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2024 Cheltenham Festival Tips - Four Handicappers To Follow

jon-vine
Jon Vine
Editor
Last updated: Wed 24 Jan 2024 12:01
The 2024 Cheltenham Festival is anticipated with exciting entries confirmed this month. Some of the notable contenders include Broadway Boy in Ultima Handicap Chase, Frero Banbou in the Grand Annual Handicap Chase, Amirite in the Kim Muir Handicap Chase, and Lecky Watson in the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle. The horses offer excellent value at their current prices, sparking much excitement leading into 'the greatest show on turf.'
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Jon Vine 24 Jan 2024
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  • Ante-post picks for the handicaps at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival
  • Broadway Boy is our early selection for the Ultima Handicap Chase
  • Frero Banbou, Amirite and Lecky Watson also feature in this article
broadway boy
Tom Bellamy riding Broadway Boy clear the last to win The From The Horse's Mouth Podcast Novices' Chase at Cheltenham Racecourse. (Getty)

The entries for the Grade One races at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival have been confirmed this month, further ramping up the excitement factor leading into "the greatest show on turf".

This week, I've been delving into the Cheltenham Festival handicap markets and picked out four possible contenders who offer excellent value at their current prices.

2024 Cheltenham Festival Handicap Tips


2024 Ultima Handicap Chase Tips - Broadway Boy


There won't be many races during the week where Britain will fancy their chances of conquering Ireland, but the Ultima is one of them. Irish horses have a poor record in this contest, although they did come close to changing that 12 months ago, with Fastorslow and The Goffer involved in a thrilling finish.

Cheltenham form is vital when it comes to the Ultima, as is proven stamina over this distance. This handicap has been a particularly poor race for bookmakers too, with only four winners returning an SP longer than 14/1 since the turn of the century.

None would enter this year's Ultima Handicap Chase with better course form than BROADWAY BOY (16/1). Nigel Twiston-Davies' novice finished a good second to Flooring Porter here in October, before romping home in handicaps during the November and December meetings. 

Broadway Boy is entered in the Brown Advisory and the National Hunt Chase, but his recent defeat at Grade Two level could force Twiston-Davies to lower his sights and he'll know that novices have a fantastic record in Cheltenham Festival handicaps. If pointed at the Ultima, he could go off as the favourite.

2024 Grand Annual Handicap Chase Tips - Frero Banbou


Horses coming back to the Grand Annual have an excellent record in recent years. FRERO BANBOU (20/1) finished a good third behind Global Citizen in 2022. Last season, Venetia Williams had a crack at the Plate, where Frero Banbou jumped and travelled well, but didn't see out that two-and-a-half miles trip.

It's been a similar story this season for Williams' nine-year-old, who has placed in the Grand Sefton, at Newbury and twice here at Cheltenham over the Plate distance. Frero Banbou was backed into favouritism on his return to two miles at Lingfield and was travelling sweetly behind eventual winner First Flow, only to crash through the fifth flight - an error Charlie Deutsch did well recover from - before quickly being pulled up.

Two miles is certainly the best distance for this exuberant front-runner and Frero Banbou has shown enough this season to suggest that he's capable of winning off his current mark. The Grand Annual should be his target.

frero banbou
Charlie Deutsch riding Frero Banbou (left) at Lingfield. (Getty)

2024 Kim Muir Handicap Chase Tips - Amirite


Irish trainers have begun to target the Kim Muir more and more in recent years. Henry De Bromhead hasn't enjoyed the best of luck in this contest, but I could see AMIRITE (20/1) running a big race if he returns to Cheltenham in March.

Having impressed in several Graded races during his novice campaign, Amirite was backed into favouritism for the Irish Grand National last April, but failed to fire on the big day. De Bromhead sent his eight-year-old for a sighter at Cheltenham on his reappearance back in October, where Rachael Blackmore's mount finish a tired fourth, having been outjumped by race-fit stablemate Whacker Clan throughout the contest.

With a first-time tongue-tie fitted, Amirite ran an encouraging race at Leopardstown over Christmas, keeping on well from off the pace to place fifth. The British handicapper rated Amirite at 142 for that run in October, meaning he'll have no trouble making the final field for the Kim Muir and De Bromhead will have no shortage of crack Irish amateurs lined up to ride this talented eight-year-old.

2024 Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle - Lecky Watson


Earlier this week, I looked to see is Asian Master was available in the Martin Pipe betting. His regular jockey, Tony Costello being an amateur, I felt it would be natural for Willie Mullins to target this contest, but Asian Master isn't currently priced up with any bookmaker for the card-closing handicap on Gold Cup day.

During my search, I was surprised to see that LECKY WATSON (14/1) was still available at a tempting price of 14/1. Willie Mullins' novice jumped poorly when making a winning hurdles debut at Thurles in November, and jumping errors proved costly again when Paul Townend's mount was beaten by Slade Steel in the Grade Two Navan Novice Hurdle.

Lecky Watson was last seen placing third in the Lawlor's Of Naas, where Danny Mullins' mount was a little too keen and posted wide throughout. Mullins could run his star in the Nathaniel Lacy at the Dublin Racing Festival next, but another defeat in that Grade One could leave Lecky Watson nicely handicapped heading into Cheltenham. The Martin Pipe looks to be the ideal target.

Verdict

Cheltenham Festival 2024 Ante-Post Handicap Picks:

Best Bet1: Broadway Boy 2024 Ultima @16/1 at bet365 - 5 Units
Best Bet2: Frero Banbou 2024 Grand Annual @20/1 at Hollywood bets - 5 Units
Best Bet3: Amirite 2024 Kim Muir @20/1 at BetTom - 5 Units
Best Bet4: Lecky Watson 2024 Martin Pipe @14/1 at bet365 - 5 Units
Broadway Boy
2024 Ultima
@16/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
with bonus code NEWBONUS

Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad

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Frero Banbou
2024 Grand Annual
@20/1 - 5 Units
£30 Free Bet
Use promo code NEWBONUS

Claim £30 free bet & 20 Free Spins. Use the promo code NEWBONUS. New Hollywoodbets account holders. 18 years or older. United Kingdom residents only. T&Cs apply.

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Amirite
2024 Kim Muir
@20/1 - 5 Units
£25 Free Bet Refund
with promo code NEWBONUS

Join betTOM with promo code NEWBONUS and get access to their £25 Free Bet Refunds offer. 18+ only. T&Cs apply.

Bet at BetTom
Lecky Watson
2024 Martin Pipe
@14/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
with bonus code NEWBONUS

Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad

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