Cheltenham Festival Tips
Held every March at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, the Cheltenham Festival is one of the most iconic and celebrated meetings in the world. First run in 1860 at Market Harborough, the Cheltenham Festival has grown to become the highlight of the National Hunt season. Over the course of four days, the Festival hosts over 25 races, featuring plenty of the best horses, trainers, and jockeys competing in jump racing today.
The Cheltenham Festival offers some of the best betting and most exciting opportunities of the racing calendar. With our Cheltenham Festival betting markets, odds and Cheltenham Festival tips, you’ll find everything you need to bet on Cheltenham right here with BoyleSports. Discover more about betting on the Cheltenham Festival, including our key Cheltenham racing tips.
Understanding the Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival spans four days, with each day hosting around seven races, including some of the most prestigious National Hunt races:
● Day 1: Champion Day: The most important race of the day is the Champion Hurdle, a Grade 1 race that attracts the best hurdlers in racing, whilst the Arkle Challenge Trophy is a popular Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase.
● Day 2: Style Wednesday (previously called Ladies Day): The main event of the day devoted to high fashion is the Queen Mother Champion Chase, a thrilling contest for elite two-mile chasers.
● Day 3: St Patrick’s Thursday: The Stayers' Hurdle and the Ryanair Chase take centre stage, offering gripping long-distance battles.
● Day 4: Gold Cup Day: The biggest day of the Festival, the grand finale features the Triumph Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup – the highlight of the four days and the most prestigious National Hunt race of the season.
If you’re looking to bet on the Cheltenham Festival this year, begin by paying close attention to the Festival schedule, making sure you understand which races are run on which day, and at what times. You don’t want to miss out on a chance to bet on some of the biggest events in National Hunt racing.
Tips for Cheltenham Today
Our top Cheltenham racing tips, so you can make the most out of your Cheltenham Festival betting:
1. Do Your Research
To increase your chances of placing winning bets, being properly prepared with the right research is vital. Here’s what to focus on:
• Study the form guide: Reviewing the recent performance of horses can help you gauge their current condition, especially if they’re performing above or below expectations.
• Check trainer and jockey records: Some trainers and jockeys have a consistently good track record at Cheltenham, making them potentially more reliable picks.
• Understand the track conditions: The ground conditions (soft, good, or heavy) can significantly impact performance. Some horses excel on softer ground, while others prefer firmer conditions. Understand which conditions favour which runners.
2. Look for Value Bets
While favourites often attract the most attention, betting on them isn’t always the most profitable strategy. Try to look for underdogs that have good reasons for why they might over-perform, such as having a run of recent good form, preferring the track conditions more than the favourites might, being trained by trainers that do well at Cheltenham, or that boast promising jockeys.
Keep a close eye on our Cheltenham Festival odds at BoyleSports. We offer competitive odds that are continually updated, letting you know who the current favourites are and helping you spot potential underdogs who may be excellent value bets.
3. Effectively Manage Your Budget
Responsible gambling is key to making sure your betting stays enjoyable over the long term. When placing bets, make sure that you:
• Set yourself a betting limit: Set a limit on how much money you’re going to wager on an event before it starts and stick to that limit.
• Understand the bets you’re making: Get to grips with how each bet works and how you win.
• Start small if you’re new: If you’re new to horse racing betting, start with smaller stakes to get a feel for the market.
• Spread your bets: Instead of putting all your money on one horse, consider multiple bets across different races to mitigate and spread your risk.
4. Use Promotions to Your Advantage
Join BoyleSports and you’ll benefit from a range of betting promotions , including:
● Free bets: We offer free bets to our new and existing customers, meaning you can potentially place winning bets without needing to pay for them.
● Enhanced each-way terms: Allowing you to get better payouts on each-way bets, which are generally a safer form of betting than other wagers.
● Price boosts: Our price boosts offer increased odds on certain horses, giving you a chance to win more. Look out for price boosts on promising underdogs.
