Tips at value prices for Cheltenham 2022. This essential guide includes a 16-1 pick for the Champion Hurdle and a 50-1 shot, co-owned by Harry Redkanpp, for the Albert Bartlett
Gavin Beech (mirror.co.uk)
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The Cheltenham Festival gives punters a huge opportunity to find value bets at decent prices.
Last year’s meeting saw a host of winners score with hefty odds, with 80-1 shot Jeff Kidder among them in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
Heaven Help Us (33-1) struck with a fine front-running performance in the Coral Cup, while Belfast Banter went off at the same price before pouncing late in the County Hurdle.
Popular grey Vintage Clouds was a 28-1 scorer while Porlock Bay took the ‘Gold Cup for amateur riders’, the hunters’ chase, at 16-1.
The bookies are keen to offer extra places at Cheltenham so it’s a great time for racing fans to back a double-figure-priced contender.
This especially runs true in the bigger fields on the programme, the races that are likely to throw up a surprise result.
Here are five runners that could reward each-way backers throughout the week.
Adagio – Champion Hurdle (16-1)
Adagio makes some appeal for those looking to back a horse in the Champion Hurdle each-way.
David Pipe’s runner has a Cheltenham record of 2212, including a second in last year’s Triumph Hurdle, so his track form is strong.
His narrow defeat to Goshen at Wincanton was hugely encouraging given it was his first run since November.
The vibes are good with regards to his preparation and there could easily be a bigger effort in this five-year-old.
Whatdeawant – Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (25-1)
Much better was expected from Whatdeawant (started the 2-1 second favourite) when he faded into fifth in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle.
Therefore it might be unwise to rate him on that performance. He had looked a hurdler on the up prior to that and let’s not forget that he defeated Naas winner Ginto, a key contender for Cheltenham, in a bumper last term.
Willie Mullins has freshened him up since, some nice spring ground will be in his favour and he is owned by the sponsors of the Ballymore.
Don’t be surprised if this unexposed six-year-old fared a good deal better than his 25-1 odds imply.
Diesel D’Allier – Cross Country Chase (16-1)
All eyes will be on Tiger Roll here but he’s a 12-year-old now and no horse of that age has won this unique race since 2010.
Backers could do worse than taking a chance on cross country specialist Diesel D’Allier who heads into this race in great form.
A winner over course and distance when last seen, it was just his second start for Richard Bandey, who had the horse from French trainer Emmanuel Clayeux in November 2021.
There could be more to come from this six-time winner as he acclimatises to life at Bandey’s Hampshire yard.
Diesel D’Allier is versatile ground wise, has two wins and a place to show from four runs around the track and looks a strong each-way player here.
Rosy Redrum – Champion Bumper (20-1)
Five double-figure priced winners have landed the Champion Bumper prize in the last decade, including two 25-1 chances.
Rosy Redrum is a filly that might just be underestimated by the layers.
She was given too much to do in a steadily run bumper at Newbury last time and trainer Milton Harris told a Cheltenham preview night in north London last week that the filly has been working very well in the build-up.
As a four-year-old filly, she gets all the allowances and drying ground will be right up her street.
Bowtogreatness – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (50-1)
There has been a 50-1 winner of the Albert Bartlett and two at 33/1 in recent years.
A stamina test for young horses, it is a race where the best form does not always influence the result.
Bowtogreatness, co-owned by Harry Redknapp, is a horse that could easily continue that trend.
Ben Pauling’s improving six-year-old made light of a penalty to win a Leicester novice with any amount in hand last time, showing a really likeable attitude in the process.
Image: Adagio (Getty).
