The Cheltenham Festival is here, and that means a ton of exciting betting opportunities. If you want to make the best bets on the event this year, then look no further. Here are some of the favourites for the festival this year, as well as some of the best odds available right now.

When Is The Cheltenham Festival?

The Cheltenham Festival is traditionally held in March every year, at the Cheltenham Racecourse. This year, the event will start on Tuesday the 12th of March 2024, and run until Friday the 15th of March 2024. Over the course of the events, there are going to be many different races that will be happening, so there are lots of opportunities to bet and take part in the action.

Where To Bet On Cheltenham Festival

Where is the best place to bet on the Cheltenham Festival this year? If you are already a member of your local betting shop, they are of course are going to have markets available to you right now. For those that want to bet in the comfort of their own home, there are a wealth of betting sites out there that you can use to place your bets as well.

These sites offer a lot of benefits as well, including some excellent prices on horses, as well as other bonuses for signing up or placing certain bets.

Cheltenham 2024 Favourites

So if you are looking to make a bet, who should you be betting on? Let’s take a look at some of the favourites according to the biggest betting sites in Ireland;

Champion Hurdle: State Man

Is there is one horse that you back at Cheltenham Festival this year, it needs to be State Man. Currently, he is unbeaten this season, so horse racing fans will be watching who eagerly to see what he does at Cheltenham. If he does win here, he has the ability to become one of the most famous horses in racing.

So, if you are looking for a horse that gives you a guaranteed win, then this is the one to bet on. You can check out all of your favourite settings to see what odds they can offer you, and pick the one that gives you the best deal on that bet.

Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle: Lossiemouth

During the first day of the event, you are going to want to keep an eye on Lossiemouth. Many are pointing out her to be a winner thanks to her performance at the UniBet Hurdle in January. That was her first outing for the season, and in fact her first race in 273 days. Many are seeing this as a bonus for her, as it means she will be fresh and ready to take on the challenge once she gets to Cheltenham.

Ryanair Chase: Stage Star

Right now at the time of writing, there are 32 early entries for this race. Within that number are several very interesting horses, lots of who will be a real contender for the title. For those looking to back a horse that is being overlooked, then you want to check out Stage Star.

This horse has dealt with several issues in recent races, such as an issue with a muscle on a New Year’s Day race. He does also struggle with soft ground, something that will probably be a challenge to him at Cheltenham.

However, he has been spending all summer recovering and training, and still has a lot to offer. Right now, BoyleSports are offering 4/1 odds on him, so you potentially can get a good win by backing him.

Triumph Hurdle: Sir Gino

Sir Gino is a favourite to win this race, with odds on him currently at 4/6 on Paddy Power. This makes him another good option to bet on if you are looking for a near guaranteed win at Cheltenham Festival this year.

This is especially because he is a Nicky Henderson trained horse. Henderson has trained the winners for this race in 2019, 2015, 2010, 2009, 1999, 1987, and 1985. Because of this, experts feel that he is due another win with this horse.

Sir Gino has clinched wins in recent races, such as the Juvenile Hurdle at the Kempton Christmas Festival. As such, he is definitely one to watch.

Queen Mother Champion Race: El Fabiolo

This race is currently full of several different horses who are fiercely competitive. Right now though, many are considering it to be a rematch between El Fabiolo and Edwardstone. Both horses have seen a lot of success in previous races, so either of them really could take the title here.

When you speak to horse racing experts though, many consider El Fabiolo to be the favourite here. This is despite the fact that his jumping is still not exactly in top form, considering what will be needed during the race. Even so, he has still won his two previous races, making him a real contender for the race this year. Either way, it should be an exciting match up between these two horses, so you will want to make sure you don’t miss it.

Cheltenham Gold Cup: Galopin Des Champs

With the British weather all but guaranteeing that there will be a wet and soft track this year at Cheltenham, any horse that races will need to be able to cope with it. Galopin Des Champs has already proven he’s more than capable of racing on soft ground, which means he’s off to a great start.

He already has an excellent win record behind him as well, especially at NAP last year. Because of this, many are expected him to go home with the Gold Cup this year. Currently, Quinnbet has odds of 11/10 for him to win.

These are just some of the favourites to win the races at Cheltenham Festival this year. Head to your favourite sites to place your bets, and make sure you watch all of the action as it happens.