The Cheltenham Festival is certainly one of the biggest betting weeks of the year and as punters get their bets ready, they will be looking at the vast range of markets available other than just the race winners.One of those markets is ‘top trainer’ and here we have a look at how Sky Bet have priced up the market ahead of the big week.
In what will be no surprise to racing fans, Willie Mullins finds himself as the top of the betting but his price of 1/5 with Sky Bet is the shortest in years due to the unforeseen circumstances surrounding Gordon Elliott.
Mullins has gained some animation from Elliott, such as the highly regarded Sir Gerhard, who has enhanced Mullins’ chance in the Cheltenham bumper, with him already housing the race favourite, Kilcruit.
Mullins has already won the race a record 10 times and looks a shoo-in for an 11th. And to add to that, the Closutton trainer has arguably the banker of the week in Monkfish in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and an odds - on shot in Chacun Pour Soi for the Champion Chase, who Mullins will be hoping can give him first victory in that race and it’s not difficult to see why he’s as short as 1/5.
The 68-year-old could get off to the perfect start with Appreciate It, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle favourite and has Gold Cup favourite Al Boum Photo, looking it to make it three successive wins. It is hard to see past the Irish master this year.
Like Mullins, Henry De Bromhead has also received some of Elliott’s horses, with the main one being Envoi Allen, who is a short-priced favourite in the Marsh Novices’ Chase. Sky Bet make De Bromhead a 6/1 shot to take the trainers title and has more firepower this year than ever before.
Star mare Honeysuckle won at the festival last year and is the current champion hurdle favourite whilst Ballyadam and Quilixios are also ex-Elliott horses who go to the Supreme and Triumph with a live chance. The 48-year-old will also be looking to win the biggest prize of them all, the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Last year’s RSA second, Minella Indo, has been slightly disappointing this season but could run well but his main hope will be A Plus Tard, who was an impressive Grade one winner at Christmas and at 6/1 with Sky Bet, De Bromhead certainly seems the play if you want to take on Willie Mullins.
It is difficult to see many other trainers getting involved but Nicky Henderson usually has a few festival winners, and he is a 9/1 shot with Sky Bet.
Henderson will be hoping Champ can deliver the Gold Cup whilst Epatante is also back defending her Champion Hurdle crown and Altior goes for fifth festival win in the Champion Chase.
No doubt, however, the Seven Barrows trainer’s best chance of the week is Shishkin, who Henderson will be hoping can deliver him a seventh Arkle Chase.
This may be a name unknown to some however Foster has replaced Gordon Elliott as trainer in his yard and will run the horses who were not moved.
She is a 12/1 to be top trainer and whilst the likes of no Envoi Allen has made her life a little harder, she still has many horses in with a chance. Her best chance of the week is likely to be Zanahiyr, who is favourite for the Triumph hurdle and also has Albert Bartlett hopes Fakiera and Torygraph.
Foster is also likely to be well represented in the handicaps, which could boost her winners for the week, such as Farclas in the Paddy Power Plate and Wide Receiver in the Martin Pipe.