2023 Cheltenham Festival – The Outsiders

The Greatest Show on Turf, the 2023 Cheltenham Festival is only a matter of days away.

The previews are done, the ante-post selections are in the bank, and we all head to the 2023 Cheltenham Festival with our dreams intact.

But how will it all end?

Will we be galloping to glory after the 4 days, or will we be picking ourselves off the ground after an epic battle up the hill? Only time will tell, and I for one can not wait to find out.

This Cheltenham Festival blog is a bit different than most where I will be going through the five main races at the Cheltenham Festival (Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase, Stayers Hurdle & the Gold Cup) and look at horses at bigger prices who may not win, but may sneak into a place.

First up is the Champion Hurdle

2023 Cheltenham Festival – Champion Hurdle

We all know this is Constitution Hills to lose, but someone has to finish in the place, and I have one that I think is massively overpriced right now.

That horse is the Willie Mullins trained SHARJAH.

Currently a 50/1 chance in the market I think this is overlooking his chances of claiming a place in the Champion Hurdle.

If we go back and look at his last two runs in the Champion Hurdle he was chasing home Epatante and Honeysuckle when claiming 2nd place in both renewals.

This year’s Champion Hurdle is looking like there will be a small field lining up and if Sharjah lines up here and not in the Country Hurdle then he has a massive place chance and here is why.

The Champion Hurdle Pace

If we look at what is likely to go on, you have I Like To Move It who you would think is the pace angle and then you have the main players like Constitution Hill, State Man (who can go forward), and Vauban who will be up with the pace.

If we are to believe that the above-mentioned will all be out to truly try to beat Constitution Hill then in my opinion at least two of them will be folding up the home straight after using up a lot of energy trying to lay up with the pace, and for me, that leaves 3rd place for a closer like Sharjah.

Forgive him for his last run when turned over at 4/7 on bottomless ground at Gowran Park, where a lot of horses find it hard to act on that ground, then he has a massive chance of making that Champion Hurdle experience count.

Outsider Selection – Sharjah 50/1 each-way (NRMB)