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Many of us won’t need reminding that the highlight of the National Hunt season is taking place in March, with Cheltenham providing us with four days of high quality horse racing that represent one of the busiest periods of the UK betting calendar.

Starting on Tuesday 16th March and finishing on Friday 19th March, this four-day period will see the bookmakers really go to town with their free bet offerings. With so many people wanting to bet on the Cheltenham Festival these days, you will see many bookies increase their new customer bonus, while existing customers can also expect to see a few emails in their inbox which offer them a free matched bet.

It doesn’t matter if you’re not the world’s biggest horse racing enthusiast as the bookmakers don’t always specifically require you to place qualifying or free bets on a particular market. Therefore, if you’re predominantly someone who bets on soccer, tennis or cricket, then you can often simply take advantage of the firms wanting to appeal to the many potential customers who will be betting on some or all of the twenty-six races that are being run at Cheltenham.

It’s particularly worth keeping your eyes peeled for what William Hill, Ladbrokes and Coral are prepared to offer new and existing customers. The ‘Big Three’ in terms of UK high street presence aren’t renowned for being overly generous with their free bet offering, although horse racing is a hugely important sport for these firms and we might expect to see them double their current £25 free bet offers or even quadruple them. Therefore, this might be the perfect time to open an account with these bookmakers if you haven’t already done so.

As far as betting on the Cheltenham Festival is concerned, the races are very competitive and it’s hard work to make a profit. If you are looking to place some horse racing wagers and increase your balance, you need to be disciplined and only pick a handful of races in which to place a bet. There are many ‘bankers’ that get tipped ahead of the Festival, although previous years have shown us that very few of these good things actually finish first in their race!

The highlight event of the week is the Gold Cup, which takes place on Friday 19th March. There’s the exciting prospect of Kauto Star and Denman going head-to-head once again, with Paddy Power offering a best price 11/8 that the former wins this race for the third time, although it was Denman who won the event in 2008. Ladbrokes offer 9/4 that no other runner lives with the high cruising speed of the Paul Nicholls horse.

Dunguib runs in the first race of the Festival and will be heavily backed to get the punters off to a flyer. Paddy Power and Coral both offer 5/6 that there plenty of hats thrown into the air as the horse passes the post in first place, and this appears to be one of the few occasions where an odds-on favourite merits the price.

Paddy’s Cheltenham Column – Day 4 (Friday 13th March) – Gold Cup

It’s fair to say we got absolutely gelded over the first two days at Cheltenham with punters making hay whilst the sun shined. But it’s all to play for in the final day today as yesterday was definitely one for the bookies. Perhaps like me the punters were being distracted by all the fine fillies on display for Ladies Day.

Leading with the biggest race of all – the Gold Cup – it’s going to be "hats orf" to Her Majesty if The Queen’s horse Barbers Shop comes home. In fact we’re seeing so much money for Nicky Henderson’s charge that a win for Barbers Shop could well decide whether it’s the punters or the bookies that finish on top at this year’s Festival.

Such is the fervour for Barbers Shop he’s already come in from 16/1 to 12/1 and I’ve no doubt the plunge will increase on him today. There’s certainly great potential in the horse and what a story it would be for Her Majesty to win the Gold Cup. However if Barbers Shop doesn’t win today, and the race may well be a year too early for him, then unless he puts in a stinker of a performance I’d say get on Barbers for the Gold Cup 2010 as soon as today’s race is over!

Our other big loser in the race is the wonderful Kauto Star. You’ve got to love Kauto, and plenty of you out there are on him, but no horse has ever reclaimed the Gold Cup. I’d love to see him do it but it’s a mighty big ask. And nobody is fancying Denman to defend his title this time round, not even his trainer, so you can put a line through the big tank for this year.

For believers in the fates of Friday 13th, horse number 13 Neptune Collonges could well prove lucky for you and should go close but if he’s 5/1 I don’t understand how Exotic Dancer can be 9/1.  Exotic would surely have beaten him or at least been very close when Neptune fell in the Lexus. I also quite like the look of Alberta’s Run if the ground continues to come for him and wouldn’t put you off having a few each way quid on him.

Elsewhere the Triumph Hurdle looks to be an interesting race and I’ve been hearing good things from Nicky Henderson and David Pipe about Master Of Arts. You don’t get a much better pair of judges than that so who am I to disagree?

I’ve also got my eyes on the favourite in the Vincent O’Brien, Dave’s Dream. Not just because we’re paying five places in the race but owner Nicky Henderson is looking to scoop 75 grand off me as a bonus for Dave’s Dream winning last week’s Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown and again here at Cheltenham. Nicky, you’ll find me taking respite in the Guinness Village if your boy comes home!

