There are just days to go before one of the biggest racing and betting events of the year and this year, the Cheltenham Festival betting looks set to be bigger and better than ever!
Each March, the great and good of the jumps racing world convene for the four day meet, which always covers St Patrick’s Day and with a large Irish presence at the festival, this always makes for a fantastic four days of racing.
Alongside the Derby meeting at Epsom, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood, the Grand National Festival and the Guineas festival, the Cheltenham Festival is a staple of the British racing scene and unsurprisingly, bet365 Sport have already begun to get themselves sorted for the event.
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And leading the way for them in terms of a bet365 Cheltenham offer for customers who want to take a look at the Ante Post prices for the five biggest races of the meet, is the site’s Best Odds Guarantee and Non-Runner No Bet offers.
Cheltenham Festival Free Bet Offers
New and existing customers can also take advantage of another special Cheltenham Festival offer. New and existing punters can receive up to four £5 Cheltenham Free Bets during the week.
Get four Free £5 bets on the Cheltenham Festival at Bet365.
One Free Bet available per day with no deposit required.
New and eligible UK & ROI customers only. Applies to single bets only. Returns exclude Free Bet stake. T&Cs apply.
Free Bet stake. T&Cs apply.
Ante Post Betting Offers For Cheltenham With Bet365
Both these two bet365 Cheltenham offers are perfect for customers to use who want to take advantage of some of the potentially better prices available in the ante-post betting markets for the five big races of the festival (which we will preview in more detail below).
With the Best Odds Guaranteed, you will always be paid out at the higher price, the price you took when you placed your bet, or the starting price when the race begins. So, if you back a horse now at odds of 4/1 and when the race starts, that runner is now 6/1, then if the horse wins, you would be paid out at 6/1.
However, if you back the same horse at 4/1, but it starts the race at odds of 2/1, then you will be paid out at 4/1.
The Non-Runner No Bet offer is even greater value for ante post bettors as it means if you back a horse for one race and it is a non-runner in that race, something which can easily occur at Cheltenham when horses may be entered into multiple races, then you will get your money back as a refund.
General Offer Terms & Conditions
- Best Odds Guaranteed and Non-Runner No Bet will apply to all Ante-Post bets placed on the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle, Ryanair Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup from 12.00 UK Time on 3rd January 2022.
- These offers are only available to new and eligible customers. You can see a full list of your available offers by logging in and selecting the Offers section on mobile or the Promotions section on desktop. Bet365 maintains a record of customer contact in relation to eligibility for offers and this record, including the date and time of any restrictions being imposed, will be final in the event of any dispute.
- Offer applies to bets placed on Win and Each Way Fixed Odds markets only.
- This offer includes all races where we offer Win and Each Way betting.
- Where no industry SP is declared, if the bet365 price at the race off is greater than the price already taken, your bet will be settled at the higher price.
Restrictions
- Adjusted place terms (Each Way Extra), Enhanced Place Terms, Ante-Post bets (unless otherwise stated) and Tote/Pari-Mutuel/Colossus (bets and dividends) are excluded from this offer. All racing in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong is excluded.
- Adjusted place terms (Each Way Extra) markets refers to prices which do not match the Win and Each Way market displayed in the Fixed Odds tab on the racecard, either because the price has been taken from the Each Way Extra tab or the place terms for the bet have been adjusted via the bet slip. Bets placed at such terms will not count for this offer.
General
- Where any term of the offer or promotion is breached or there is any evidence of a series of bets place by a customer or group of customers, which due to enhanced payments, Free Bets, risk free bets, Bet Credits or any other promotional offer results in guaranteed customer profits irrespective of the outcome, whether individually or part of a group, bet365 may reclaim the enhanced payment, Free Bet, risk free bet or Bet Credit element of such offers and/or void any bet funded by the Free Bet or Bet Credits. In addition, where there is evidence of such activity, bet365 may levy an administration charge on the customer up to the value of the Bet Credits, Free Bet, risk free bet or enhanced payment towards the administrative costs incurred in identifying and taking action against the activity.
- Bet365 may reclaim any bonus amount, Free Bets, Bet Credits or enhanced payments that have been awarded in error.
- Bet365 may, at any time, make minor amendments to this promotion to correct typographical errors or to improve on clarity or customer experience and may cancel this promotion for legal or regulatory reasons.
- Employees, officers and directors of bet365, its promotional or other agencies, licensees and licensors, service providers and any other associated or affiliated companies shall not be eligible for the promotion. The same shall apply to the direct families of such persons.
The Five Big Races Of The Cheltenham Festival 2022
One of the reasons why Cheltenham is so popular is that there are so many high quality Grade 1 races contested over the four days, including of course the famous Cheltenham Gold Cup, the top race of the meeting.
While bet365 Sport are offering ante post odds on these five races (and you can use them with the offer above), do remember that the horses named in the betting are not yet finalised for the race and some will be non-runners (which is why the Non-Runner No Bet offer is particularly useful).
Let’s now preview each of the five top races across the four days of action.
Tuesday 15th March
The Champion Hurdle – 3.05pm
- Distance – 2 miles and–half a furlong
- First Run – 1927
- Qualification – Four-years-old and up.
