Ladbrokes All Set for Vintage Cheltenham

Few sporting occasions have the ability to raise so many smiles and rekindle as many memories as the Cheltenham Festival.

Ever since the final winner of last year's Cheltenham Festival crossed the winning line the conversation moved on effortlessly to next year, to today.

Finally, Cheltenham is back.

It is always a long year of waiting to hear the 'roar' reverberating around the Cotswolds again, that unmistakable collective signal that the greatest four days in racing have begun.

But here we are just hours away from one of the most highly anticipated meetings in the 112-year history at Prestbury Park and like every good Festival horses have been training with this day in mind ever since the turnstiles slowed to a stop last year.

Who will be making the headlines this year?

We have been blessed with endless different storylines this year with so many of the questions about to be answered. Is a sixth Mares' Hurdle beyond the incredible Quevega? Can Big Buck's hold off the challenge of Annie Power and secure a fifth World Hurdle? Will Bobs Worth defend his Gold Cup crown?

However, of all the fascinating conundrums in store none has taken up more column inches or human breath than this season's Champion Hurdle and Ladbrokes are marking the race with arguably their boldest offer to date.

Ladbrokes feel that the opening day highlight is also the meeting's showstopper and that's why they'll be refunding all losing win bets if Willie Mullins' record-breaking Hurricane Fly comes first OR second.

Even the briefest enquiry into the form of Ireland's most popular horse suggests they have gone too far this time with Ruby Walsh's pride and joy securing a hat-trick of Grade 1 successes this year to take his tally to a record 19 victories at the highest level, twice defeating the highly touted Our Conor in the process.

The ten-year-old, whose trainer worryingly insists is "still improving" became the first horse to regain his Champion Hurdle crown since Fred Rimell's Comedy of Errors way back in 1975 last year and with victory he will join the horse he shares a nation's heart with on three wins in the race, the mighty Istabraq.

However, 'The Fly's bid for immortality is just one of many intriguing Champion Hurdle sub-plots with three young pretenders seemingly ready to dethrone Mullins' charge. The likes of last year's exhilarating Neptune winner The New One, the Nicky Henderson-trained and JP McManus-owned Christmas Hurdle winner My Tent Or Yours and of course the 15-length Triumph Hurdle victor, Our Conor, will all be arriving at the tape with legions of supporters believing their horse has what it takes.

What is for certain is that whatever happens to Hurricane Fly his handler is set to have another memorable raid as he prepares a team of horses even the usually understated Mullins willingly describes as "out of this world".

Mullins doesn't need luck of the Irish to defend Top Trainer prize

The master of Closutton has dominated racing for six years in Ireland now and in the last three Festivals that strength has successfully travelled over the Irish Sea with the Top Trainer prize secured twice.

The champion trainer is long odds-on to back up the five winners secured 12 months ago and with leading hopes in the majority of races including two of the four championship contests it's impossible to look beyond the Thomas Pink award staying exactly where it is on what must be the busiest mantelpiece in Carlow.

Even if the best laid plans go awry for Mullins there is no shortage of ammunition ready to fire from the other Irish stables with Tony Martin, Enda Bolger, Gordon Elliott and Dessie Hughes all travelling with the hopes of a nation in the horsebox.

Martin will be making the journey with particularly strong hopes with his Jewson winner Benefficient all the rage, while Elliott will be rightly dreaming with the likes of Don Cossack and Cause Of Causes as will Bolger courtesy of clear Foxhunter's favourite On The Fringe.

The offers keep on coming...

If our Hurricane Fly offer wasn't enough Ladbrokes will be throwing around free bets like confetti during the week.

Starting today where Ladbrokes Odds On! Card holders will be given a £5 free bet to use in-shop tomorrow just by simply staking £10 or more on the opening race of the four days, the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Furthermore, to celebrate the fact that more bets will be placed on mobile devices this week than ever before Ladbrokes are offering anyone who backs a winner at 3/1 or greater a free bet up to the same stake if you place the bet on your mobile.

Finally, as there are few things more exciting than a multiple at the Festival, throughout the week Ladbrokes will be significantly enhancing the odds of selected doubles and trebles on some of the most in-demand horses along with individual price boosts to each day's biggest chances.

In short, Ladbrokes are ready for truly the most captivating week of theatre that sport can provide!

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