Market Movers – Cheltenham Festival Antepost Edition

We’ve scoured the antepost markets for Cheltenham to find which horses have sustained substantial support or surprised the bookmakers in their targets.

We’ve found five Cheltenham Festival market movers which have moved in recent weeks and are worth a second look.

Magic Saint

12/1 into 5/1
Runs in: Grand Annual Challenge Cup

Available at 12/1 in places last week, trainer Paul Nicholls won this same race last year. Daryl Jacob has been very complimentary about him at preview nights and the form of his win last month looks solid.

Posh Trish

14/1 into 9/2
Runs in: Mares Novices Hurdle

No doubt her price has shortened partly thanks to Honeysuckle’s non participation, but there was already significant money from the end of February for Posh Trish.

Having not been seen on track since an easy Listed win in December, she drifted slightly from her 10/1 opening price but has been popular ever since. Like Magic Saint, she is trained by Paul Nicholls who will be hoping to break Willie Mullins’ hold on this race.

Road To Respect

12/1 into 5/1
Runs in: Ryanair Chase

Far from unusual for a Gigginstown horse to have an unknown target, Road To Respect shortened immediately after trainer Noel Meade announced he was likely to go for the Ryanair last week.

The multiple Grade 1 winner was fourth in the Gold Cup here last year having won the Plate Handicap Chase in 2017. With his trainer feeling he “just didn’t quite get home in the Gold Cup”, this decision appears a logical step.

Meticulous

12/1 into 8/1
Runs in: Champion Bumper

A rare British jumps runner for Michael Tabor – just his second in the last five years in fact, the last being West Coast Time who finished down in the field in this race in 2017.

He defied odds of 20/1 to run Envoi Allen close at Leopardstown last month, finishing just over a length back but closing towards the line.

He was getting three pounds that day but the extra stamina test of the Cheltenham hill and a more truly run race could see him improve substantially.

Mister Malarky

25/1 into 12/1 (in places)
Runs in: RSA Chase

Switching to the bigger obstacles has made all the difference for Colin Tizzard’s charge. Three wins – including the Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot – plus a third have seen his handicap mark rise from 126 to 148.

Unsurprisingly, market support has following, helped by Colin Tizzard stating he “has just developed into a proper stayer”.

Make sure you’re ready for Cheltenham!

See our Cheltenham Festival tips, which will be updated daily throughout the Festival.

Make sure to maximise your profits with our Cheltenham Free Bets & Offers page – containing a curated selection of the very best new and existing customer offers to take advantage of this Festival.

We’ll also be posting daily market movers from the Festival along with best backed horses!