A banker for punters for each day of the upcoming Cheltenham Festival. (Photo credit: Cheltenham Racecourse).
The 2020 Cheltenham festival is now just a few weeks’ away, with connections starting to get their final prep runs into their contenders. Punters are getting their ante post selections together, as they look for the best tips available. With this being said, here we cover a selection to follow for each day of the upcoming meeting that kicks off on Tuesday 10th March.
Day one: Champions’ Day
The opening day of the festival is looking very competitive but you should look no further than Benie Des Dieux in the Mares hurdle. She will be many people’s idea of the banker across the four days and is a best priced 4/5 at present. She returned most recently with a breath-taking 21 length victory in the Galmoy hurdle and a similar performance would make her impossible to oppose. She of course fell in the Mares hurdle last year when set to land the race, so will be looking to put that right and win the race for the second time following her game victory in the 2018 running of the contest.
1/1111/F-111
She’s back!
Benie Des Dieux absolutely bolts up on her return and continues the fine record under Willie Mullins in the Galmoy Hurdle at @GowranPark1 ?
Results ? https://t.co/glajGV55GR pic.twitter.com/4omHVk00x1
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 23, 2020
Day two: Ladies Day
Day two of the festival is known as Ladies Day and is headed by the Champion Chase. However, it is Tiger Roll who is the day two banker. He heads into the Cross Country Chase looking to win the contest for the third year in succession and a fifth Cheltenham festival victory in his career. The two time Grand National winner will be looking to win at Cheltenham on his way to a defence at Aintree. If he returns in the same form as last season, then he is also one that is impossible to oppose and is the general 5/4 favourite at present.
Day three: St Patrick’s Day
Day three and the one to follow has to be Paisley Park in the Stayers’ hurdle. He is now the general 4/5 favourite and has won his last seven races in succession. This includes winning this race last season in impressive style. He has returned this season with two faultless victories and if in similar form is clearly the one to beat. Paisley Park also looks to have limited opposition, so is likely to be included in most people’s ante post bets across the four days.
What story it was on Thursday as Paisley Park has won the Sun Racing Stayers’ Hurdle at @CheltenhamRaces! pic.twitter.com/WJEFxOfi9i
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 16, 2019
Day four: Gold Cup Day
The final day of the festival is Gold Cup day, which appears the most difficult for punters, which is normally the case. There is no short priced banker but Thyme Hill would clearly be one to follow if taking up his chance in the Albert Bartlett, a race he is currently 5/1 to win. The horse is unbeaten in his three starts this season and was also only beaten just over two lengths by Envoi Allen in the bumper last season, when running third. He stayed on well to assert in his most recent start in the Grade One Challow at Newbury and if in similar form, looks tailor made for the likely test in the Albert Bartlett.
