Welcome PAUL FERGUSON

Welcome to the 24th edition of the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide, which is – once again – brought to you in association with Fitzdares.

WE head into this year’s spring festivals on the back of somewhat of an interrupted season, with sustained cold spells during December and January following on from a relatively dry autumn The season has, therefore, had a stop-start feel to it at times, so it is very much hoped that the weather plays ball in the coming weeks and we get nice ground at both Cheltenham and Aintree.

The 2022 Cheltenham Festival was dominated by one man, Willie Mullins The trainer was responsible for no fewer than 10 winners last year and heads to Cheltenham with an enviable team of horses In an ordinary year, 2022 County Hurdle winner, State Man – who has been unbeaten in four Grade 1s since – would be arriving in Gloucestershire as a warm favourite and a most likely winner of the Champion Hurdle. But, 2023 is no ordinary year. Standing in his way is Constitution Hill, the 22-length winner of last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – he looks something very special and could well light up the opening day.

If Nicky Henderson’s Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdle winner is the most exciting hurdler around, then Mullins’ Galopin des Champs could be classed as his chasing equivalent Winner of the 2021 Martin Pipe, he was all set to put Bob Olinger to the sword in last year’s Turners when disaster struck He will bid to become the third seven-year-old winner of the Gold Cup in seven years and the first Irish Gold Cup winner to complete the double since Sizing John started that run

As always, the Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide covers all 28 races at the meeting, with dissected trends and statistics for each and every contest In addition, the Grand National meeting at Aintree is again covered in detail, with the 11 Grade 1s described in similar format, as well the Grand National itself

There is much more inside, too. Among other features, I have come up with a dozen Spring Horses To Follow – in the format of Jumpers To Follow – and there is (as always) some excellent contribution from five highly-respected broadcasters/writers Racing TV’s Jess Stafford has once again written her Breeding Angles feature, this year delving even deeper, whilst Donn McClean takes an in-depth look at the challenge from across the water, in The Irish View. Graham Cunningham tackles The Big Talking Points, Rory Delargy is back with Banker or Bust and Sam Turner again chips in with his Daily Tips

I would like to thank all those who have contributed in some way towards this year’s Guide – including my colleagues in head office at Weatherbys and Cornelius Lysaght, who has penned the Foreword on behalf of our kind sponsors, Fitzdares – and also to each and every one of you, for purchasing a copy I sincerely hope you enjoy the pages that you are about to read and even more so, thoroughly enjoy the feast of racing that comes our way from Cheltenham in March. And, not to forget Aintree – nobody should ever forget Aintree (said the ‘Scouser’)

Best wishes, Paul.