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Who are the Favourites at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival?

"Cheltenham Racecourse" (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Carine06

As the biggest National Hunt horse racing meeting on planet Earth, the eyes of the sporting world are fixed on the Cheltenham Festival for four days every March. This otherwise quiet corner of the Cotswolds becomes a theatre for equine competition with the best of British, Irish and even French jumps horses in action.

Each year, there are favourites expected to turn up and deliver victories at Prestbury Park. That is the very nature of horse races, but it is worth knowing who the fancied runners are.

These are the market leaders with top billing in the Cheltenham Festival odds who should win on the grand stage. The 2021 meeting starts on Tuesday, 16 March.

Last year's Champion Bumper second Appreciate It is fancied to go one better in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle after winning two Grade 1s for Willie Mullins this season. Speaking of that race, 2020 victor Shishkin now has his sights set on the Arkle for novice chasers after making a seamless transition to fences.

Two outstanding mares are battling it out at the head of the Champion Hurdle betting, meanwhile. Last year's heroine Epatante has the unbeaten Irish raider Honeysuckle, who won the Mares' Hurdle in 2020 and the Irish equivalent of this race twice, to contend with.

That leaves the Grade 1 mares only hurdle event lacking depth this time around, but past Festival scorer Concertista is now favourite to take that. Galvin, a runner-up at Cheltenham last year, could go one better for trainer Gordon Elliott when stepping up in distance for the historic National Hunt Chase, meanwhile.

On Ladies Day, there is a competitive edition of the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle with three smart horses at the head of the betting in Gaillard Du Mesnil, Bravemansgame and Bob Olinger. Each has already tasted success at the highest level.

In the Festival Novices' Chase, meanwhile, the 2020 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle winner Monkfish has made a smooth switch to fences and looks like he will take all the beating. Fellow Mullins-trained horse Chacun Pour Soi, who runs in the same owners' colours, is favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

🚨 What have we just seen at Leopardstown

😍 An incredible performance from Kilcruit who absolutely dots up to capture Grade Two honours to remain unbeaten for Patrick & @WillieMullinsNH at @LeopardstownRC pic.twitter.com/lBKVxdmdlw

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 6, 2021

The same stable have Kilcruit, who cruised to victory during the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, heading up the Champion Bumper market. Envoi Allen is another unbeaten racehorse targeting Cheltenham, and he is all the rage for the Marsh Novices' Chase.

St Patrick's Thursday also sees strong Irish representation in the Ryanair Chase led by Allaho. There is also confidence that Paisley Park can put a bad performance behind him at last year's Festival and regain his Stayers' Hurdle crown at Cheltenham for Emma Lavelle.

Elliott has a superb crop of juvenile hurdlers, and Zanahiyr is a long-time Triumph Hurdle favourite to kick off Gold Cup day. As for the feature race of Cheltenham week itself, a historic hat-trick beckons for Al Boum Photo, if the market is any indicator.

With a wide-open look to the Albert Bartlett, the new Mares' Chase looks entirely at the mercy of Mullins. The Festival's most successful trainer has three - Elimay, Colreevy and Benie Des Dieux - duking it out for favouritism there. 

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