Cheltenham

cheltenham festival / 2008 news /

KAUTO HEADS BETTING AFTER 48-HOUR DECS

Kauto Star heads the betting with the sponsors after today’s 48-hour declaration stage for the totesport Gold Cup.

Spokesman Damian Walker said: “We still just favour Kauto Star at Evens over Denman at 11/8, although the prevailing ground will ultimately decide how we price the race on the day.

“Denman is a big ante-post loser and Kauto Star is a small winner, but our positions will be determined by betting on the day which will dwarf the ante-post book.”

totesport Gold Cup

3m 2.5f Cheltenham 3.30pm Friday

Evens Kauto Star, 11/8 Denman, 12 Exotic Dancer, 16 Halcon Genelardais, 28 Neptune Collonges, 33 Afistfullofdollars, Knowhere, Star De Mohaison, 50 Racing Demon, 66 Celesial Gold, 150 Ollie Magern, 300 Iron Man, 500 Contraband, Fustrien Du Paon, 1000 Azulejo

Each-way a quarter 1, 2, 3.

totesport Gold Cup betting without Kauto Star and Denman

3m 2.5f Cheltenham 3.30pm Friday

5-2 Exotic Dancer, 7-2 Halcon Genelardais, 9-2 Neptune Collonges, 11-2 Knowhere, 7 Afistfullofdollars, Star De Mohaison, 14 Racing Demon, 16 Celesial Gold, 33 Ollie Magern, 66 Iron Man, 100 Contraband, Fustrien Du Paon, 150 Azulejo

Each-way one fifth 1, 2, 3.

William Hill's Latest Markets & Movers
09/03/08

Blazing Bailey 6-1 for Ladbroke World Hurdle
© racing-images.co.uk

Sizing Europe Heads The 17 Declared Runners For Champion Hurdle

The AIG Europe Champion Hurdle winner Sizing Europe is among 17 horses that have stood their ground at the 48-hour declaration stage for this year’s Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

Henry De Bromhead’s stable star is rated the 2-1 favourite by bookmakers William Hill, while the reigning Champion Hurdler Sublimity is rated the 5-1 second favourite to retain his crown.

Other notable entries include the enigmatic Harchibald and Osana, who are both rated 6-1 chances to win the feature race on day one of the festival.

Irish-trained runners make up over half of the field, with 9 of the 17 declared runners coming from the Emerald Isle, and Hills are betting on which of the 9 Irish runners will attain the best finishing position in the two-mile contest.

William Hill Irish spokesman Tony Kenny commented: “Irish trained horses have won seven of the last nine running’s of the Champion hurdle, and it looks like we have a great chance of adding to that tally in this year’s renewal”

He continued: “Sizing Europe will probably be the Irish banker on day one of the festival, and at this stage he’s a clear loser in our field book.”

“Harchibald is another horse that we’ve seen a lot of interest for in the last few days, however, we’ve seen as much money for him to finish second as to finish first”

Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle (William Hill Bet) 2-1 Sizing Europe, 5-1 Sublimity, 6-1 Harchibald, Osana, 8-1 Katchit, 14-1 Catch Me, 25-1 Afsoun, Straw Bear, 28-1 Punjabi, 33-1 Blythe Knight, Ebaziyan, 50-1 Bobs Pride, Farmer Brown, Kalderon, 100-1 Salford City, 150-1 Kawagino, 500-1 Contaband – E/W a quarter 1-2-3 – All 17 Quoted

Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle – Best Irish Finisher – 5-4 Sizing Europe, 10-3 Sublimity, 7-2 Harchibald, 8-1 Catch Me, 14-1 Ebaziyan, 16-1 Farmer Brown, 28-1 Bobs Pride, 33-1 Kalderon, 40-1 Salford City,

Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle Special: (William Hill Bet) 4-1 Irish trained 1-2-3

Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle Special: (William Hill Bet) 2-5 Irish trained winner (from 4-9)

Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle Special; (William Hill Bet) 11-2 Harchibald to finish second

Festival Steamers

Number of Irish Winners:, 6-5 four to six (from 11-8)3

Top Cheltenham Festival Jockey betting: 10-1 Davey Russell (from 14-1)

Supreme Novice Hurdle: 6-1 Khyber Kim (from 7-1), 25-1 Tranquil Sea (from 40-1)

Irish Independent Arkle: 15-8 Noland (from 9-4),

William Hill Trophy: 12-1 King Harald (from 16-1), 14-1 Fundamentalist (from 16-1), New Alco (from 16-1),

Royal & Sun Alliance Chase: 25-1 Roll Along (from 33-1), Verasi (from 40-1)

Coral Cup: 4-1 Leg Spinner (from 5-1), 14-1 Pablo Du Charmil (from 20-1), 20-1 Wins Now (from 25-1), 25-1 Warnes Way (from 33-1)