Does the bank manager, in the traditional sense of the term, still exist? I’m asking because, in these days of direct debits and internet banking, I rarely go into my high street branch nowadays. If he does, and I have one, I would just like to apologise in advance for extending my overdraft this week without his permission but ask him to understand that the Cheltenham Festival only comes around once a year and, thank goodness, only lasts four days. After a promising start, I’m afraid my fortunes have nose-dived in the same manner as a cormorant might drop in on a sardine so forgive me if I appear to be chasing my money here. However, there’s nothing fishy over Aachen’s chances in the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle, the second race on the card on the final day of The Festival. A prolific winner on the Flat for Andre Fabre in France, the five-year-old has made a successful transition to hurdles, with his six-length defeat of Big Eared Fran at Taunton working out particularly well. The runner-up won a Grade 3 handicap at Sandown on Saturday and is the 5-1 favourite for the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (William Hill and Victor Chandler) later in the afternoon. That will be off a mark of 133 so the less-exposed Aachen’s introductory rating of 142 appears by no means harsh and I’ll be attempting to get out of trouble with either totesport or Paddy Power, who are both going 9-1 about the Rainbow Quest gelding whose trainer Venetia Williams landed a big-price handicap double on day three. The Gold Cup is, of course, the feature on the final day and I’m sticking with the sentiments outlined last week that Exotic Dancer (still available at 10-1) could be the value in the race against Paul Nicholls‘ trio of classy chasers. Cape Tribulation (a general 7-2) should also be the one to beat in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle. Let’s hope some of my bank manager’s money is still in my pocket by the time that comes around!

A further four Irish winners at Cheltenham today has made a bad situation worse for the bookmakers.  Top Irish bookie Paddy Power claims to have been "absolutely gelded" by the run of results at Cheltenham today.

Punters had to pinch themselves to make sure they were not dreaming as several Festival hotpots romped home at the Prestbury Park today including the Willie Mullins Irish favourite Cooldine and outright Festival banker, Master Minded.

Paddy Power said "Suffice to say Willie Mullins is off our Christmas card list. This afternoon Cooldine finished off what Quevega started yesterday.  We’ve been well and truly gelded by the Carlow man. Punters 2, bookies 0!"

CHELTENHAM 3 DAY SPECIALS

Paying 5 Places in;

·         Pertemps Final (2.05pm)

·         Festival Plate Handicap Chase (4pm) 

·         Kim Muir Handicap Chase (4.40pm)

ANTEPOST BETTING

Thursday – Ladbrokes World Hurdle

11-10 Kasbah Bliss; 7-2 Punchestowns; 13-2 Big Buck’s ; 12 Fair Along;  25 Mobaasher; 25 Blazing Bailey, Powerstation, 33 Mighty Man; Tazbar; 40 Bar

¼ odds 1, 2, 3

Friday – Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup

15-8 Kauto Star; 5 Neptune Collonges; 6 Denman; 9 Madison Du Berlais, Exotic Dancer; 12 Barbers Shop; 16 Albertas Run; 20 Air Force One; 25 Star De Mohaison; 50 Bar ¼ odds 1, 2, 3

Bet at  Paddy Power

The overturn of Binocular by stablemate Punjabi in the Champion Hurdle wasn’t anticipated in this column but maybe we can forgive AP McCoy, who must have expended most of his energy in getting our 7-1 advice Wichita Lineman home in the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase 40 minutes earlier. With 20-1 tip Nenuphar Collonges also grabbing a place, it turned out to be a profitable race for us and added to Arkle Trophy winner Forpadydeplasterer (highlighted at 10-1) made a successful first day. Of course, there’s still plenty of time for the layers to regain ground but let’s hope it’s not via Diamond Harry in the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle. Nick Williams thinks the world of his unbeaten 6-year-old and, though he didn’t impress everyone with the manner of his latest victory here in January, that was on very heavy ground. I believe Diamond Harry is simply the best horse in this race and will be backing him again at what is a very generous 9-2 with bet365 and Victor Chandler. The RSA Chase is a difficult puzzle to solve – will Cooldine (9-2 with Coral) prove as effective over this longer trip, or has Ruby Walsh made a mistake in getting off the proven 11-2 shot What A Friend? For what it’s worth I’d be prepared to take both on with Killyglen. Howard Johnson doesn’t enter his horses at The Festival unless he thinks they’ve got a realistic chance of going home with some prize money and I’ve been taken with this son of Presenting in his two wins over the larger obstacles. This is always a gruelling test for novices but Killyglen has plenty in his favour and boylesports and Paddy Power’s 14-1 is mighty tempting. Day two’s final advice is for a little each-way interest on Balzaccio in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle. An eye-catching 20-1 with boylesports, given the strength of his team it’s interesting that Alan King rates his 4-year-old as the best-handicapped horse he has entered at Cheltenham this week. Reported to have come on in leaps and bounds after a short break, Balzaccio could just have a little more scope than better-fancied rivals.

