Whilst bookies are not offering Non-Runner No Bet as of yet, there is still some great ante-post selections for next year's Cheltenham Festival. We have our five favourite selections below.
Five Antepost Selections for Cheltenham 2019
SAMCRO – JLT Novices Chase & RSA Chase 8/1
Samcro is considered by many race fans as the most exciting horse in training over obstacles. The six-year-old Gigginstown runner had a tremendous season as a five-year-old. He won his first four outing over hurdles including an emphatic victory in the Ballymore Novices hurdle at Cheltenham festival.
However, his seven race unbeaten career record came to an end at the Punchestown Festival after he fell after going off odds-on favourite for the Champion Hurdle. That has left questions mark on whether he will remain over hurdles with connections saying it is 50/50.
Considering Buveur D’Air will be contesting the Champion Hurdle again it would be no surprise if the horses goes for one of the major Chases. Odds of 8/1 would crash in if he did, and it is worth covering both races.
BUVEUR D’AIR – CHAMPION HURDLE 3/1
Whilst no horse has completed a hattrick of Champion Hurdle wins since the great Istabraq, Buveur D’Air looks capable of emulating that feat. This is an ante-post bet you can make knowing the horse will absolutely go for the race barring injury, and the horses likely to be going against him do not look to have the ability to overturn a horse only beaten once over obstacles in his thirteen runs.
The price of 3/1 is huge with the horse likely to be odds-on by the day. With his main rival in the market being the above mentioned Samcro, they will drop further if as we suspect Gigginstown focus on the JLT Novices Chase or RSA Chase.
The third favourite is the horse he beat last year whilst the bigger priced horses look to have far too much to find on form. Grab the 3/1 now before the price becomes unbackable.
APPLES JADE – STAYERS HURDLE 14/1
The big danger here is if Apples Jade is sent for the Mares Hurdle, a race that she disappointed in last year, managing to only finish third at odds of ½. Up to the point she had been a revelation, winning five races dating back and including the Mares hurdle the previous year.
The horse, trained by Gordon Elliott, has always looked like the horse may want further and she is an extremely classy Filly. Faugheen currently heads the market at 5/1 but his best years are long behind him.
The price of Apples Jade is merely reflective of the fact they think she will go for the Mares Hurdle, a race she is currently priced at 5/1 for. Take the chance she goes for the Stayers, if she does your 14/1 is magnificent value.
PRESENTING PERCY – CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP 6/1
Presenting Percy for trainer Patrick Kelly. This seven year old has been an ultra consistent hurdler and now chaser for many years but this year we really think he can be the horse to go on and win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
This is why we have added this horse to our ante post selections. The majority of the jumps racing world will know or should know who this Irish based horse is after winning at the Cheltenham Festival for back to back years.
His first winner at the festival came in 2017 when he won the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle and really made a name for himself on the big stage. This year he backed this up in sublime fashion by easily romping home to take the Grade 1 RSA Chase and set a marker for next season.
Now the season is upon us the obvious step up for this horse, who we know stays longer than three miles would be the Gold Cup and the jockey who has rode him most his career, Davy Russell thinks so too.
It is all down to his owners with what actual race he will be put in, if fit for the Cheltenham Festival but we think if he is supplemented he is the one to beat this season in the Gold Cup on the Friday.
DOUVAN – CHAMPION CHASE 10/1
Whilst Altior will be a likely short priced favourite we believe odds of 10/1 for Willie Mullins trained Douvan is far better value. The horse was travelling like a dream in this race last year before falling and proved the huge amount of ability he had shown when winning at the festival in 2015 and 2016 is still very much there.
Incredibly last year’s run at the festival was the horses first run since disappointing in the race the previous year at odds of 2/9. His last outing was a creditable second to Un De Sceaux, a race in which he had Min in behind.
Min Pushed Altior mightily close in the Champion Chase in which Douvan fell and on that form line you would much rather take the 10/1 on Douvan than the 5/4 on offer for Altior. Altior is unbeaten over obstacles, but Douvan can end that run on Wednesday of the festival.