Centenary Novices Handicap Chase 2011

There is a big incentive for jockeys and trainers in the shape of £55,000 to take the last race on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival as seriously as any other.

The Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase 2011 will be run over two miles and four and a half furlongs with a field of exciting Novices’ rated between 0 and 140.

There is a chance for a real upset in the Centenary Novices Handicap Chase 2011 because the 2010 version of this race was won by a 12/1 outsider.

Centenary Novices Handicap Chase Betting

The Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase betting market is currently being dominated by a Willie Mullins horse called Quel Esprit. The French six-year-old has won five times from nine races and has already appeared three times at Cheltenham in a short career.

Quel Esprit is a very lengthy priced favourite at 10/1. However, this is simply because the field for the Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase 2011 is so strong and the horse has struggled on this racecourse.

The current Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase betting is so competitive because there is very little to choose between the top horses. The second favourite, Jessies Dream, is a 12/1 shot, which would have been considered a long outside chance last year.

Jessies Dream is a Gordon Elliott horse more mature in age at eight-years-old. The horse has shot up towards the top of the betting market thanks to two wins late in 2010 and a second place finish earlier this year.

Cheltenham Festival Dark Horses

Every betting customer likes a dark horse and there will be plenty of Cheltenham Festival dark horses to choose from in this race.

Tullamore Dew is a 20/1 Cheltenham Festival dark horse that not a lot of people will bat an eyelid at. However, the secrets are in the stats and this horse has finished first or second in nine races out of 16.

Nick Gifford knows that the nine-year-old Chestnut Gelding could find the going a little tough against some quick young horses. However, the horse has nothing to lose so Gifford will be going all out for a crack at the prize pot.

Pearlysteps is another of the main Cheltenham Festival dark horses for 2011. The eight-year-old horse has only run in 12 races but the one run at Cheltenham produced a solid third place finish.

This horse has only failed to place in four races out of 12. At 22/1 in places, there is real value in backing the horse as a safe each way bet. Pearlysteps seems to relish running in huge fields and has a consistent record of staying on at the end of a race.

Centenary Novices Handicap Chase 2011 Tip

The best Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase 2011 tip is to not get drawn into backing a current favourite. If there was real market confidence in Quel Esprit then the price would be a lot shorter than 10/1.

There is tremendous value to be had elsewhere and there are some very underrated horses running in the Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase 2011.