The novice chasers this season have so far provided ante post punters with plenty of class to choose from as our resident Cheltenham blogger Ben Cook takes a look at the latest pointers to the 2012 Arkle.

The Arkle betting features the winner, third and fourth from last seasons Supreme Novice Hurdle.

Add to the mix last years runner up and fifth from the Champion Hurdle, all of which make for a fascinating betting market.

The question is ‘Can we cross off Peddlers?’

The 2012 Arkle should be hotly contested and with ample talent already on show, it is set up to be a mouth-watering renewal. The Arkle sees Peddlers Cross, formally unbeaten over hurdles until he bumped into Hurricane Fly, at the top of the market.

The son of Oscar won 6 out of his 8 hurdle starts setting up a big reputation which he has so far applied successfully to the bigger obstacles. Peddlers is best priced at 4s for the 2m novice chase showpiece after two facile victories and will be bang there if he turns up on top form on the 13th of March.

However at the price I have to put a cross through Peddlers and look for value elsewhere. Al Ferof showed a superb turn of foot in last seasons Supreme leaving his rivals for dust.

The grey gelding has won both of his starts over fences but did give his supporters a scare at Sandown when just prevailing by a neck. Al Ferof is a general 7/1 chance and he will go to the festival with a huge shout where champion trainer Paul Nicholls will undoubtedly have him primed.

Sprinter Sacre made an impressive debut over fences pulling away nicely over the last to beat Lightning Rod under a hands and heels ride by 24 lengths. Sprinter Sacre is a general 6/1 chance and with connections broadcasting their feelings about his class it would be no surprise to see him sprint clear of the field at Prestbury Park in March.

Menorah unseated Dickie Johnson on his chase debut when clear of the classy Sam Winner forcing west country trainer Phillip Hobbs to switch the former Supreme Novice Hurdle winner back to the smaller obstacles. However Menorah disappointed over hurdles at Cheltenham and will subsequently be switched back to fences. Menorah clearly has bags of ability and with Phillip Hobbs behind him the son of Kings Theatre could make his market price of 14s look huge come spring.

Cue Card is the most interesting horse in the market in my opinion, as his defeat to Bobs Worth was certainly without negatives. If you like Bobs for the RSA chase you have to like Cue for the Arkle. Only going down by a short head and giving the winner 7lbs he can’t be discounted. Unusually the Irish don’t seem to have a market principal but don’t be surprised to see a raider come to the foreground soon.

This seasons renewal of the Arkle looks high class and with many horses yet to enter the frame it is hard to make a concise ante post selection. Peddlers Cross could be a superstar but a tentative selection is for Cue Card at 16s.

Colin Tizzard believes he has enough pace to keep up with the big guns and therefore Cue has to be marked on your Cheltenham card. Mind you it is Cheltenham and it will be no surprise if it’s all change come March.

After Paul Nicholls announced the retirement of the great Denman this week, the site was inundated with tributes to this legend, so it was only fitting that we make our own. This is Cheltenham worshipper Ben Cook’s tribute to this Prestbury Park legend.

In the month of December 2011, the curtain was drawn on an illustrious racing career of one of the best loved jump horses. The monster chestnut gelding by Presenting and out of Polly Puttens accumulated career prize money of £1,081,873. The “Tank” won 14 out of his 24 races including The Cheltenham Gold Cup, 2 Hennessey Gold Cups, a Lexus Chase and The RSA Chase. His racing style thrilled the racing world and at the age of 11, Denman has graciously bowed out.

Denman was born on 17th April 2000 in Castlelyrns in County Cork. Polly Puttens struggled with the birth of Denman but with the strong persuasion of Colman O’Flynn, his son and Edmond Kent the Tank was introduced to the world.

All three admired the size and scope of the creature that stood before them; however none of them quite knew that this monster would write racing folklore. Edmond Kent bumped into Adrian Maguire in August 2004 with the proposition of training Denman. Adrian, formally stable jockey to the great David Nicholson, pounced at the opportunity and in November 2004 Denman graced Maguire’s stables in Lombardstown.

