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Excitement is mounting among horse racing bettors, with the prestigious 2023 Cheltenham Festival now just a few weeks away.
The four-day meeting is the highlight of the National Hunt season in the United Kingdom and provides punters with a wealth of wagering opportunities.
Many people will be keen to build their bankroll on crypto pokies in the run-up to the Festival to give themselves more ammunition to take on the bookmakers.
Winners can be hard to come by given the competitive nature of the Festival, but we have picked out six horses we think are primed to run big races at the Gloucestershire track.
Facile Vega – Supreme Novices' Hurdle
Willie Mullins has made no secret of the esteem in which he holds Facile Vega, which explains why he was bubbling with rage after the horse's recent defeat at Leopardstown.Jockey Paul Townend did not cover himself in glory on that occasion, going off at a breakneck speed before finishing last of five behind stablemate Il Etait Temps.
Mullins was eager to put a line through that run and stressed that the horse would be ridden with far more restraint in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
Facile Vega is now an extremely backable price for the race and looks a good bet to make amends on the opening day of the Festival.
Honeysuckle – Mares' Hurdle
Two-time Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle has not quite looked the force of old this season and will swerve another a tilt at the big two-mile event.The decision to target the Mares' Hurdle should pay dividends, with nine-year-old likely to find things much easier competing against her own sex.
Honeysuckle ran a fine race in defeat behind State Man in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown and should be fully tuned up at Cheltenham.
Connections are eager to see Honeysuckle emerge victorious on her final run and winning the Mares' Hurdle would put the icing on a magnificent career.
Jonbon – Arkle Novices' Chase
Jonbon was made the hot favourite for the Arkle Novices' Chase after storming to a superb victory in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown before Christmas.However, an underwhelming recent win over a solitary rival in a Grade 2 event at Warwick resulted in bookmakers pushing Jonbon out in the betting.
The Mullins-trained El Fabiolo now heads the Arkle betting despite being beaten by Jonbon over hurdles at the Grand National Festival last year.
Trainer Nicky Henderson clearly left plenty to work on with the Festival still a month away, and Jonbon is a banker bet to get the job done at the Festival.
Delta Work – Cross Country Chase
Delta Work left many punters with burnt fingers at last year's Festival after beating stablemate Tiger Roll in the Cross Country Chase.The five-time Grade 1 winner subsequently ran third in the Grand National and is on track to attempt the double again this time around.
Delta Work started this season with a gritty victory at Punchestown, before running two excellent races in defeat at Cheltenham and Navan.
The latter run in a Grade 2 hurdle over an inadequate distance should have put Delta Work spot on for another tilt at the Cross Country Chase and he will be tough to beat.
Mighty Potter – Turner Novices' Chase
Trainer Gordon Elliott was bullish about Might Potter's Cheltenham chances after the horse ran out an impressive winner at Leopardstown earlier this month.The six-year-old brushed aside several talented rivals with contemptuous ease and is strongly fancied to follow up in the Turners Novices' Chase at the Festival.
Mighty Potter was tipped to run a big race in last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle, but was pulled up after making a bad mistake.
He has looked the real deal over bigger obstacles and it will take a massive performance from one of his rivals to lower his colours at Cheltenham.
Galopin Des Champs – Gold Cup
The standout race on the final day of the Festival is the Cheltenham Gold Cup and is generally one of the most competitive events of the entire meeting.However, the hugely talented Galopin Des Champs looks a cut above the opposition in this year's renewal and can give Mullins his third victory in the race.
The seven-year-old warmed up for the Festival with a fantastic win in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown and he will be difficult to stop next month.
A Plus Tard, Noble Yeats, Stattler and Bravemansgame should not be underestimated, but Galopin Des Champs is one of the best bets of the week at Cheltenham.
Cheltenham Festival Treble: Delta Work, Mighty Potter and Galopin Des Champs are the top bets at this year's meeting and can reward punters brave enough to combine them in a treble.
