As we race towards the biggest horse racing jumps meeting of the year, we take an early look at the Cheltenham Festival bankers for 2024 and which runners punters will already be eyeing up for their big doubles, trebles and accas over the huge four-day meeting in March.
Cheltenham Festival Bankers 2024: FIVE Horses Punters Will Already Be Latching Onto
With the busy Christmas period and the Dublin Racing Festival in early February providing many Cheltenham Festival banker clues, we take a look at which horses the best UK horse racing betting sites are already running scared of over the four day meeting.
Plus, with some bookmakers now going ‘Non-Runner, No Bet’ on ALL 28 Cheltenham Festival ante-post races, then punters can start planning their wagers with the safety net of knowing if their horses doesn’t make it to Prestbury Park they will get their stake back.
We also put them all in a Cheltenham Bankers 2024 betslip below if you are curious on what the combined odds are.
When Is The Cheltenham Festival 2024?
📅Date: Tuesday 12th- Friday 15th March 2024
🕙Time: First Race 1:30pm, Last Race 5:30pm each day
🏇Racecourse: Cheltenham
📺 TV: Racing TV / ITV
CONSTITUTION HILL (Champion Hurdle, Tues 12th March 2024) 1/4
The current Champion Hurdler, Constitution Hill needs little introduction after still unbeaten since winning the big opening day Cheltenham Festival feature in 2023.
The Nicky Henderson-trained 7 year-old has since won the Aintree Hurdle in April and was last seen winning the Christmas Hurdle with ease on Boxing Day at Kempton (watch below).
This Michael Buckley-owned star hurdler will be looking to join recent back-to-back Champion Hurdle winners like Honeysuckle and Buveur d’Air.
Constitution Hill also remains unbeaten from his eight career runs over hurdles and will be hoping to give Henderson his tenth Champion Hurdle success.
He’s the first big Cheltenham Festival 2024 banker to take to the stage.
LOSSIEMOUTH (Mares’ Hurdle, Tues 12th March 2024) 8/15
The super-talented grey Lossiemouth, who is owned by Rich Ricci and trained by a certain Willie Mullins, was cut into odds-on in the betting for the Mares’ Hurdle on day one of the Cheltenham Festival after a facile win in the International Hurdle at the end of January (watch below).
She is also no stranger to the Festival – having won the Triumph Hurdle at the meeting last season – and will head here 6-from-7 over hurdles, with her only blimp coming in the 2023 Spring Juvenile Hurdle, but since then has bounced back to win three times.
After her International Hurdle win on Trials Day, there was even talk this 5 year-old mare might take on Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle as she’d also get a mares’ allowance there.
However, connections are swaying towards the easier Mares’ Hurdle, a race that trainer Willie Mullins has won nine times, with the Champion Hurdle and time on her side on the backburner till next season.
This second day one Cheltenham Festival banker is sure to be in many doubles and trebles on the day with Constitution Hill.
EL FABIOLO (Champion Chase, Weds 13th March 2024) 2/5
Okay, the Tingle Creek Chase winner Jonbon might have something to say in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, but the best UK horse racing betting sites still have the Willie Mullins-trained El Fabiolo in as the odds-on favourite.
The pair have clashed several times over the years already, including when Jonbon beat El Fabiolo by a neck in the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in 2022.
However, El Fabiolo gained his revenge when beating Jonbon by 5 1/2 lengths in the 2023 Arkle Chase and remains unbeaten over the bigger obstacles (5 wins).
He returned this season with a facile win at Cork in the Grade 2 Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase in December (watch below) but since Jonbon has been beaten on the Clarence House and that prompted the bookies to cut El Fabiolo even more in the betting.
His odds shortened again still after a facile win in the Dublin Chase at the DRF at the start of February – beeating the useful mare Dinoblue by 8 1/2 lengths.
SIR GINO (Triumph Hurdle, Fri 15th March 2024) 8/11
The Nicky Henderson-trainer Sir Gino has been billed by many, including Ruby Walsh as the ‘next big superstar’ in the making and it’s easy to see why after winning the Triumph Hurdle Trial by 10-lengths at the end of January.
That win took Sir Gino to 3-from-3 over hurdles and in the process trounced the old Triumph Hurdle favourite Burdett Road that day.
Therefore, it was no surprise the best UK betting sites were running for cover and slashing Sir Gino’s Triumph Hurdle price into odds-on.
Nicky Henderson will be looking for his eighth Triumph Hurdle win and the way Sir Gino won last time (watch below) it will be a brave punter that is taking the Joe Donnelly-owned 4 year-old on.
This day for Cheltenham Banker will be looking to set up the day nicely for favourite backers.
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS (Gold Cup, Fri 15th March 2024) 8/11
Galopin Des Champs bounced back in style to win the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was cut again in the betting after beating one of this main rivals Fastorslow in the Irish Gold Cup in February.
These two wins proved last year’s winner is back to his very best after two below-par runs at Punchestown.
Willie Mullins will be looking for his fourth Gold Cup win since 2019 and if Galopin Des Champs can defend is title will also join recent back-to-back winners Al Boum Photo, who was also trained by Mullins, plus Best Mate, who won three Gold Cups between 2002 and 2004.
Back The Cheltenham Bankers 2024 In a 7/1 Acca
See below the combined odds for the 2024 Cheltenham Bankers where you can back them all in an 7/1 acca.
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