Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase Betting 2011

The three mile and seven furlong race was started in 2005 as a way of filling the roster after a fourth day was added to the Cheltenham Festival. The seventh run of the race could mean a new winner for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase 2011.

This race has been dominated by French horses in the recent past but there is a chance for horses of all backgrounds to make an impression because anything can happen over a total of 32 jumps.

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase Favourite

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase favourite is a French horse called Garde Champetre. The Enda Bolger trained Bay Gelding has already won this race two times before. The horse seems a little long on paper at 5/1.

The horse has 11 career wins and ten career second place finishes. Garde Champetre has vast experience of racing over this type of distance. The main reason this horse has been so successful in the race is because Bolger has trained the 12-year-old to jump consistently, sacrificing a little pace that is made up over the three and a half miles.

Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase Contenders

There is very little between the top horses and the pack of Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase contenders is on the large side with three or four horses expected to push Garde Champetre all the way to the line.

The second favourite for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase 2011 is another French 12-year-old called L’Ami. The horse has a career winning percentage of just below 20 per cent and has placed 19 times from a total of 36 races. A price of 7/1 seems a little on the generous side.

The horse is also trained by Enda Bolger who has developed a tried and tested method for producing long distance runners over jumps. The horse struggled in early 2011 after three wins from the final three races n 2010.

Lacdoudal is a horse that stands a real chance of causing an upset in this race and is superb value at 8/1. The horse can be trusted to at least push for a place by the end of the race making a safe each way bet.

The horse has only ever been trained by Philip Hobbs who will know precisely how to prepare the 11-year-old Grey Gelding for this race. Richard Johnson is Lacdoudal’s regular jockey and has experience of winning over a long distance on the horse.

Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase Outsiders 

There are a few Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase outsiders that can come through and upset the field to finish the first day of the Cheltenham Festival with a real twist.

The strongest is the six-year-old Chestnut Gelding from Ireland, Arabella Boy. The horse has a low career winning percentage of just over 15 per cent but has placed ten times in a relatively short career. A price of 14/1 is too good to overlook as an each way option.