One unbelievably lucky Paddy Power punter will be raising a toast to the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival after her €6 each-way bet returned a staggering €131,120.  The Cork punter predicted the first four winners in the opening quartet of races at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.

Her bet got off to a winning start when Irish raider Go Native easily beat the hot favourite Cousin Vinny in the Supreme Novice Hurdle at odds of 12/1.  Forpadydeplasterer duly obliged in the second race at odds of 9/1.

Champion jockey A.P. McCoy came to the rescue in the third just getting up to win the William Hill Handicap Chase on Wichita Lineman at odds of 6/1.  And in a nail biting climax to the wager complete outsider Punjabi just held off the red-hot favourite Binocular in the Champion Hurdle at odds of 25/1 triggering the €131,120 for the shrewd Cork lady.

Paddy Power said "Getting one winner at the Festival is good going but getting the opening four in a row is the stuff of legend.  I’m backing whatever she is tomorrow!"

The burning question then, on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival - will the rest of the Champion Hurdle line-up need field glasses to see which way Binocular went? Bookmakers certainly think so with the Nicky Henderson-trained five-year-old a best 15-8 with Victor Chandler and Paddy Power to go one better than he did in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Festival. Binocular hasn’t looked back since then, scoring at Aintree on his final start of last season and recording two wins this winter, being particularly impressive on his latest start at Ascot when trouncing Celestial Halo (again), defending champion Katchit and Crack Away Jack. They only cloud on the horizon (or should that be clouds?) as far as I’m concerned is the forecast for heavy rain on Monday night, which might blunt some of Binocular’s famed acceleration. But he is undoubtedly the one to beat and my advice would be if you don’t want to back him at relatively restrictive odds, just enjoy the race as a spectacle. Cousin Vinny will be another short-priced favourite in the opening Supreme Novices’ Hurdle but this could be a market leader worth opposing. The subject of a real gamble in the last few weeks, last year’s Festival Bumper is now on the drift following reports that he hasn’t travelled well over from Ireland. Put that alongside the relative inexperience of his big-race pilot and the fact that he’ll have to step up significantly on what he’s achieved so far over timber to win this and you can figure out why a general 3-1 makes little appeal. Instead, how about a little interest in stablemate Kempes? A very smart performer on the flat, he is improving fast over hurdles and goes on any ground – Coral’s 12-1 is just too big for an unexposed Willie Mullins‘ novice. I mentioned overnight rain earlier and a deluge would certainly enhance the prospects of Nenuphar Collonges in the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase. Currently priced up at a general 20-1, layers seem to have ignored how well the eight-year-old has run in defeat in a couple of high-class staying handicaps since scoring under a big weight on his reappearance at Bangor. A winner over hurdles at last year’s Festival. Alan King’s charge has stamina in abundance and, along with Jonjo O’Neill’s potentially well-handicapped novice Wichita Lineman (7-1 with Sportingbet and Paddy Power) is arguably the pick of the weights in this. No round up of day one would be complete without mentioning the Arkle Challenge Trophy and, as we gave a good word for Calgary Bay (now a widely-availabe 6-1) last week, let me also pass on a whisper for Thomas Cooper’s Forpadydeplasterer. Chasing was always going to be his game and, though narrrowly beaten on his last three starts, his sound jumping will be a big plus in what is sure to be a strongly-run race, as his ability to stay further. At a general 10-1, he looks a solid each-way investment.

Paddy Power have invited an exclusive panel of horse racing experts to share their previews for the Cheltenham Festival, one for everyday of the festival. Hear the tips and suggestions of Andrew McNamara, Brian Flanagan, Jessica Harrington, The Couch and Derek Thompson.

Cheltenham Festival Previews
   
Tuesday (Champion Hurdle)
   

Wednesday (Queen Mother Champion Chase)
   

Thursday (World Hurdle)
   

Friday (Gold Cup)
   

Bet with Paddy Power

Royal Ascot, The Derby, Glorious Goodwood, Punchestown. All great occasions but for most horse racing enthusiasts, nothing quite matches the excitement (or the ability to empty the pocket) of the Cheltenham Festival and those who believe that short-priced favourites in many of the championship races mean that this year’s betting bonanza will be more predictable than the norm – think again! Take the Gold Cup, for example.

