New Year shakes up Cheltenham Festival Betting Market

With so many star names in action over Christmas and the New Year it was inevitable that there would be some changes in the ante-post betting market for the Cheltenham Festival 2012.

The highlight of the festive season for many racing fans was the sensational fifth victory for Kauto Star, beating Gold Cup winner Long Run for the second time this season. Kauto Star has now established himself as the main rival to Long Run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup betting market. Long Run remains favourite at 5-2 with Kauto Star cut to 4-1 having been as high as 12-1 at the start of the season. Kauto Star re-wrote the record books when capturing his second Gold Cup in 2009 but will now be seeking to regain it for a second time in March.

Other significant changes in the Gold Cup betting were Grands Crus being cut to 7-1 third favourite after an impressive display at Kempton. However, David Pipe’s exciting grey is still a novice and has other options at the Festival. The other major contender to emerge over Christmas was Jonjo O’Neill’s Synchronised who beat some of Ireland’s best chasers when taking the Lexus Chase. This was a big step up in form for last year’s Welsh National winner and he has been introduced at 10-1 for the Gold Cup.

Perhaps the most impressive performance over Christmas came from Nicky Henderson’s novice chaser Sprinter Sacre who jumped his way to the head of the Arkle Chase betting with an emphatic win over Peddler’s Cross. Sprinter Sacre is now clear 5-2 favourite with Peddlers Cross out to 9-2.

The Champion Hurdle also received a shake up following the Christmas Hurdle in which former champion Binocular narrowly defeated Rock on Ruby. The former is now 8-1 third favourite with the progressive Rock on Ruby close up on 10-1. Reigning champion Hurricane Fly is still to make his seasonal reappearance and heads the market at 9-4. Unaccompanied recorded an impressive victory in Ireland and has been cut to 12-1.

Oscar Whiskey also put in a good performance at Cheltenham’s New Year meeting and has been cut to 11-2 second favourite behind Big Buck’s for the World Hurdle. Fingal Bay was more workmanlike in landing the odds in Newbury’s Challow Hurdle but remains 4-1 ante-post favourite for the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March.

Over the next few weeks the trainers will be mapping out their plans as they try to get their horses at the peak of their powers for Cheltenham. Several big names will shortly be making their reappearance including Hurricane Fly, Spirit Son and Zarkandar in the Champion Hurdle trials so there are bound to be plenty of changes in the market before the Festival gets underway on 13th March.