would do worse than assist your self to a little of the 50/1 on supply from Paddy Power following the victory of Colin Tizzard’s West Approach in the Grade 3 Bet Victor Smartcards Handicap Chase, run over very almost three-and-a-half miles.
This half-brother to the high-class Thistlecrack has been irritating for much of his career but has shown some good form each over hurdles and fences.
On Saturday he was ridden to perfection by Robbie Power who just hunted him round for the primary three miles and solely stoked him up on the run back towards residence.
Gathering a correct head of steam, he surged into the lead after the final, then stayed on well to beat long-time leader Achille, and Potter’s Legend.
As he additionally handles a good surface, there could probably be a pleasant prize coming West Approach’s way this season, and he seems a proper National horse.
Shloer Chase highlights Tingle Creek candidates
Defi Du Seuil and Politologue fought out a fantastic finish to Sunday’s feature Grade 2 Shloer Chase at Cheltenham, the confirmed Grade 1 performers separated by simply over a length at the line.
The Barry Geraghty-ridden Defi Du Seuil received the higher of the argument in receipt of 3lbs, however both ought to pay their method this time period. The winner is now the clear 15/8 favourite for the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown subsequent month, while Politologue is a 5/1 probability for a similar event.