5. Bet with Knowledge, Not Emotion
It’s easy to get carried away when placing bets, but emotional decisions are more likely to lead to misplaced bets and losses. Follow these guidelines when betting with us:
● Bet with a clear head: Don’t place bets when you’ve been drinking, are otherwise intoxicated, or are in a heightened emotional state, such as being over excited or angry.
● Stick to your strategy: Place informed bets and avoid changing your approach based on bad results.
● Don’t chase losses: Losing is part of betting. If you suffer a loss, don’t immediately try to recover it by placing risky, ill-judged bets.
● Avoid betting based on popularity: Just because a horse has a famous name or is widely talked about doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good bet. Bet based on form and an analysis of the data available to you, not based on hype.
Key Factors to Consider When Betting
When placing bets on any of the Cheltenham Festival races , pay close attention to:
● Form and fitness: A horse’s recent performances can give you an insight into its chances of success going into a Cheltenham race.
● Ground conditions: Whether the ground is judged to be heavy, soft, good to soft, good, good to firm, and firm before a race will favour certain horses. Try to get an idea of which runners favour which conditions.
● Cheltenham’s unique course: Cheltenham has a single race course, but it’s divided into an ‘Old’ (the outside tracks) and ‘New’ course (the inside tracks). The ‘Old’ course favours horses known for speed, whilst the ‘New’ course suits horses with more stamina. Both feature an uphill finish that favours strong finishers.
● Betting trends: Monitoring market movements can help identify well-backed horses, often indicating strong contenders. Look for changes in odds shortly before races.
How BoyleSports Can Help with Betting on the Cheltenham Festival
As well as our Cheltenham Festival tips, you’ll find everything you need right here at BoyleSports to bet on all the races at the Cheltenham Festival, including:
● An easy-to-use betting platform: Placing bets on Cheltenham is easy with us. You can see all bets available here on this page. Click on a race for our full betting markets, with all our odds clearly stated.
● Comprehensive stats and guides: We give you access to in-depth form guides, data, expert analysis and insights to inform your bets.
● Exclusive offers: Take advantage of our member promotions, offering enhanced odds, free bets, each-way specials, and more.
● In-play betting options: Bet live, during events, to take advantage of developments in real time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Betting on Cheltenham
Even experienced bettors can make mistakes. When it comes to betting on the Cheltenham Festival races, make sure you don’t:
● Ignore ground conditions: Weather can change quickly, affecting race conditions and swinging odds in favour of different horses.
● Bet without a clear plan: Avoid impulse betting. Decide which data is most important to you, like form and ground conditions, and make sure you bet with it in mind.
● Put all money on one horse: Don’t expose yourself to the events of one race. Spread your bets across multiple horses and races to reduce your overall risk.
Cheltenham Festival Betting FAQs
What are the best tips for Cheltenham today?
Research recent form and preferred ground conditions, look for value bets, and use our BoyleSports member promotions wisely.
Are there exclusive offers from BoyleSports for Cheltenham?
Yes. Join BoyleSports and you’ll get access to our member promotions, including free bets, price boosts, and enhanced each-way terms.
What is an each-way bet, and when should I use one?
An each-way bet is a two part bet. You bet on a horse to win (a win bet), but you also bet on it to place first, second, or third (a place bet). You’ll win more if your horse comes first, but you’ll also win a portion of the odds if they come in second or third. Each-way bets are best placed when you want to back an outsider that you think has a good chance of placing.
Bet on the Cheltenham Festival with BoyleSports
With some of the world’s top races and the most famous horses, jockeys and trainers on show, across four days of unparalleled horse racing, the Cheltenham Festival is a real highlight of the horse racing calendar.
Successful betting at Cheltenham requires approaching the Festival with a strategy and careful use of Cheltenham racing tips. Place bets at Cheltenham based on research, look for value bets, and take advantage of our BoyleSports member promotions.
Now you’ve read through our horse racing tips for Cheltenham, sign up with us to create your BoyleSports account, then begin planning your Cheltenham bets.