Cheltenham horse racing tips: Research shows October meeting is the BEST for backing favourites
LIKE backing favourites?
Then the first Cheltenham meeting of the year could be just the one for you.
Research by has shown favourites at the Showcase meeting (which starts Friday and continues on Saturday) is the best for backing those at the head of the market.
This is compared to all the other meetings at Prestbury Park, including, of course, the Festival.
Number-crunchers have found that, of all the meetings at Cheltenham over the past five years, market leaders have won 36 per cent of races at the October Showcase.
And they claim favourites in races at the October meeting have a nine per cent more chance of success compared to the other six meetings that take place throughout the year.
Some of the big names currently leading the markets for this weekend include Gordon Elliott's exciting hurdler Pied Piper.
The Triumph third is currently 11-10 for the Class 2 Masterson Holdings Hurdle at 2.40 on Saturday.
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He will be up against Milton Harris' Champion Hurdle hope Knight Salute and three others, including 300-1 freak winner Sawbuck.
Seven of the 14 SP favourites won at last year's meeting, including the likes of Third Time Lucki and Before Midnight.
Commenting on the findings, 888 Sport ambassador and Cheltenham legend Barry Geraghty said: "I'm not surprised that favourites do better at this meeting than any other.
"The ground is normally pretty decent and the fields aren’t quite as competitive as some of the big winter meetings and, obviously, the Festival itself.
"It will be interesting to see how the market leaders get on this weekend."
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