Cheltenham Festival tips: Antepost betting preview for the 2021 Stayers' Hurdle

Racing betting tips: Cheltenham Festival antepost

1.5pt win Ronald Pump in Stayers’ Hurdle at 20/1

0.5pts win Honest Vic in Stayers’ Hurdle at 100/1

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• Ronald Pump at 20/1 with Sky Bet
• Honest Vic at 100/1 with Sky Bet

RONALD PUMP isn’t going to win any awards for being the best-named horse in training but looks worth backing to go one better in the Stayers’ Hurdle in March ahead of an intended Christmas outing at Leopardstown.

Trained in County Meath by little-known Matthew Smith, who has yet to send out 100 runners during a National Hunt season, he is unquestionably the stable star having risen through the ranks two seasons ago thanks to four victories in handicaps.

Last season he tried his hand over fences too and coped admirably in the face of some tough tasks but produced yet another career best when second to Lisnagar Oscar – beaten just two lengths – returned to the smaller obstacles at the Cheltenham Festival in the spring.

It was a messy race in the end, Ronald Pump among those to make a few notable mistakes along the way, but he was travelling about as well as anything turning for home and could probably have gone really close to winning had he not been struck into and lost a shoe on the lengthy approach to the final flight of hurdles.

There was no fluke about it and it’s hoped his whole campaign is geared towards another crack at it the same race as, being a seven-year-old rising eight, there’s every chance he’s got a bit more to offer. That certainly looks to be the case based on his two starts during November.

A faller at the last (well in touch) when sent off favourite for the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan, he bounced back straight away with a fast-finishing second to Honeysuckle in the Grade One Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Giving the mares’ allowance (7lb) to Henry De Bromhead’s unbeaten, multiple top-class scorer has proved to be seriously difficult over the years and, not for the first time in his career, Ronald Pump’s effort was seemingly a little overlooked.

He was absolutely flying after the last hurdle, and upsides soon after the line, so while Honeysuckle was presumably a little ring-rusty first time out, it was very close to Ronald Pump’s best form, which looks good enough to more than compete with the best around in this division.

He’s only had seven career starts at three miles and returning to that trip on December 28 should really see him in an even better light. Victory there would set him up nicely and the current 20/1 could leave backers in a decent position.

Who is the best outsider in the Stayers' Hurdle?

On paper the Stayers’ group does look stronger this time around due to the addition of Thyme Hill, Sire Du Berlais and maybe even Benie Des Dieux, who would be a fascinating contender but is priced up pretty conservatively at no bigger than 10/1 (Unibet). The new mares’ chase looks her more likely destination according to Willie Mullins' stable tour.

Roksana – 20/1 for the Stayers’ with Betfair and Paddy Power - looked very good in the bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby on her comeback and could shake things up considerably with a big run at Ascot this weekend, but Dan Skelton raised the possibility of skipping Cheltenham altogether this season, which is more than a shade off-putting.

One at a monster price who could be flying under the radar is HONEST VIC.

I’m not privy to plans for this horse but I do know novice chasing has been mooted in the past and, on the face of it, trainer Henry Daly could make that call after he appeared to have his limitations exposed in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury.

However, I’m far from convinced we saw the real Honest Vic there as what he really needs is a strong gallop to aim at, rather than having to make his own running at a relative crawl which happened to be the case last month.

He bolted up in a three-mile handicap from a mark of 141 at the Showcase meeting in October and had run really well when fifth in the Coral Cup at the Festival on his previous outing. In fact, he’s performed well in each of his four Cheltenham appearances (form figures 5551) to date so a possible shot at the Cleeve Hurdle might tempt connections away from the chasing route for now.

Honest Vic was pushed out to 100/1 from 40s by Paddy Power, Betfair and Unibet following his Newbury effort which is almost worryingly big, but I can’t resist a small nibble on him as well and accept my fate if his next engagement reveals a change of plan.

Posted at 1600 GMT on 16/12/20

More Cheltenham Festival antepost previews & tips...

Matt Brocklebank is assessing the 2021 Cheltenham Festival markets and will be publishing his antepost previews in the build-up to the big meeting over the coming weeks and months.

In recent seasons, our man has already identified big-priced winners of the Paddy Power Gold Cup (Baron Alco, 12/1) and Ladbrokes Trophy, striking rich in the Newbury feature with back-to-back 33/1 victors Sizing Tennessee and De Rasher Counter.

Matt also enjoyed a fantastic Flat season in 2020, having put up Love to win the 1000 Guineas at 16/1 and the same horse to win the Investec Oaks at 20/1 - he's now aiming to add to those profits with long-range selections for the 2021 Cheltenham Festival. Click here on the image below for more.

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