Santini and Champ among our top five worst Cheltenham Fest results
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With the Cheltenham Festival just around the corner, our traders have revealed their five biggest ante-post liabilities across the four-day event.
Last year Getabird was the worst result in the book. But how will the punters’ picks fare this time around? Let us take you through this year’s five to be feared…
Santini – RSA Chase
Our traders are dreading a fourth RSA Chase win for Nicky Henderson more than another bout of equine influenza – and with good reason. Santini has been the favourite for some time.
The seven-year-old boasts the standout form ahead of the race, including when finishing third behind Topofthegame and dual Grade 1 winner La Bague Au Roi at Kempton in December.
After finishing third in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle last term, he’s 11/4 to go two better over fences in the RSA.
Paisley Park – Stayers’ Hurdle
Time ago Paisley Park was 14/1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle. Not anymore. Emma Lavelle’s stable star is now as short as 9/4 for the race after a huge victory over course and distance in the Cleeve Hurdle.
The Oscar gelding has had most of the market principles behind him at one stage or another this season. Only Penhill has been absent from the seven-year-old’s four wins since reappearance.
With that in mind it’s easy to see why punters have latched onto the seven-year-old. Our traders will be hoping jockey Aidan Coleman’s rotten Festival record keeps up in 2019 to deny the raider.
Fakir D’oudairies – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien is a man in form. The son of flat supremo Aidan racked up a pair of winners and a bundle of places at the recent Dublin Racing Festival.
Fakir D’oudairies wasn’t involved at Punchestown. But he remains unbeaten in two starts since joining the yard from Guy Cherel in December 2018.
He’s 5/1 to rattle off the hat-trick in the Supreme, and after blitzing the field by 13l in The Finesse Hurdle at Cheltenham in January, it’s not hard to see why the Kapgarde gelding is so feared.
Champ – Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
Tony McCoy cost our traders a fair few quid in his time. Now the horse named after the legend could be about to do the same in the Ballymore.
Another from the Henderson clan, the seven-year-old has been different gravy this term when registering wins in the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle and Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.
With stablemate Birchdale likely to be aimed at the Albert Bartlett, we reckon the Ballymore is Champ’s to lose at 3/1.
Ok Corral – National Hunt Chase
Henderson always has plenty of ammunition at Cheltenham, although our traders fear a bun fight rather than a gunfight when it comes to prospective National Hunt challenger Ok Corral.
The nine-year-old is a two-time winner over 3m this term. Derek O’Connor’s presence in the saddle last time out makes him a good bet for the 3m 7f contest on the opening day, where he’s currently 3/1.
Click here for all our 2019 Cheltenham Festival odds.
All Odds and Markets correct as of date of publication
