In yesterday’s blog I talked about the types of races that often provide the best betting opportunities at the Cheltenham Festival, particularly handicap hurdles where prices can hold up better and the market occasionally underestimates certain runners.

Today I want to look at a few trainers who could represent value at this year’s Festival. Some yards specifically target Cheltenham, others quietly prepare horses for the meeting throughout the season, and occasionally the market simply underestimates their chances.

Identifying those trainers can sometimes lead to finding horses at much bigger prices than they should be.

Joseph O'Brien

Joseph O’Brien has developed a strong reputation for preparing horses for the Cheltenham Festival, particularly in novice races and competitive handicaps.

As mentioned in yesterday’s piece, handicap hurdles are often races where the market can slightly misjudge Irish runners coming across the water. Horses may have been campaigned quietly during the season with Cheltenham clearly the long-term target, meaning their true ability might not be fully reflected in the betting.

O’Brien has shown on several occasions that he knows exactly how to place a horse for the Festival.

Horses of interest:

Talk The Talk – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
Banbridge – Ryanair Chase
Glen To Glen – McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

Rebecca Curtis

Rebecca Curtis is one of those trainers who tends to fly slightly under the radar at Cheltenham, but her Festival record suggests she should never be overlooked.

In recent years she has trained two winners from just 13 runners at the meeting, producing a profit of around 42.5 points to level stakes. That statistic alone tells you that when Curtis does strike at Cheltenham, it usually comes at rewarding prices.

Her runners are rarely heavily backed favourites, but they are often well prepared for the occasion.

Horses of interest:

Newton Tornado – Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase
Haiti Couleurs – Cheltenham Gold Cup

Interestingly Haiti Couleurs won the National Hunt Chase at last year’s Festival, proving that Curtis knows exactly what it takes to get a horse ready for the meeting.

Henry De Bromhead

Henry De Bromhead has been one of the most successful trainers at Cheltenham in recent years.

Over the past six Festivals he has trained 20 winners, operating at around a 13 percent strike rate and producing roughly 33 points profit to level stakes.

The yard has been relatively quiet this season compared to previous years, but there have been reports that several of the stable’s better horses have been deliberately rested and trained specifically with Cheltenham in mind.

If that proves to be the case, the De Bromhead yard could easily come alive once the Festival begins.

One point worth noting is that De Bromhead’s record in handicap hurdles and handicap chases at Cheltenham is not particularly strong. His runners tend to perform better in novice races and the top graded contests.

Horses of interest:

Bob Olinger – Stayers’ Hurdle
Envoi Allen – Cheltenham Gold Cup
King’s Bucks – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

Final Thoughts

Cheltenham is not just about finding the best horse in each race. It is often about recognising which trainers prepare specifically for the meeting and identifying the horses that have been targeted at the Festival months in advance.

Some stables peak at different stages of the season, but others build their entire campaign around these four days in March.

Spotting those patterns can often be the difference between backing a short-priced favourite and finding a winner at double-figure odds.

And as anyone who has followed Cheltenham for long enough will tell you, those are the winners that make the week truly memorable.