After dotting up by 8 lengths in his point to point Paul Barber agreed to purchase the strapping Presenting Gelding for 120,000 euros. Denmans hurdling career started at Wincanton in October 2005 and finished at Cheltenham in March 2006.

The Tank won 4 out of his 5 hurdle starts only going down narrowly to Nicanor in the RSA novice hurdle at the Cheltenham festival in 2006. Denman was always going to make a chaser but excelled in the hurdling division and was making his 120,000 euro price tag look like a bargain.

The Tank took to fences like a duck to water with 4 brutal victories leading up to the RSA chase at the festival. Sent off the 6/5 favourite, Denman murdered the field by 10 lengths causing Denmania to break out. A certain Kauto Star won the Gold Cup two days later setting up one of the most intriguing races in history.

Denmans next victory was one of the most eye opening, jaw dropping performances to hit a racecourse in recent years. The Tank not only beat his nearest rival by 11 lengths but he also gave him 1 stone 5lbs, a performance that propelled him neck and neck to the head of the Gold Cup market.

On 14th March 2008 Denman lined up with his stable companion and what looked to be his only rival in the race. What followed would be murder on the racecourse. Denman took up the running with just over a circuit to go and never looked back. His jumping was thrilling, his pace was outstanding, the Tank romped home by 7 lengths extinguishing the ‘Star’. I was exhausted just jumping up and down on the finish line but I can’t imagine how Denman felt.

He put everything into every race, racing in 4 Gold Cups winning once and finishing runner up 3 times. Whether your favourite memory is his thrilling 2008 Gold Cup win, his devastating 2007 Hennessey win or his historic win in the 2009 Hennessey we must all be grateful for his efforts in every race and what he has done for the sport.

It would be a lie to say goose bumps were not felt up and down the country when he took up the Hennessey 3 out in 2010, only to be heartbreakingly beaten into third.

Thank you for the memories, the excitement, the power. Thank the Tank!

Focusing on one race in particular, it is without doubt that the Ladbrokes World Hurdle is one of the highlights of the festival and certainly the pick of the events on St Patrick’s Thursday.

The third day of the Cheltenham Festival – which will be on Thursday 15th March 2012 – is used to celebrate St Patrick’s Day a couple of days early, with a distinctly Irish flavour to proceedings with Irish-style entertainment as the partying goes up a level.

All of the seven races – running from 1.30pm to 5.15pm – are competitive affairs with some of the best trainers, horses and jockeys on show, but there is no doubt that the Ladbrokes World Hurdle stands out above the rest.

There is a clear favourite in this race of course, with Big Buck’s attempting to win the World Hurdle for a remarkable fourth year in a row. The Paul Nicholls trained horse is expect to lead the way again with odds of 4/7 to win the race.

There is then quite a difference between the favourite and the other contenders. Thousand Stars is 7/1, while Oscar Whiskey is 8/1. Elsewhere, Mourad is 14/1, the same odds as Oscars Well and Bobs Worth.

Speaking more about Mourad for a second, the Willie Mullins trained horse is one of the young and exciting additions to the field and is ideally suited to the World Hurdle.

Grands Crus is being much discussed too and is even tipped by some bookies to be the main contender to Big Buck’s. After victory at Cleeve Hurdle recently, she has come from nowhere and could make a major impact on St Patrick’s Thursday.

The World Hurdle gets underway at 3.20pm on Thursday 15th March 2012. Can anyone challenge Big Buck’s? We shall see!

Day Two of the Festival – set to take place on Wednesday 14th March 2012 – is no different. Known the world over as ‘Ladies Day’ the second day at Cheltenham has seven races between 1.30pm and 5.15pm.

The pick of these on Ladies Day is the Queen Mother Champion Chase. It is one of the highlights of the whole festival as the best two-mile chasers go head to head in front of the watching public.

