Betting without the big two in Gold Cup Paddy Power have opened a market on the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup without the big two, Long Run and Kauto Star, and make course specialist Midnight Chase their 7/2 favourite. Midnight Chase has already won five times at Prestbury Park including the Grade 2 Argento Chase last month. Paddy Power bet: 7-2 Midnight Chase, 4 Grands Crus, 9-2 Quel Esprit, 11-2 Synchronised, Weird Al, 8 Burton Port, 10 Captain Chris, 12 What A Friend, 16 Diamond Harry, Tidal Bay, Time For Rupert, The Giant Bolster, 20 Carruthers, 25 China Rock, Medermit, Poquelin, 33 bar. Power’s also rate the chances of all four 'big' defending champions - Hurricane Fly, Sizing Europe, Big Buck’s and Long Run - managing to do so again at this year’s Cheltenham Festival as an 18-1 chance, while it is a 16-1 shout that none do so. How many of the big four champions will retain their Cheltenham crowns, Paddy Power bet: 11-8 exactly two, 5-2 exactly one, 11-4 exactly three, 16-1 none, 18-1 all four.