- Recent Winners (2011-2021) – Honeysuckle (2021), Epatante (2020), Espoir d’Allen (2019), Buveur d’Air (2016 & 2017), Annie Power (2016), Faugheen (2015), Jezki (2014), Hurricane Fly (2013 & 2011), Rock On Ruby (2012)
- Most Successful Trainer – Nicky Henderson (8 wins)
- Most Successful Owner – J.P.McManus (9 wins)
The first day of the meeting sees the Champion Hurdle with last year’s winner Honeysuckle back to defend the crown and currently the 4/6 favourite with bet365 Sport. Her main rivals look to be Appreciate It at 5/1 and Sharjah at 6/1.
You can’t rule out the 2020 winner Epatante, who is currently 9/1 in the betting, while Stormy Ireland and Zanahiyr are both rated as 10/1 shots in the early Ante Post betting.
Wednesday 16th March
The Champion Chase – 3.05pm
- Distance – 1 mile 7 furlongs
- First Run – 1959
- Qualification – Five-years-old and up
- Recent Winners (2011-2021) – Put The Kettle On (2021), Politologue (2020), Altior (2018, 2019), Special Tiara (2017), Sprinter Sacre (2013, 2016), Dodging Bullets (2015), Sire de Grugy (2014), Finian’s Rainbow (2012), Sizing Europe (2011)
- Most Successful Trainer – Tom Dreaper, Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls (all 6 wins)
- Most Successful Owner – George Ansley, Doug Armitage, John Hales (all 3 wins)
Perhaps one of the most well-fancied horses at the meeting this year is the 4/5 favourite for the Champion Chase Shishkin. This horse is well clear of the rest of the field which could also see Energumene (15/8), Allaho (5/1) and Chacun Pour Soi (7/1) feature.
Last year’s winner, Put The Kettle On is a 16/1 chance to repeat its success last year but there are some better fancied options including Envoi Allen at 8/1, Greaneteen and Nuba Negra at 9/1 while Politologue, who won this race in 2020, is also rated as a 16/1 chance.
Thursday 17th March
The Ryanair Chase – 2.30pm
- Distance – 2 miles 4 furlongs
- First Run – 2005
- Qualification – Five-years-old and up
- Recent Winners (2010-2021) – Allaho (2021), Min (2020), Frodon (2019), Balko des Flos (2018), Un de Sceaux (2017), Vautour (2016), Uxizandre (2015), Dynaste (2014), Cue Card (2013), Riverside Theatre (2012), Albertas Run (2010 & 2011)
- Most Successful Trainer – Willie Mullins (4 wins)
- Most Successful Jockey – Ruby Walsh (4 wins)
Allaho (7/4) could go in the Gold Cup on Friday or the Champion Chase on Wednesday, but the feeling is that the horse will get a second crack at the Ryanair this year after winning it last time out.
Energumene, who could also go in the Champion Chase, is a 15/8 chance for the Ryanair, with potential Gold Cup runners A Plus Tard, Asterion Forlonge and Tornado Flyer also well fancied at 8/1, as is the intriguing Fakir D’oudaries.
The Stayers’ Hurdle – 3.05pm
- Distance – 2 Miles 7 furlongs, 213 yards
- First Run – 1912 to 1953, but renewed in 1972.
- Qualification – Four-years-old and up
- Recent Winners (2009-2020) – Flooring Porter (2021), Lisnager Oscar (2020), Paisley Park (2019), Penhill (2018), Nichol’s Canyon (2017), Thistlecrack (2016), Cole Harden (2015), More of That (2014), Solwhit (2013), Big Bucks (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
- Most Successful Trainer – Paul Nicholls (4 wins)
- Most Successful Owner – The Stewart Family, Andrea & Graham Wylie (4 wins)
Paisley Park (16/1) is back in this race this year to try and win it for a second time, but the 2019 winner will have fierce competition with Klassical Dream the early 2/1 favourite ahead of Champ (7/2) and Thyme Hill (5/1).
Another horse seeking its second win in the race is last year’s winner Flooring Porter (also 5/1) before the odds start to drift out for Vanillier (10/1), Zanahiyr (12/1) and then 16/1 for Sire Du Berlais, Thomas Darby, Burning Victory, Song For Someone, Bear Ghylls and Adagio who are all ranked at similar odds to the aforementioned Paisley Park.
Friday 18th March
The Cheltenham Gold Cup – 3.05pm
- Distance – 3 miles 2 furlongs and 70 yards
- First Run – 1924
- Qualification – Five-years-old and up
- Recent Winners (2010-2021) – Minella Indo (2021), Al Boum Photo (2019, 2020), Native River (2018), Sizing John (2017), Don Cossack (2016), Coneygree (2015), Lord Windermere (2014), Bobs Worth (2013), Synchronised (2012), Long Run (2011), Imperial Commander (2010)
- Most Successful Trainer – Tom Dreaper – 5 wins
- Most Successful Owner – Dorothy Paget – 7 wins
There are 30 early entries for this race including the two previous winners, Al Boum Photo (8/1) and Minella Indo (7/1) and these are both likely to feature heavily in both the Ante Post and pre-race betting on the day.
Currently, A Plus Tard is the 3/1 favourite with bet365 Sport just ahead of Galvin who is a 4/1 chance. Then comes the two previous winners of the race followed by two horses that could go in this race or others at the festival, Protektorat and Tornado Flyer, who are both 10/1 chances.
Remember, that the odds shown here were correct with bet365 Sport at the time of writing, but may well change in the days and weeks leading up to the Festival itself.
Do check back on the site over the coming weeks as we will bring you more details of the Cheltenham Festival as it becomes available.