It was a fantastic race around the famous Cheltenham festival last year of course, with Ireland’s Sizing Europe coming out on top, just ahead of the 2010 winner Big Zeb.

In terms of the betting markets for the 2012 Queen Mother Champion Chase, Sizing Europe is the favourite to win this race for the second year running.

Trained by Henry de Bromhead, the 5/1 favourite has been in excellent form in 2011 and is being backed by many to keep these going at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival.

The 2011 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner will once again be challenged by Big Zeb though, who is 6/1 to regain his crown on Ladies Day next year.

Other contenders for this Champion Chase include Finians Rainbow and Captain Chris who are both available at 8/1 for the win. Then comes the slight outsiders, including Tataniano, Wishful Thinking, Noble Prince and Master Minded who are all in the 14/1 to 20/1 bracket.

This event – which is a Grade 1 Chase for five year old’s and above – is set to get underway at 3.20pm on Wednesday 14th March 2012. It contains a total of twelve fences 4 feet high, to be jumped by the best two-mile chasers in the business.

This is an improved free bets offer from one of Cheltenham’s more colourful bookmakers.

Paddy Power  also have a great offer on the Supreme Novices Hurdle on the opening day of the Festival. If big favourite Cue Card wins the race they will refund all losing bets.

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For many, the Champion Hurdle will be the highlight of this year’s Cheltenham festival with new pretenders challenging the old guard for supremacy in Tuesday’s blue riband event. However, should Binocular really be favourite for the 2011 renewal?

Nicky Henderson pulled out all his training wisdom to get him back fighting fit for last year’s race and the horse didn’t disappoint as he careered to a three-and-a-half length success. Previously, he had underperformed in the Fighting Fifth hurdle and in the Christmas Hurdle before winning a non-event at Sandown before steamrollering the Championship field in the Champion Hurdle.

This season was a carbon copy of last year as he went off 5/6 favourite for the re-routed Fighting Fifth and blobbed. He had to settle for third behind the exciting Peddlers Cross and decent yardstick Starluck. The eight-year-old was bound to come on for the run, but the way Peddlers Cross breezed past him must have had the panic button screeching for Binocular followers.

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He did however, reignite his season with a classy win in the Christmas Hurdle, however, he faced a fairly average field who are likely to be not in the reckoning for this year’s Champion. Finally, his last prep run was another walkover as he sauntered to victory at Sandown as a 1/10 jolly.

Although, Henderson will have the French-bred gelding in tip-top form come March 15 this year’s opposition looks extremely menacing and at 7/2 would you be backing him to retain his title.

Peddlers Cross still remains unbeaten over timber and showed he has the beating of the favourite, whilst Philip Hobbs’ Menorah has the best form in the book having won the Greatwood and the International Hurdles at Prestbury Park. Hurricane Fly is also a lively challenger from the Emerald Isle along with the interesting Dunguib who have both showed excellent form across the Irish Sea.

With so many runners having better form going into the Champion Hurdle, should Binocular really be heading the ante-post market?

However, it materialised into a flash in the pan as the seven-year-old came out at Plumpton a month later and showed his credentials for the two-mile event. A minor blot in his copybook had been erased as he beat the decent Tullamore Dew with ease to stake his claim for Tuesday’s second race.

Since then King’s grey has just improved run-by-run and was edged out late on by Hell’s Bay at Cheltenham, but that was over 2m 5f. He has shown he runs well at Prestbury Park when finishing second to Go Native in the 2009 Supreme Novices Hurdle and ran a spirited race behind Khyber Kim, when carrying top weight, in the Greatwood.

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He did disappoint in the Champion Hurdle last year but since his transition to the larger obstacles has looked for all money a better horse. At Sandown in February he really staked his claim for the festival when just holding off Captain Chris over 2m 4f. Yet again, the distance may have been too far but the tenacity he showed to hold on made bookies sit back and quote him a 5/1 chance for the Arkle.