With reigning champion Denman noticeably under par when well beaten by Madison du Berlais on his belated reappearance at Kempton, everybody has been keen to jump aboard 2007 champion Kauto Star. They forget, however, that the multiple Grade 1 winner will have to do what no horse has ever done before (i.e. regain chasing’s Blue Riband) and his tendency to ‘miss out’ the odd fence means his best quote of 15-8 (sportingbet, William Hill and extrabet) is singularly unatttractive.

Stablemate Neptune Collonges, third last year and 6-1 with sportingbet, Ladbrokes and William Hill, has his supporters but can anyone explain to me why he should be half the odds of Exotic Dancer? You see, I’m not convinced the grey would have held off the latter at Leopardstown in December had he stayed on his feet and Jonjo O’Neill has deliberately given the nine-year-old a relatively light campaign this winter as he bids to build on his third and fifth in previous Gold Cups. At 12-1 with sportingbet, Ladbrokes and extrabet, Exotic Dancer appeals as the value at this late stage.

By contrast in the Champion Hurdle, I think the layers may have got it right. Binocular was the best two-mile novice hurdler around last year and has progressed again this season. Tony McCoy hardly had a moment’s worry as the five-year-old cruised to victory at Ascot in December and, though now only a best 13-8 with bet365 and sporting bet, Binocular looks the one to beat. Reigning champion Katchit didn’t do himself justice at Ascot but Cheltenham brings out the best in him and at 16-1 with Ladbrokes he certainly warrants an each-way interest.

And what of the other races? Well Diamond Harry has impressed me in looks and ability every time I’ve seen him and can still be backed at 4-1 with bet365, sportingbet and Paddy Power for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle, while Gone to Lunch looks to have ideal credentials for the RSA Chase. Jerry Scott’s chestnut (a general 8-1) jumps well and will be able to maintain an end-to-end gallop better than most. Ireland, of course, will also have their share of winners and should again dominate the Festival Bumper in particular. Dermot Weld’s Rite Of Passage (a general 10-1) may well be a star in the making and could thwart the Willie Mullins team in Wednesday’s finale and I think former Festival winner Drombeag may be the pick of Enda Bolger’s challengers in the Cross Country Chase. At 14-1 with Paddy Power and Stan James, he’s the final name in this hopeful punter’s ante-post portfolio. Good luck!

Paddy Power is renowned for its special bets, refunds and general sheer-madness and to celebrate this year’s Cheltenham Festival, the world’s most generous bookmaker has gone stark raving bonkers and come up with an amazing Money-Back Special on the opening contest, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

If Cousin Vinny wins the two-miler on Tuesday, Paddy Power will refund all losing win and each-way singles on the race.

The six-year-old is currently trading as 5-2 favourite with Paddy Power with his nearest rival in the market, Torphichen, at 5-1. Should Cousin Vinny prevail, the bookie has absolutely no idea what the turnover is likely to be on the race this year, especially as with the strength of this offer, punters would be crazy to bet anywhere else on the race which could well lead to a record payout.

Last year’s renewal of the Supreme was fifth highest at slightly over 2 million in terms of Paddy Power’s turnover of all of the races at the Festival behind the Gold Cup in pole position.

Cousin Vinny was a revelation in last year’s Weatherbys Champion Bumper at this event, proving three and a quarter lengths too powerful for Corskeagh Royale. He has won two hurdles this season. Last time he was robbed of victory in the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown last month, when he was cantering all over the eventual winner but stumbled after the last obstacle giving Patrick Mullins no chance of staying in the saddle.

The son of Bob Back also holds an engagement in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and if trainer Willie Mullins decides to bypass the Supreme, this one-off super-special bet will revert to whichever horse is sent off favourite in the Supreme.

Paddy Power spokesman Paddy Power said:  “With the current state of the financial sector it looks like Vinny will be the only Irish banker to do punters a favour this year!”

But it certainly spices up an already intriguing race and any punters not betting with Paddy Power this Cheltenham want their heads examined.

Paddy Power’s super-special follows on from the bookie’s decision to pay out on Master Minded to win the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Festival on any ante-post singles placed on Paul Nicholls’ brilliant chaser almost two months before he even goes to post in the championship contest.

That pay out came on January 19 and was prompted by the fact that Paddy Power has never had a shorter ante-post Cheltenham favourite than Master Minded and came to the conclusion that morning that ‘enough is enough’, the horse is unbeatable and it’s time to reward punters by paying out early.

Anyone who had backed Master Minded with Paddy Power from a high of 6-4 to then current price of 1-3 before 10am that morning were paid out as if Ruby had already crossed the line.