What the weekend means for Cheltenham Festival

Since winning the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase on Saturday, there has been small change to the odds for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham Festival, meaning the best odds you can acquire for this so far unbeaten gelding are 8/11, shortening as much to 8/13. Some bookies are taking no chances with the way Altior, who managed to fend off a rather valiant challenge from Un De Sceaux, went on to ease to victory despite a mistake on the 2nd.

Although Un De Sceaux showed a lot of promise at Sandown you can still get up to 20/1 odds to win the coveted Champion Chase. However, most bookies shortened slightly to 10/1.

Since the result of the Tingle Creek, Sceau Royal has seen his odds drift from a modest 10 to a more realistic 20/1 as well, based on the performance.

Min also sees shorter odds when favourite on Sunday at Punchestown, with Ruby Walsh holding the French gelding to a much needed reassuring victory, now at 12/1 since that result.

Great Field has also seen plenty of movement as he disappointed at Cork on Sunday, falling on just the 2nd hurdle. However, that trip shouldn’t prove the be all and end all of a horse still with great form. The odds however, are around the same mark as 2nd Un De Sceaux and 5th Sceau Royal at Sandown drifting to a similar 20/1.

The Kerry Group Hilly Way Chase saw Castlegrace Paddy easily led to victory and with that, beating the fallen Great Field, has now seen some bookies including him in the Champion Chase for an outside chance of 33/1.

With Kalashnikov still the favourite to win this one, there was a slight movement and hint towards that becoming more likely. The Henry VIII Novices’ Chase had favourite Lalor and contender for the Arkle Chase never on terms with the leaders and finished 10l behind the Dynamite Dollars. Lalor, the German chaser can now be seen at an 8/1 chance.

While Ruby Walsh won two in a row on board Getabird, on Sunday at Punchestown, showing a convincing victory. The favourite led well and finished even stronger to see the Willie Mullins chance horse shorten odds to as little as 8/1. The Arkle looks steeped in potential with movers this weekend as it becomes slightly trickier to call with the run in to the New Year.

There was just one mover this weekend for the Gold Cup, the favourite Definitly Red at 1/2 at Aintree on Saturday makes an interesting case for staying the distance against the likes of Bristol De Mai, Native River, Sizing John and Presenting Percy. Definitly Red can be seen as short as 20/1 since that victory confirmed the staying power but there are still some bookies not overly convinced and can be seen as the longer shot with plenty of other E/W chances until it gets closer to the big week, at 33/1.

The movers – (bottomline)(Max odds)
Altior - 8/11 Champion Chase