Cheltenham Festival 2018

Many racing fans will be looking through the competitive racing action at the Cheltenham festival for the best bets. The Cheltenham odds continued to change on the run up to the meeting with punters looking to get the best price available on their fancied horse. One horse that certainly is a fan favourite is the seasoned and tough Un de Sceaux. The now 10 year old trained by Willie Mullins has continued to perform at the top level throughout his career and will be looking for his third Cheltenham festival victory in the Ryanair Chase.

The latest betting on the race makes him the current 6/4 market leader as opposition continues to be ruled out of the race. Un de Sceaux heads into the meeting with 20 victories and 3 seconds in his 26 starts under rules. He won the 2017 running of the race in emphatic fashion having pulled for much of the contest but again battled on well up the famous Cheltenham hill. If he puts in a similar performance as he has recently it will take a top performance to dethrone him.

Un de Sceaux returned this season following a 229 day break and was very weak in the market. However he won the contest by 25 lengths on the bridle landing odds of 4/6. His next start was record breaking as he became the first horse to win the Clarence house Chase for the third time. This resulted in his trainer branding him the iron horse which just shows what he is all about. As tough as they come with a huge amount of ability to back it up.

One of his key dangers for the race looks to be the revitalised Cue Card. He is another star of national hunt racing who returned from a short 84 day break to run the hugely talented unbeaten chaser Waiting Patiently to a 2 and ¾ length second. Cue Card now 12 years of age is also a multiple Cheltenham festival winner having won the bumper back in 2010 and most recently the Ryanair Chase in 2013. Both horses are absolutely stars of the sport so either would be a fitting winner of the 2018 renewal but if Cue Card were to get his head in front in may bring the roof off as he is such a fan favourite.