The final race of the opening day of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival is the National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Riders’ Novices’ Chase (Grade 2). There are 14 entered for the contest which is at class 1.
There’s a long 3m 6f challenge ahead for the competitors. Heading up the market is the Willie and Patrick Mullins partnership of Carefully Selected.
Cheltenham Tuesday 17:30
Carefully Selected 13/8
Ravenhill 5/1
Lord Du Mesnil 7/1
Springfield Fox 7/1
Forza Milan 8/1
Newtide 8/1
Lamanver Pippin 16/1
Smoking Gun 20/1
The Hollow Gine 25/1
Redzor 25/1
Ocean Cove 40/1
Anteros 66/1
Clondaw Cian 80/1
Some Can Dance 80/1
* (betting odds taken from Paddy Power at 04:51 GMT on Monday, 8th March 2020)
Horse Racing Betting at Paddy Power
Table of Contents
Carefully Selected
Paddy Mullins will be in the saddle for Carefully Selected who is the 13/8 outright favourite in the National Hunt Challenge Cup* (betting odds taken from Paddy Power at 04:51 GMT on Monday, 8th March 2020).
His position looks fully justifiable as well with three straight wins (two Grade 2) under his belt heading to Cheltenham. The most recent of those chase successes was a 3m trip at Naas which should have sharpened him up for this one.
His jumping hasn’t quite always been out of the top drawer, but he looks well suited for the challenge.
Ravenhill
The closest to Carefully Selected in the market is Ravenhill, trained by Gordon Elliott. He is a decent hurdler but he will be looking to bounce back after falling at Navan in November last year on a 3m trip.
Ravenhill shouldn’t mind this longer trip at all and was a competitive 2nd at Listowel in early November at the Kerry National. He is at 5/1 to oppose the favourite with * (betting odds taken from Paddy Power at 04:51 GMT on Monday, 8th March 2020).
Key Facts – National Hunt Challenge Cup Betting Tip
- 10 of the last 14 winners have been 7 or 8 year olds
- All but 3 of the last 14 winners had preiovusly won once over at least 3m
- 10 of the last 14 winners had previously ran at Cheltenham
- 11 of the last 14 winners had won a race that season prior to Cheltenham
- Since 1992 only three favourites have won the race
- All but two of the last 9 winners were 8/1 or shorter
Lord Du Mesnil
Trained by Richard Hobson, Lord Du Mesnil may be able to make a decent impact in this fixture. His last race was a 3m 4f trip at Haydock where he just missed out on a four-timer. So his current form is well on the mark.
It was another superb performance from Lord Du Mesnil, who likes to get out in front. Of the contenders for the 2020 National Hunt Challenge Cup, he carries the experience of staying power over the longer trip.
He just looks primed having gone from strength to strength, to deliver something here.
The seven-year-old is a 7/1 option and will probably be seen later this season at the Grand National* (betting odds taken from Paddy Power at 04:51 GMT on Monday, 8th March 2020).
Springfield Fox
Another useful contender in the National Hunt Challenge Cup betting is Springfield Fox. He secured a debut chase success at Chepstow at the end of January 2020 and delivered another at Exeter in February at a 3m distance.
He really wasn’t challenged in either of those wins, but he looked sharp and was jumping really well. It’s been easy so far from him, will that continue as he heads to Cheltenham as a 7/1 option?* (betting odds taken from Paddy Power at 04:51 GMT on Monday, 8th March 2020)
Worthwhile mentions
Forza Milan has started to find a bit of rhythm again and was second to Carefully Selected on his last run, which was at Naas. He is still looking to strike successfully for the first time, however.
Newtide has won his last two runs and looks quite a handy chaser. He seems to like to dig in really tough conditions and get the job done. He’s unexposed though, despite successes at Ffos Las and this will, by and far, be the toughest race he has been in.
Ocean Cove has some outsider appeal in the Cheltenham 2020 betting. He looks like a really tidy stayer. His last run was at Exeter where he stayed on well for a second-place behind Springfield Fox. He was never going to close on the latter, but over a longer trip, he may come more into it.
The Colin Tizzard-trained Lamanver Pippin collected a win at Chepstow his chase debut in November last year. That was a 3m effort and showed a nice little progression from the seven-year-old. It was a comfortable win but is going to have to find a lot more at Cheltenham.
Predictions & Tips
We are siding with Lord Du Mesnil in this one. He does have the proven staying power of the longer distance and he is such a strong traveller that he can just grind this one out.
Lord Du Mesnil has been jumping well, so there are no issues there and although he missed on his four-timer on his last run, it was still a superb performance from him. He checks a lot of boxes for this fixture.
The outside chance that we would draw to a place finish would be Ocean Cove. He looks a spritely stayer and his 3m effort at Exeter recently and could enjoy the test going up the extra trip.
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