It’s an extremely open race with many first season chasers showing their worth for the contest. Finian’s Rainbow has not put a foot wrong but hasn’t really defeated anything of any quality, whilst, Ghizao has been a different horse over fences and has impressed but should lack the pace of Medermit.

The Irish will bring over a few interesting contenders including Realt Dubh but with the progressive Medermit likely to improve once more on March 15, you have to side with the tough gelding to just outclass his rivals.

The Ryan Air was first run at the 2005 Cheltenham Festival in replacement of the Cathcart Chase. For the first three years it held Grade two status before being upgraded to Grade one in 2008. The race run over 2m 5f and is open to Chasers who have an official rating of 130+.

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Last year’s winner Albertas Run bids to retain the crown in 2011. Although there would be no doubts on his ability to handle Cheltenham as he also won the RSA Chase in 2008 he doesn’t seem to be in as good as form as he was going into the 2010 Festival.

He took a crashing fall when alongside Master Minded at Ascot in November then pulled up in the rescheduled King George in January. Never underestimate him as he is class with three Grade one victories to his name. If it came up soft on the day you could effectively rule him out as his preference is for good going. He does however have the all important festival factor. History shows previous festival form repeats itself.

Poquelin returns to go one better than his second to Albertas Run last year. Proven Festival and Cheltenham form puts him bang in the picture.

We last saw him winning the Vote A.P Gold Cup at Cheltenham in December, a race he also won in 2009. He is a specialist dish at 2m4f / 2m5f around Prestbury Park, and is currently favourite for the race at 4/1.

J’y Vole ran a blinder to finish third in last year’s race and is reportedly on target for this year’s renewal. We last saw her finishing third to Follow The Plan, in the Kinloch Brae Chase at the end of Jan at Thurles. Represents value at 12/1, she handles Cheltenham as she also finished 5th to Katchit in the 2007 Triumph Hurdle.

Fourth in last year’s race was the Evan Williams trained Deep Purple, who we last saw finishing third to Riverside Theatre in the Grade one Betfair Chase at Ascot. Available at 50/1 in places, there are worse longshots than this fellow.

Nicky Henderson confirmed at his Media day on Thursday that Riverside Theatre will contest the Ryan Air. He was impressive when taking the Ascot race and a good second to his Gold Cup bound stablemate Long Run in the King George before that. Cheltenham had apparently been ruled out by connections before that win with them favouring Aintree instead but the manner of his victory prompted a rethink. Now generally available at 6/1.

Kalahari King is being quietly backed for this contest and it’s easy to see why. Previous Festival visits have heralded a fourth in the Supreme Novices in 2008, second in the 2009 Arkle and third in the 2010 Queen Mother.

He hasn’t been quite at the top of his game this season but his run into fourth behind Master Minded at Ascot in the Grade one Victor Chandler Chase at the end of January was encouraging.

Gauvain shot into Festival calculations when winning at Cheltenham in November. He ran his best race since then when finishing second to Riverside Theatre at Ascot last week. Do not under estimate.

Rubi Light who before his win in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park on Saturday was 200/1 for the Ryan Air; heads to Cheltenham with a live chance. Although he would prefer some considerable cut in the ground his jumping is impeccable and he is class. The 25’s & 33’s now available will look incredible value if rain were to fall.

Tartak overcame his Cheltenham hoodoo when winning the Grade Three Victor Chandler.com Chase at the track on New Year’s Day. He then Finished 5th in the Betfair Chase behind Riverside Theatre last time out. He Likes good ground and is generally around 33/1 for this race.

Tranquil Sea the 2009 Paddy Power Gold Cup winner is as low as 8/1 for the Ryan Air. Like Rubi Light he needs soft ground to be seen at his very best. All of his best performances in England and Ireland have been on testing going. If the rains arrive don’t rule him out.

A Grade One winner last time out in Ireland, beating J’y Vole ¾ lengths into second in the process.

