Cheltenham betting guide and tips for beginners
The Cheltenham Festival is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious horse racing events in the world. Set in the rolling hills of the breathtaking Cotswolds, this is a festival that is famed as much for its location as it is for its high-octane horse racing.
Indeed, the eyes of the world turn to this picturesque spa town at the start of England’s spring every year and without fail, the spectacle on offer never disappoints. The racing itself and accompanying itinerary, however, can be overwhelming for beginners who want to bet on the festival which is why a Cheltenham betting beginners guide will come in handy if you need to be brought up to speed.
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One of the important points to keep in mind is that 28 races take place over four days. On each day from Tuesday to Friday, one signature race will take place. These go in order of the Champion Hurdle on day one, the Queen Mother Champion Chase on day two, the Stayers’ Hurdle on day three, and the world-famous Cheltenham Gold Cup on day four.
The Gold Cup is without a doubt the biggest race of the festival. A look at the latest odds for each frontrunner is a good place to start when trying to pick a winner for these four races.
Cheltenham betting guide for experts
If you’re an expert on the Cheltenham festival then you will know that this is an event that is renowned for producing the odd upset over the four days that it is held. With that said, any Cheltenham Festival betting guide you read will typically lean heavily towards backing the historically successful horses.
Chiefly, this is down to the trend Cheltenham has for producing repeat winners – who can forget when Big Buck’s ridden by Ruby Walsh won the Stayers’ Hurdle four years in a row from 2009 to 2012? Another point to keep in mind before betting is that there are two courses used at the Cheltenham Festival, with racing on Tuesday and Wednesday taking place on the old course – a design that is suited to the horses that are prolific gallopers.
Meanwhile, the action on Thursday and Friday is held on the new course which is a setup that is intended to test a horse’s stamina. Taking into account the characteristics of a certain course is the cornerstone of any Cheltenham betting guide as it will help you make an informed decision on a potential winner.
Best Cheltenham betting strategies
The old adage which dictates that by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail, certainly rings true when it comes to betting at the Cheltenham Festival. This is why it’s integral that you have several Cheltenham betting strategies in mind before the iconic event begins to maximize your potential profits.
To begin with, one of the smartest things you can do is to decide how much you are prepared to bet throughout the festival and then stick to it. With a set figure in mind, you can focus on the events that are likely to offer a return instead of being overly speculative before every race begins.
To get the best inside track on likely winners, pick up a Cheltenham Festival racecard which will provide invaluable insight into all the horses’ current from as well as the stables they come from. Essentially, with an ear to the ground, you will increase your chances of receiving a tidy payout.
Different types of Cheltenham Festival bets you can place online
The most popular online bet you can place at the Cheltenham Festival is a single. The beauty is in the simplicity as you are simply choosing what horse you think will win the race from the outright online markets.
If sticking it all on one horse is a strategy you would rather avoid then the good news is that you can choose from online place betting as well which lets you pick a horse that will finish in the top three positions – thus reducing your risk. For the more daring, you will often find that online betting lends itself to building value-packed accumulators.
From four folds to a Super Heinz, in the blink of an eye, you can have a Cheltenham Festival bet slip that reads 1000/1. Yes, the odds are higher but so are the rewards which is why accumulator betting is a firm favourite for Cheltenham enthusiasts. Just ask professional golfer Lee Westwood who won £48,200 from a £240 stake on day two of the Cheltenham Festival in 2019 when six of his seven Super Heinz selections landed.
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