Peter O'Sullevan National Hunt Chase: 16-1 Sandhurst (from 25-1)

Jewson’s Novices Chase: 9-2 Dear Villez (from 11-2)

Pertemps Final: 11-1 Dancing Tornado (from 14-1)

JCB Triumph Hurdle: 9-2 Ashkazar (fronm 11-2), Celestial Halo (from 11-2)

Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge: 16-1 Burntoakboy (from 20-1),

Festival Sliders

Number of Irish Winners: 6-1 None to Three (from 11-2), 13-8 seven to nine (from 6-4),

Supreme Novice Hurdle: 10-1 Cork All Star (from 9-1)

Irish Independent Arkle: 13-2 Tidal Bay (from 6-1), 12-1 Leslingtaylor (from 11-1), 20-1 French Accordian (from 16-1)

William Hill Trophy: 25-1 Celestial Gold (from 20-1), Ollie Magern (from 20-1), 33-1 Big Rob (from 25-1), Flying Enterprise (from 25-1)

BGC Cross-Country Handicap Chase: 16-1 Freney's Well (from 14-1), 25-1 Petite Margot (from 20-1)

Royal & Sun Alliance Chase: 12-1 Joe Lively (from 11-1)

Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase: 5-2 Master Minded (from 9-4), 11-4 Twist Magic (from 5-2)

Ladbrokes World Hurdle: 9-1 Wichita Lineman (from 13-2)

JCB Triumph Hurdle: 33-1 Prince Erik (from 25-1)

Cheltenham Specials

Number of Irish Winners: 6-1 None to Three (from 11-2), 6-5 four to six (from 11-8), 13-8 seven to nine (from 6-4), 13-2 Ten or more

Top Cheltenham Festival Jockey betting: 10-11 Ruby Walsh, 11-2 Tony McCoy, 6-1 Robert Thornton, 7-1 Mick Fitzgerald, 10-1 Davey Russell (from 14-1), Sam Thomas, 14-1 Denis O’Regan, Tom Scudamore, 20-1 Timmy Murphy, Paul Carberry, Richard Johnson – Others on Request

Racing Post Leading Trainer Award: 2-5 Paul Nicholls, 13-2 Alan King, 8-1 Nicky Henderson, 11-1 David Pipe, 20-1 Philip Hobbs, Howard Johnson, Willie Mullins, 33-1 Jonjo O’Neill, Noel Meade.

Cheltenham Winning Distances:13-8 Under 77 lengths, 6-4, 77-94 lengths(from 13-8), 15-8 Over 94 lengths

Who will produce the biggest winning distance in their race? 15-8 Kauto Star, 3-1 Inglis Drever, 4-1 Sizing Europe, 9-2 Franchoek, 5-1 None of them to win

Who will win the Gold Cup?: Evens Kauto Star, 6-4 Denman, 4-1 The Field

Who Will Start Shorter? 8-13 Kauto Star, 6-4 Inglis Drever, 10-1 The same price

World Hurdle – Betting without Inglis Drever: 7-2 Blazing Bailey, 4-1 Kasbah Bliss, 11-2 Witchita Lineman, 11-2 My Way De Solzen, 7-1 Hardy Eustace, 10-1 The Market Man, 12-1 Kazal, 12-1 Lough Derg, 16-1 Aimatov, 20-1 Air Force One, 20-1 Special Envoy, 25-1 Chief Dan George, 33-1 Flight Leader, 33-1 Labelthou, 33-1 Material World, 50-1 Sonnyanjoe, 50-1 Kawagino, 66-1 Redemption (EW 1/5 1,2,3)

OTHER WILLIAM HILL FESTIVAL SPECIALS:

Evens The Clash on Cleeve Hill! - Denman and Kauto Star fill the first two places home in the Gold Cup (in either order),

11-8 Paul Nicholls to train Queen Mother and Gold Cup winners,

9-4 Will a ‘nose’ be used as a winning distance at the Cheltenham Festival?,

3-1 The Gold Cup track record is broken,

3-1 Nicholls to train a Queen Mother 1-2,

6-1 Nicholls to train a Gold Cup 1-2-3,

11-2 Harchibald to finish second in the Champion Hurdle,

8-1 A horse to lose a race in the Stewards’ room,

25-1 A first place dead-heat in any race,

66-1 Dead Heat in the Gold Cup

Biggest priced winner of the festival

1000-1 6-1 or shorter
100-1 7-1 to 10-1 inclusive
25-1 11-1 to 16-1 inclusive
11-2 18-1 to 25-1 inclusive
9-4 28-1 to 33 inclusive
1-1 40 to 50-1 inclusive
9-2 66-1 or bigger