28,000/1 Cheltenham Festival 2024 Handicaps Lucky 15 Tip: 8/1, 25/1, 7/1 and 14/1 Selections

Now that we have all entries and weights for the 2024 Cheltenham Festival handicaps, the snobby traditionalists can no longer scoff at you for not having enough information for a handicap bet.

So here are 4 selections for a Handicap Lucky 15 at Cheltenham from Ciaran Murphy this year, where a £1 each-way lucky 15 could return almost £40,000!

The best odds for this accumulator at the time of writing are 28,079/1 with Coral which means if you were to have a £1 bet on all 4 horses to win, you’d get a return of £28,079. The better way to bet on these four betting tips from the Cheltenham handicaps would be in the shape of an each-way lucky 15, with a £1 EW bet costing £30 and a potential return of £39,558.

Join Coral to get their bet £5 get £20 sign-up offer.

 

Ultima Handicap Chase (Day 1)

10 Year Trends

• 8 of last 10 winners were aged 7-9 (Average Age is 8.1) 
• Average Winning Rating: 145
• 10/10 were English Trained
• 9/10 wore Headgear

Traditionally, one race of the festival that the English can bank on winning is the opening Handicap on day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival, the 3m Ultima Chase. Keeping that streak alive will be more difficult this year as the majority of those currently guaranteed a run come from the Emerald Isle. Foremost among these is Current favourite The Goffer who looks to advertise the red hot form of last year’s race when 4th off a 2 pound lower mark. However, I am backing the English to get one on the board here with CHIANTI CLASSICO (8/1). This Kim Bailey trained 7-year novice has a similar profile to Happygolucky who was just touched off 2 years ago for the same connections and has managed to arrive here with a mark of 143, putting him firmly in line with recent trends. His jumping will allow him to be prominent and we can be sure of a positive ride from David Bass in the Saddle, something that, for me, is always desirable in a handicap chase around Cheltenham.

 

Pertemps Handicap Hurdle (Day 3)

10 Year Trends

• 9 of 10 winners were aged 6-8
• Average Rating 142.4
• 7/10 Irish Winners

The Pertemps this year lacks the star power of some previous renewals with classy future chasers Delta Work, Presenting Percy and reigning Stayers Hurdle champion Sire Du Berlais on the Roll of Honour. If there is a future Star in this field, it may be Cleatus Poolaw who qualified in straight forward fashion at the weekend. However, this was very much a backup plan after the unfortunate passing of Absolute Notions and with Danny Gilligan having claimed 5 at the weekend, without a claim in this race, he would be running off a 14-pound higher mark. Instead, preference is given to the more experienced GOWEL ROAD (25/1) for the Twiston Davies team who love a Cheltenham Festival winner. A staying-on 7th in a competitive 2022 Coral Cup, he was just 2 lengths behind Crambo when giving that rival a pound on his comeback after a year off the track at Haydock. He followed up with a respectable run in Grade 1 company next time out and qualified in 4th place at Exeter on ground much softer than ideal, subsequently being dropped a pound for that effort. He is a past winner at the track and connections have identified him as one who could run a “Massive Race” on the likely soft ground. 

 

County Hurdle (Day 4)

10 Year Trends

• 7 of 10 winners were aged 5 or 6 (Average Age 6.33)
• Average Winner Rating: 140
• 8 of last 9 winners have been trained by Dan Skelton (4) or Willie Mullins (4)

Given their recent record in the race, we must respect the chances of Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton. The latter saddles defending champion Favoir who gets in off just a 2-pound higher mark, although at 9, may be vulnerable to a younger improver. Willie has a few lively chances, the best of which might be Biakystock who was brought down when traveling well and well-backed at the DRF. However, I think Gordon Elliot has the strongest hand in this year’s race, firstly with Pied Piper who carried 11st 13 and a substandard Davy Russell to second place in last year’s renewal. With Danny Gillian likely to take off 5 pounds, he would effectively be running off a 4-pound lower mark in this year’s contest and would be very dangerous. However, I have long held the belief that KING OF KINGSFIELD (7/1) is tailor-made for the strong pace of a County Hurdle.

Verging on Supreme class, I think the handicapper has made up Gordon’s mind for him by leaving his Irish mark of 140 unchanged. A highly thought-of Bumper horse last year, he was a NR at Cheltenham before being placed behind A Dream to Share and Tullyhill in the Grade 1 Punchestown Flat Race. He has Grade 1 placed form on 2 of his last 3 starts, sandwiching an impressive Christmas win over the well-touted brother of Ferny Hollow, Mirazur West. With Jack Kennedy likely to be in the saddle, I can see him scything through the field and finishing off best of all coming up the Cheltenham hill. 

 

Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Race (Day 4)

10 Year Trends

• Average Winner Age:5.8
• Average Rating 140.6
• 7/10 Irish trained
• 7/10 Novices
• 0/10 Favourites

The last race of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival is affectionately known as the ‘Boys Race’ as it is limited to conditional kjockeys. The big talking horse here is Sa Majeste who has somehow managed to get away with an unchanged British mark of 140. However, at 4/1, with the dismal record of favourites, you really are forced to look elsewhere. JP has other notable entries with Waterford Whispers and No Ordinary Joe (look to see who Aidan Kelly gets Jocked up on). However, for the selection, I will go to Gordon again, who loves to win the race named after his mentor. I am hoping Danny Gilligan will be on BETTER DAYS AHEAD (14/1) who went off 10/1 for the Champion Bumper last year. He was beaten just 5 lengths by Slade Steel in a Navan Grade 2 and on his last start was 10 lengths behind Supreme Dark Horse Asian Master (giving him 15 pounds). I think that this could be a well-hatched year-long plan for Gordon and as a 140 rated, 6 year old Irish Novice, he fits all the trends. 

Follow Ciaran on Twitter for more Cheltenham 2024 tips.

 

Cheltenham Lucky 15 Handicap Tip

All in All, just the 28,079/1 4 fold on Coral (NRMB) with a £1 EW Lucky 15 paying just under £40,000. I wonder what I’ll spend my winnings on? 

• Ultima Handicap Chase (Day 1) – CHIANTI CLASSICO (8/1)
• Pertemps Handicap Hurdle (Day 3) – GOWEL ROAD (25/1)
• County Hurdle (Day 4) – KING OF KINGSFIELD (7/1)
• Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Race (Day 4) – BETTER DAYS AHEAD (14/1)

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