How to pick a winner at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival
Whether or not youre lucky enough to attend this years Cheltenham Festival, you can still take advantage of adding extra excitement to the races by placing a bet. Whether youre a novice punter or seasoned better, picking a winner from a field of contenders isnt easy. First theres the different odds, then theres the jockeys, the form and of course, the horses names. So with so much to consider, how do you pick the winning horse? By the time youve finished reading this guide, you will be better placed to identify a horse that you understand the Odds alongside the Grand National and Ascot; the Cheltenham Gold Cup attracts a huge amount of interest and bets from fans and non-fans of horse racing.
However many see the process of betting, with varying odds and different stake options, to be too complicated and daunting to pursue. Understanding the odds and how to place a bet is the first step on the road to picking a winner and netting a tidy sum of money. Regardless of what John McCririck might suggest, sporting odds are actually quite easy to understand. The two different numbers that you will see next to a horses name relate to how probable that horse is to win that race. The shorter the odds, or the lower the numbers, the greater its chance winning. These numbers are separated by a slash and referred to as being one number to another, for example 10/1 or ten to one. When a horse is favorite to win a race or odds on, a bookmaker regards its chances of winning the race as better than 50%. This is when you see larger numbers as the second number in the horses odds, like 1/2.
The trainer and the jockey possibly the best way to select a winner are to see who is riding the horse and who trains it. Certain jockeys and trainers seem to love Cheltenham and always do well there. The one jockey that never fails to disappoint is Ruby Walsh. With six top jockey awards in the last eight years, there are few who can compete with Walsh and his record total of 30 winners at the Cheltenham Festival. When it comes to trainers, the top spot is more competitive with a number of consistent and successful festivals over the years. The ones to look out for are Paul Nicholls, who has the aforementioned Ruby Walsh as his number one jockey, and is one of the most successful trainers in the sport.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase, held on the Cheltenham Festival, run over 3 miles and 2? furlongs, and over 22 fences. Horses aged five years and older are eligible to enter.
Processing your request, Please wait....