Captain Cee Bee, Somersby & Golden Silver all hold entries in the Ryan Air but are all reportedly on course for The Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Kempes holds an entry in the Ryan Air but is reported as heading for the Totesport Gold Cup

Plans for Joncol are currently on hold as Trainer Paul Nolan waits to see how the horse responds to treatment for an infection that has been with him since the start of the season.

If he returns to health and does travel to Cheltenham his most likely target would be the Totesport Gold Cup.

Tips: Kalahari King @ 8/1 with Paddy Power

If the ground is soft of worse: Rubi Light @ 50/1 e/w with Paddy Power

Do agree? Let us know!

Cheltenham is synonymous with wide open betting contests but the Ladbrokes World Hurdle in recent years has been the exception with short-priced favourites winning the stayers’ crown. Our Cheltenham expert Mr Chambers takes a peek and digs out the valeu bets for punters.

First Baracouda was a phenomenon for the Doumen family and then the affable Inglis Drever came on to the scene, and most recently the breathtaking Big Buck’s has flown the flag.

However, with these favourites such warm orders going into the contest it means that value elsewhere is in abundance and this year’s renewal is no different.

Bookmakers currently have Big Buck’s best-priced at 11/10 with the up-and-coming starlet Grands Crus next in at 9/4, but if you ignore the top two in the market the firms all go 9/1 the field.

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Mourad is next in at 9s for the Irish trainer Willie Mullins but there’s certainly a few eye-catching outsiders who could quite easily sneak into a place on March 17.

2009 Triumph Hurdle winner Zaynar has been entered for the 3m contest and if Nicky Henderson elects this race over the Champion Hurdle, the six-year-old grey has to be respected and at 20/1 is the first to stand out.

Further down the list there are some very interesting entries at gargantuan prices and one at 50/1 who has shown ability round Cheltenham is Cross Kennon. Stamina has always been the seven-year-old’s forte and Jennie Candlish raider, who finished fourth in last year’s Pertemps final, showed his class at Haydock on February 19 when beating the classy Bensalem by six lengths.

If come festival time the ground is heavy then I fully expect Cross Kennon to utilise his stamina and pass tired horses and at 50/1 is certainly worth an each way squeak.

One final contender at 100/1 who could venture into the placings is the Edward O’Grady-trained Rigour Back Bob. The six-year-old is improving consistently and finished only two lengths behind the classy Voler La Vadette in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan. If he can improve once again then his 100/1 odds could be worth a speculative wager.

Our Cheltenham Festival addict Mr Chambers takes a look at the big race on the opening day, the Champion Hurdle and tries to pick out a winner in this high quality field.

This year’s Champion Hurdle has got all the makings of an absolute cracker with up-and-coming stars like Peddlers Cross and Menorah mixing it with the proven stars in Binocular and Khyber Kim.

However, there is one contender that stands out from the rest and will be extremely hard to beat in Tuesday’s blue riband event.

Philip Hobbs’ Menorah has produced some mesmerising performances this season in his two starts and there should be more to come from the six-year-old. Last season’s Supreme Novices’ winner has stepped up from the novice ranks in style and has shown this campaign that he is the one to beat in the Champion.

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His first outing of the season saw him carry top weight in the Greatwood Hurdle over course and distance and he pulled out a majestic performance. He travelled smartly through the race and showed an excellent turn of foot down the home straight. He did idle momentarily in front with Bothy, running off a featherweight, catching him towards the line but he rallied to get his head in front and marked his credentials for the big one on March 15.

It was then on to a battle of the big three in his next run at Prestbury Park as he annihilated the rising duo of Cue Card and Silviniaco Conti. Richard Johnson had his mount scraping the paint off the rail all the way round and at the top of the hill he showed a surge of a champion and quickly blew the unbeaten Cue Card away and won by four-and-a-half lengths.

In my personal view I feel he should be favourite for the Champion Hurdle but the bookmakers have the Diana Whateley-owned gelding at 5/1 and that is a price you want to be on.

He has shown he loves Cheltenham and if he can improve from December’s run he must be able to dethrone Binocular and win the coveted title of 2011 Champion Hurdler.