equinoxx.info: 2023 Cheltenham Festival Betting Diary

I'm doing things different this year.

Instead of publishing a Cheltenham Festival post each day, as I have often done in previous years, I will update this post daily with my bets and results.

I aim to have this post updated no later than midday throughout the festival.

Tuesday 14 March
I have used some special offers and a free bet for the opening day. As of this morning, I have laid out £18. Here's how that money has been spent across the seven races:

1:30 - IL ETAIT TEMPS 9/2
£2 Win (If the bet loses, I'll get a £2 refund)

Result: This was the first LOSS for me. The race was won by Marine Nationale. My £2 bet will be refunded by Sky Bet.

2:10 - JONBON 7/4
£4 Win

Result: Another LOSS. Jonbon finished second to El Fabiolo.

2:50 - FANTASTIKAS 16/1
£2.50 Each-Way (Free Bet)

Result: Corach Rambler won. Another LOSS for me!

3:30 - I LIKE TO MOVE IT 28/1
£1 Each-Way
Constitution Hill is a very short favourite, so I thought I'd look at other runners to make an each-way gamble.

Result: As expected, Constitution Hill won. I Like To Move It ran a good race.. until the latter stages. Another LOSS.

4:10 - HONEYSUCKLE 2/1
£1 Each-Way

Result: Honeysuckle coming first was my first WIN of the festival. It returned £4.70.

4:50 - TEKAO 3/1
£1 Each-Way

Result: My win in the 4:10 was followed by another LOSS.

5:30 - GAILLARD DU MENSIL EVS
£3 Each-Way

Result: My second WIN of the festival. This one brought back £9.60 to my account.

Here's how it's looking after the first day.

Wednesday 15 March
I've done some things similar to yesterday, but have also made some other kinds of bets for today. These will be explained below.

1:30 - HERMES ALLEN 11/4
£2 Win

This bet is similar to yesterday in which I'll have a £2 refund if the horse - in the first race of the day - doesn't win.

Result: LOSS. The race was won by Impaire Et Passe. I'll have my £2 back.

2:30 - THYME HILL 10/1
£2.50 Each-Way (Using a £5 free bet)

Result: Another LOSS. Or should that be 'another one I didn't win' considering I haven't 'lost' anything due to this being a free bet? The race was won by The Real Whacker, which was one of the horses I considered. Not that this matters now!

2:50 - GOOD RISK AT ALL 14/1 and SAN SALVADOR 14/1
50p Each-Way Singles

I was torn between both of these 14/1 selections, so decided I would bet on both in 50p each-way singles.

Result: Langer Dan won. A LOSS for me.

3:30 and 4:10 - EDWARDSTONE 11/8 and DELTA WORK 6/5
£2 Each-Way Double

The first double of the festival. I thought their odds were too short to place a bet as singles, so thought I'd combine them.

Results: Edwardstone came nowhere so the double is already a LOSS before the Cross Country Chase.

And to add insult to injury, Delta Work won!

4:50 - THIRD TIME LUCKI 8/1
£1 Each-Way

Result: Third Time Lucki finished fourth. Fortunately for me, my bookmaker paid to six places in this race, so it's a WIN because it returned £2.60. The outright winner, of the Handicap Chase, was Maskada who was 22/1.

5:30 - FUN FUN FUN 13/2
£1 Each-Way

Result: Another LOSS. A Dream To Share was the winner.

Today was a £7.40 loss. Add to yesterday's results, and I am £9.10 in the red at the half-way point.

Thursday 16 March
For today's card, I've placed some singles and one Lucky 15. All will be explained below.

1:30 - MIGHTY POTTER 10/11
£2 Win

This is the same offer from the past two days which has Sky Bet refunding losing wagers, up to £2, in the first race.

Result: It was a LOSS, but I'll have my stake refunded ready for tomorrow. Stage Star was the winner.

2:10 THANKSFORTHEHELP 7/2
£5.01 Each-Way

Result: My gamble didn't pay off. Another LOSS.

4:10 MIDNIGHT RIVER 8/1
£2.50 Each-Way

This was a free £5 bet.

Result: Another LOSS

Here are the selections in the multiple bet I've placed.

Lucky 15
2:50 - SHISHKIN 10/11 PLACED
3:30 - HOME BY THE LEE 13/2 LOST
4:50 - LUCCIA 6/4 PLACED
5:30 - DUNBOYNE 13/2 PLACED

Stake: 20p each-way a line (£6 total)

Result: The three places, and one loss, returned £3.44. Another disastrous day!

Friday 17 March
It has not been a good Cheltenhem Festival so far. Because of this, I've decided to quit going with some of the horses I like and focused on the picks that were shared on the ITV Racing show this morning.

I've spent a total of £20 today. The first is a £2 single that, just like the other days this week, is for the first race. If it loses, I'll have my money refunded to me. Going by the previous three days of racing, I expect that I'll have the refund rather than a win.

As for the remaining £18 I've spent - well, that has gone on a 60p each-way Lucky 15. All of the picks are below.

£2 Single
1:30 - BLOOD DESTINY 9/4

Result: Lossiemouth was the winner. Another LOSS for me, but I will get a £2 refund.

Lucky 15 (60p each-way a line)
2:10 - PIED PIPER 14/1
2:50 - CORBETTS CROSS 5/2 (Lost it at the final hurdle and ran into a barrier in shocking scenes)
3:30 - NOBLE YEATS 14/1
4:10 - FAMOUS CLERMONT 7/1*

I'll colour code the picks as the race day is in progress. Red is a loss, Green for a win and Blue is for any horses that may place.

* I decided to cash out my bet a minute before the race started. I was offered £26.69 and thought it was best to cut my losses for the festival.

It's a good job I did because Famous Clermont, despite running a decent race, was interrupted by a jockey-less horse right near the end.