2024 Hunter Chase Tips - Best bets for the amateur's Gold Cup

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 08 Mar 2024

Jon Vine 08 Mar 2024

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Free guide to the 2024 Hunter Chase
This Class 2 takes place on day four of the Cheltenham Festival on Friday 15th March
Quintin's Man features in our verdict

Expired

Cheltenham Festival. (Getty)

The most traditional race at the Cheltenham Festival is the Hunter Chase. Known as the amateur's Gold Cup, this race is run over the same course and distance as the feature race of the meeting, but only hunter-chasers and point-to-pointers are allowed to take part.

Here's our free guide to the 2024 Hunter Chase. You'll find out our best betting tips in the verdict section below.

2024 Hunter Chase Tips

Premier Magic carried odds of 66/1 to victory in this race 12 months ago, where he beat Its On The Line by two lengths. Bradley Gibbs' 11-year-old has won all three of his starts since then, following up with a resounding victory at Cheltenham's Hunter Chase meeting in May.

Its On The Line ran a cracking race for a six-year-old 12 months ago and Emmet Mullins' charge has improved plenty since, beating two of his main rivals on his last two starts. JP McManus has moved to purchase Its On The Line before his run in the Hunter Chase, but Mullins' star isn't particularly straightforward and I wouldn't fancy backing him at his current price.

Fellow seven-year-old, Ferns Lock placed second behind Its On The Line over Christmas, before following up at Thurles in January. David Christie opted to skip Cheltenham last year, fearing he wouldn't see out the trip and there are still lingering doubts about this talented horse's stamina.

2022 winner, Billaway will have his fifth crack at the Hunter Chase. Willie Mullins' 12-year-old came from the clouds to win this race two years ago and attempted something similar at Naas last time out, where he looked to be coming to collar Its On The Line, only for the flagging leader to pick up again in the closing stages.

Former two-time Cheltenham Festival winner, Samcro has been rejuvenated by the move to point-to-pointing and Gordon Elliott's 12-year-old is likely to attract support. Paul Nicholls will be hoping to see former Grade Two winner Secret Investor make it beyond the first fence, which tripped him up in this race 12 months ago.

Vaucelet could join stablemate Ferns Lock in the contest, with Hannah Roach likely to run Time Leader. Fiona Needham's mare, Sine Nomine thrashed a couple of future winners when scoring at Wetherby last time out, with Quintin's Man bringing course-and-distance winning form to the table.

And lastly, we have to mention the incredible 14-year-old Shantou Flyer, who has placed in the Ultima, the Kim Muir and three times in the Hunters Chase on his last five outings during the Festival.

Verdict

2024 Hunter's Chase

One of the few things I do like about the Hunter Chase is that it shines the spotlight on smaller operations, so I'm happy to ignore the Mullins' runners near the head of the betting. I do like Sine Nomine, but I'm not sure she finds a great deal under pressure and 3m2f around Cheltenham takes some getting.

QUINTIN'S MAN is the opposite of Sine Nomine, in that he always does his best work in the latter stages of the race. At Cheltenham in May, Darren Andrews' mount was fifth behind Slievegar turning for home and ended up winning by 17 lengths.

John Heard's seven-year-old beat Lalor and a couple of other decent rivals at Wincanton in February, before staying on well to place third on heavy ground at Haydock two weeks later. Quintin's Man is a quirky sort, but he's got some ability and plenty of stamina too.

With money likely to come for the more high-profile names, Quintin's Man might go off at a price longer than 20/1, so I'll back him on the day of the race.

Quintin's Man E/W

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