Cheltenham Festival 2024: How Many Irish Trained Winners Will There Be?
Yesterday we had a stab at guessing the number of British winners at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, and came to the conclusion the home team would do well to beat Willie Mullins - let alone win the Prestbury Cup! Team Ireland look home and hosed in that market, but how many winners will they accrue? BoyleSports have a market on the numerb, with two options to aim over. Billy Grimshaw takes a deep dive for us here...
#AD 18+ New UK customers only (Excl. NI). £40 in FREE Bets: £30 sports bets & £10 casino bonus (CB). Min deposit & stake £10. Min odds Evs. FB credited on 1st qualifying bet settlement, expires in 7 days. One FB offer per customer/household/IP. Account & payment restrictions apply. Casino Bonus: Accept within 14 days, active for 3 days. 5x wagering, max redeemable £100. Game restrictions apply. Free Bets/cashed-out bets don’t qualify. 30 days to qualify. Horse Racing PYP: Pre-live e/w bets only, selected races. 6-9 runners: 1 PYP market. 10-13: 2 markets. 14+: 3 markets. Singles only. Dead Heat rules apply. No BOG/Cash-Out. T&Cs Apply.
The Irish look to have an unbelievably strong team this season, as they seem to do every year coming over to Cheltenham these days. Even the Ultima on Day One, usually a safe bet to stick at home in Britain, sees the two market leaders being Irish raiders. I predicted an Irish whitewash of Britain yesterday and the score line being 7-0 after Day One would mean the Prestbury Cup is already over before it has begun.
There is no point pretending there is a race for that prize; there simply isn't. Ireland will win and it is more a case of by how many than how. Starting with a 7-0 score on Day One, as I think they will, would mean that the folks at BoyleSports who are at the moment offering 1/2 about 18+ may well be getting nervous sweats. That looks a fairly solid bet at this stage, and I really cannot see Ireland getting under 18 as an absolute minimum.
The more interesting option in the BoyleSports special market is the price of 9/4 about 21+ Irish winners. If, as I believe, the first day will be all green, then is 14 winners too much of a stretch for team Ireland - with Mullins at the helm - to achieve? Let's try and find out...
#AD 18+ New UK customers only (Excl. NI). £40 in FREE Bets: £30 sports bets & £10 casino bonus (CB). Min deposit & stake £10. Min odds Evs. FB credited on 1st qualifying bet settlement, expires in 7 days. One FB offer per customer/household/IP. Account & payment restrictions apply. Casino Bonus: Accept within 14 days, active for 3 days. 5x wagering, max redeemable £100. Game restrictions apply. Free Bets/cashed-out bets don’t qualify. 30 days to qualify. Horse Racing PYP: Pre-live e/w bets only, selected races. 6-9 runners: 1 PYP market. 10-13: 2 markets. 14+: 3 markets. Singles only. Dead Heat rules apply. No BOG/Cash-Out. T&Cs Apply.
With the news BALLYBURN is definitely going for the Gallaghers, that race looks at Ireland's mercy and the next race on paper looks another massive chance for Ireland, with FACT TO FILE odds on. I'll be taking him on myself, but there is every possibility Great Britain are starting down the barrel of a 10-0 score line after nine races. Gulp. The Coral Cup next is a lottery but could once again see a well handicapped Irish plot job who has snuck in taint British hopes, and then it's the Champion Chase in which EL FABIOLO is many people's banker of the week! The Cross Country is next which looks destined to be another Irish win.
The Grand Annual, much like the Coral Cup could go anywhere but it is just as likely to go green as it is to stay with Britain. It is not out of the question Ireland win EVERY race on the first two days. If this occurs, British racing will be in a state of meltdown but those who have backed the overs on Irish winners will be rubbing their hands with glee. In all likelihood Britain will scrape a couple of wins on Tuesday or Wednesday, but even so 21 does not look an insurmountable task.
Thursday looks Britain's best chance of really clawing back the deficit, with the main Turners contenders being from the home team and a few well fancied horses in both handicaps and graded races. Nevertheless, there is once again a chance Ireland run riot and studying the antepost odds before writing this I was stunned to see Britain had just TWO favourites at this stage. Friday begins with the British banker in Sir Gino, although the Henderson yard form is a worry. If he is beaten, all bets are off for Ireland racking up a record score line. On Friday the Irish have some very strong chances indeed in the likes of KING OF KINGSFIELD, a glut of Albert Bartlett runners and of course GALOPIN DES CHAMPS. The Hunters' Chase could go anywhere, but the Mares' and Martin Pipe also look destined for Ireland.
Obviously I have looked at this through optimistic glasses for those of an Irish persuasion, but I do think there is a lot of value in backing the 9/4 on offer for Ireland to get over 21 winners. Were I an odds compiler I'd make it closer to a 5/4 or even money shot. In the interest of transparency, I'm off now to get my few pennies down and with that goes the last shred of national pride!