There's
plenty of talk about this year's Cheltenham Festival Gold Cup.
From
the 13th - 16th March, Cheltenham, Prestbury Park, Gloucestershire,
come alive with National Hunt racing of the highest order.
According to William Hill, Might Bite is favourite to win at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
With a host of Grade 1 races, punters have plenty of choice. In
truth, the Cheltenham Gold Cup is the pinnacle of National Hunt
racing. Few races capture the attention more than this historic
steeplechase. A grueling 3 miles 2 1/2f. Twenty-two fences. A helter skelter of sharp left turns. This Grade 1 race is open to horses aged
five years and older.
Where
is your money going?
Inaugurated
in 1924, Red Splash took the spoils for trainer Fred Withington,
ridden by jockey Dick Rees.
Golden
Miller won this race five consecutive years (1932 - 1936). He also
won the Grand National 1934.
Other
exceptional talents include Best Mate who won three times (2002, 2003
& 2004) for trainer Henrietta Knight, ridden Jim Culloty in the
ownership of Jim Lewis.
Kauto
Star is still held in esteem by many modern punters for Paul
Nicholls, ridden by Ruby Walsh. The only horse to regain his title.
Sizing
John who won last year for trainer Jessica Harrington, ridden by
Robbie Power. Minella Rocco and Native River finishing second and
third, respectively. Sizing John is one of few horses hoping to
make this consecutive wins.
This
year's Gold Cup takes place on 16th March - 3:30 Cheltenham.
Might
Bite could well start favourite for this year's race. Nicky Henderson
has fighting chance of following in the hoof prints of Bob's Worth
who won for the stable back in 2013. His leading challenger Might
Bite is
a
nine-year-old bay gelding owned by The Knot Again Partnership. This
son of Scorpion has a great profile. Five wins on the bounce,
favourite on each of these contests, when backed to odds as short as
1/7f. An official rating of 169 brings added credentials. William
Hill have Might Bite priced 3/1. In 2013 Bob's Worth won by seven
lengths when starting 11/4f.
Sizing
John, last year's winner, is likely to put down a stiff challenge.
How
many favourites win?
In
the last 15 years 8 favourites have won featuring a strike rate of
53%. Impressive, hey? When you consider 6 other winners have been
priced less than 10/1 it proves the point that favourites hold a big
advantage. The only big priced winner in the last 20 years being Lord
Windermere (2014) who scramble home by a short head at odds of 20/1.
In 1990, Norton's Coin made history as the biggest priced winner at
100/1, when foiling Desert Orchid from making it consecutive wins
after beating Yahoo in the mud in 1989.
Conclusion:
In the last 17 years a solitary horse has won at odds bigger than
8/1. If that characteristic follows suit, it could well pay to stick
with the favourites. With favourites achieving a 40% strike rate in
the last decade Might Bite could be a jolly punters take out their
wallet to bet big.
A
race to savour.