SINCE the second last year’s Cheltenham Festival finished, punters have been piling into horses for this year’s meeting.
There really is nothing like the high of seeing a horse you backed at big odds win on the day at much shorter ones.
ReutersPunters will be celebrating bashing the bookies if these five most-backed horses all win[/caption]
But, as many know, there’s also nothing like seeing one of your biggest fancies get ruled out weeks before the race in question.
Allaho, favourite for the Ryanair since winning it for a second time 11 months ago, is a prime example of that.
Every year, Cheltenham Festival is packed with big winning bet slips – and agonising near misses.
But who have been punters been backing since last March?
Well, Sun Racing scoured the Betfair Exchange, where you can clearly see how much money has been wagered on a horse.
The exchange works differently to a sportsbook in that you bet against other punters.
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Find a horse you fancy, enter your stake then watch as it is ‘matched’ with those laying your pick.
Below are the five most matched horses for this year’s racing and how much is on them at the time of writing.
Most-backed horses for Cheltenham Festival 2023
1 Constitution Hill (Champion Hurdle)
£317,865
The Champion Hurdle looks like a done deal.
Of the £409,415 staked on the race as a whole, more than three-quarters of it is for Nicky Henderson’s stable star.
His odds are 4-11 and it looks like nothing can stop him.
GettyHendo with the monster that is Constitution Hill[/caption]
2 Facile Vega (Supreme)
£112,113
The apple of Willie Mullins’ eye, Facile Vega ticked all the boxes with regards a Festival favourite.
Out of a superstar in Quevega, trained by the best around and unbeaten on the track, much of the commentary suggested all he had to do was show up and win.
Then the Dublin Racing Festival happened.
Facile Vega shot off, Paul Townend was labelled ‘headless’ by Mullins for his riding and the horse finished last.
He was later found to be lame and punters who have piled into him will hope he bounces back in the Festival opener.
3 Galopin Des Champs (Gold Cup)
£107,090
Another Mullins inmate, punters and bookes were initially unimpressed with his Irish Gold Cup win earlier this month.
But there is no denying how he powered away at the post to win by eight lengths from Stattler.
His high cruising speed, fair jumping and unflappable demeanour suggest he is made for this race.
4 Jonbon (Arkle)
£69,589
It’s easy to feel a bit sorry for Jonbon, a record £570,000 purchase by legendary owner JP McManus.
He is unbeaten over fences and looked pretty good doing it – even if he was booed past the post at Warwick.
The issue is, since a lot of people backed him earlier in the season, the Irish races over 2m have undoubtedly been stronger.
And while he has the most money riding on him, El Fabiolo has usurped Jonbon as fav for the race.
5 Energumene (Champion Chase)
£46,719
Expect this figure to jump instantly into the hundreds of thousands should a certain big-spending punter wish to back this horse again.
A disappointing third in last month’s rearranged Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham, Energumene will need to bounce back next month.
He was a brilliant winner for owner Tony Bloom in the mud last year.
But with a lack of rain causing havoc with tracks now, will he get his preferred conditions in March?
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