Saturday, March 18, 2023

Cheltenham Festival 2023 - the betting debrief

This year the blog's eight highlighted selections over the four days of the Festival recorded a small loss to level stakes (1 point win, 0.5 points each way, with each way returns calculated to one fifth the odds).

Outlay over four days: 8 points

Return over four days: 7.8 points

Profit / Loss: -0.2 points

Profit / Loss as percentage of outlay: -2.5%

Each way wager Stage Star won the Turners (15/2 SP used to calculate return after both Banbridge and Christopher Wood withdrawn on account of unsuitable ground) while Protektorat landed place money in the Gold Cup at odds of 18/1.

Those wagers that went awry: Il Etait Temps (Supreme) and The Big Breakaway (Ultima) on Tuesday; Galia Des Liteaux (Brown Advisory) and Elixir De Nutz (Grand Annual) on Wednesday; and Moka De Vassy (Pertemps Final) and Teahupoo (Stayers' Hurdle) on Thursday.

The way in which Constitution Hill demolished the Champion Hurdle field followed by Honeysuckle winning her final race 45 minutes later lit up the opening day and will live long in the memory.

It wasn't plain sailing for Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup but, in the end, he won with the sort of authority his price suggested he would; full credit too to Bravemansgame who came up the hill far better than I had anticipated. We look forward to future clashes with relish. 

Irish domination of the meeting continues but there were still shocks aplenty: 22/1 chance Maskada six and a half lengths ahead of her nearest rival in the Grand Annual; Sire Du Beralis at 33/1 in the Stayers' Hurdle; Faivoir at 33/1 in the County Hurdle; and Premier Magic at 66/1 in the Hunters' Chase. 

The biggest shock of all though was the meekness and timidity - did I detect a certain deference? - shown by the stentorian Matt Chapman when interviewing Zara Tindall in the paddock before the Gold Cup on Friday. We have never seen the like.

I'm sure we'll be back to do it all again next year. 

And, you know, Mrs Tips picked four winners on the first day. If only I had listened... 

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