Reporting from Bet Chat HQ, Northern Ireland…
It’s almost here.
In less than six days, we’ll all be knee deep in the Cheltenham Festival, roaring home winners, gasping at fallers, and generally having a right old whale of a time.
Or, at least, that’s what we should be doing.
Cheltenham can be anything but fun if you go into it unprepared, relying on nothing but dumb luck, and that’s why today I thought I’d share my top tips for ensuring that you back a few winners but, even more importantly, enjoy the week.
Here goes…
Set aside a bank and do not chase
I know it’s boring, but I’ve put this up first for a reason – there’s nothing that spoils what should otherwise be a fun event more than losing money that you really can’t afford to be losing.
Unlike your run of the mill, day to day racing, there’s nothing wrong with having an interest in every race at the Festival – it’s a once a year occasion after all, and every horse is in it to win it – but do adjust your stakes accordingly…
There are 28 races at the Festival, so if you plan on having a bet in all/most of them, and you can only afford to risk, say, £300, don’t start the week by staking 50 quid in each race. Trust me, that won’t end well!
Personally, I already know pre-Festival the handful of races which I have strong fancies in (usually the non-handicaps), and so I know that I’ll save my chunkier stakes for those contests…
As for the other ones, I’ll start at a reasonable level – say, £10-20 per race – and adjust that during the week depending on how it’s going…
And by that, I mean staking a little more if it’s going well, and a little less if it’s going badly, NOT the other way around.
Course (and festival) form is crucial
Cheltenham, more than possibly any other racetrack in the UK, is a place where course form carries huge significance…
Add to that strong form at the Festival, and there’s a very good chance you’re onto a winner.
This is a week that has had many, many repeat winners down the years (such as our headline horse, Golden Ace, already unbeaten in two Festival races). The fact is, some horses just enjoy the hubbub more, and excel up the famous hill.
If you want a shortcut to finding likely winners (or, at least, placers), focus on the horses that have good course form, good Festival form and – in the handicaps – good form in big fields.
Look for and take advantage of bookie offers
Free bets, money back specials, enhanced place terms, (genuine) price boosts… Cheltenham is packed full of them.
As much as you possibly can – take advantage.
Personally, I have very few unrestricted bookie accounts left available to me, but even I’ll be able to profit from a few of these offers, so you will likely be able to as well. Simply put, they are a very easy way to lock in guaranteed value and make profiting from the week a whole lot easier.
Based on recent years, bet365 (good boosts), Sky (good boosts and free bets), Tote (money back if 2nd), Paddy (various), Betfred, William Hill, Unibet, 888, Spreadex, Coral, Ladbrokes and a host of other major players will have offers worth partaking in.
You don’t have to bet in every race
Despite what I said earlier, you don’t HAVE to bet in every race and, just like the rest of the year, it does pay to specialise, so stake accordingly.
Unless I have any free bets knocking about that need using up, I never bet on the Champion Bumper (a flat race) or the Fred Winter (a handicap for 4 year olds).
Why? For exactly the same reason that I don’t bet on Estonian volleyball – I would just be guessing.
ENJOY IT
Most of all, do remember throughout the week that this is all supposed to be good fun. The Cheltenham Festival only comes once a year, and it showcases the very best of the best jumps horses, competing at the very highest level.
Obviously, nobody likes to lose, and so if the week doesn’t go for you from a betting perspective, then it may not be a classic, but there should still be some joy to be gleaned from it. After all, if you can’t enjoy this, and this is one of your main interests/hobbies, what’s the point?!
The world can be a thoroughly unpleasant place, and so it’s on all of us to make the most of the bright spots as best we can…
With that in mind, the very best of luck to you next week, and I hope you have a ball.
