Sky Bet
have announced two fantastic offers for punters ahead of their sponsored race,
the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle, on the opening day of The Festival.
Not
only are the sponsors offering four places for each-way purposes but they are
also offering their customers a chance to get their money back on the opening
race if they fail to back the winner.
The
Leeds-based bookmaker has announced that stakes of up to £25 on win singles (or
the win part of each-way singles) will be returned on the first race at every
day of the meeting if the favourite wins.
This
concession not only covers their sponsored event on Tuesday but also the
Neptune Investment Novices' Hurdle, the JLT Novices' Chase and the JCB Triumph
Hurdle - the opening races on the subsequent three days.
With
the current 11/4 favourite Irving expected to be all the rage in tomorrow's
opener, Sky Bet spokesman Michael Shinners is convinced that his firm's offer
is one of the best in the betting village.
"As
we were already offering best odds guaranteed if the starting price is bigger
and a full refund of stakes on non-runners on all 27 races, our latest two
offers complete an impressive package of offers for our Cheltenham Festival
punters," said Shinners.
The
sponsors have been forced to cut Gilgamboa into 10/1 (from 12/1) this morning
after it emerged that champion jockey A P McCoy was to ride Enda Bolger's
six-year-old for owner J P McManus.
"Although
he hasn't won the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle since Captain Cee Bee won the
race in 2008, J P McManus' horses have filled the runner-up berth in three of
the past four runnings of the race so it's no surprise to see a bit of support
for Gilgamboa ahead of The Festival opener," commented Shinners.
Sky Bet
have announced they are offering four places on the race for each-way
purposes.
The
sponsors make Sire de Grugy their 9/4 ahead of the Bet Victor Queen Mother
Champion Chase after a field of 11 was declared for the two mile event this
morning.
Captain
Conan is next in the market at 5/1 for the Nicky Henderson and Barry Geraghty
combination, who have won the past two runnings of the Bet Victor Champion
Chase with Finian's Rainbow and Sprinter Scare. Arvika Ligeonnaire is next in
the market at 6/1 but the firm's Charlie McCann believes the race is wide open
following the defection of last year's winner Sprinter Sacre.
"Sire
de Grugy is a worthy favourite having won several of the big two-mile chases
this season but his defeat at Cheltenham behind Kid Cassidy showed that he's
not unbeatable and the Champion Chase has a very open feel to it at the
moment," said McCann.
New
champion jolly as Fly takes a walk
Dual
Stan James Champion Hurdle winner Hurricane Fly could be on the verge of
completing an historic hat-trick in tomorrow's race but the sponsors make his
main rival, The New One, the 5/2 favourite on the eve of the two-mile
championship event.
The
19-time Grade One winner landed the Stan James Champion Hurdle in 2011 and 2013
but all the money in recent days has been for Nigel Twiston-Davies'
six-year-old, who romped to victory in the Neptune Investment Management
Novices' Hurdle at The Festival last year.
The
sponsors will be top-price about every horse in the race from 9am tomorrow
morning and spokesman Rory Jiwani expects his firm to see plenty of money for
the defending champion ahead of the off.
"We're
very proud to be sponsoring the race of the week in the form of the Stan James
Champion Hurdle," said Jiwani.
"You
could make strong cases for the top five in the market and Melodic Rendezvous
would probably be a genuine contender in any other year. There's no hype
required when you have a great champion like Hurricane Fly and four top
second-season hurdlers trying to knock him off his perch.
"Last
year's Neptune hero and StanJames.com International winner The New One is our
5/2 favourite after good support today with Hurricane Fly next best at 3/1. My
Tent Or Yours is 4/1 with runaway Triumph winner Our Conor a 9/2 shot and Jezki
10/1.
"Our
Conor is the biggest loser in the book at present but from nine o'clock
tomorrow morning, we'll be top price every runner in the Stan James Champion
Hurdle.
"We
certainly expect to see money on the day for defending champion Hurricane Fly
and possibly My Tent Or Yours. While Cheltenham no doubt suits The New One
better than Kempton, it's slightly surprising to see Nigel Twiston-Davies'
charge so much shorter in the betting than My Tent Or Yours who beat him in the
Christmas Hurdle."
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