With the 2011 Cheltenham Festival less than a week away there is plenty of interest and movement in the betting markets and not just for the races as there are plenty of specials markets to take advantage of too. One of the most popular of these is the 'top jockey' title and it is reigning champion Ruby Walsh who is favourite at odds of 5/4 with Paddy Power bookmakers as he looks to win the title for a fourth consecutive year.
The top jockey title goes to the jockey with the most festival wins and over the years it has been dominated by Irish riders with Walsh, Barry Geraghty and Tony McCoy well backed again this year. Walsh has claimed the title for the past three years and is hot favourite to add a fourth and take his career tally to a record six. He holds the all time record for wins at a Festival with seven in 2009 and followed that up with three winners in 2010, including Big Buck's who will go for a third World Hurdle title this year.
Walsh though has been hampered by injury for much of the season after breaking his leg in November and made his reappearance at Newbury last week, albeit without riding a single winner. He is set to ride Kauto Star in the Gold Cup after Tony McCoy stepped up to replace Walsh during his injury but failed to guide Kauto to a fifth successive King George win.
Champion jockey McCoy is industry best priced odds of 7/1 to win the top jockey title this year and is the most successful jockey in Cheltenham Festival's history as the fifteen time Champion jockey has claimed 23 wins. He was the first jockey to win back to back titles in 1997 and 1998, coming home with five winners in '98, but the veteran looks to have work to do to knock Walsh off his perch.
Barry Geraghty looks to be Walsh's nearest rival at odds of 11/4 with Paddy Power and as Nicky Henderson's stable jockey he is likely to have several leading fancies for Cheltenham, including Bob's Worth in the Neptune and Finian's Rainbow in the Arkle. He has been consistent in recent years with three wins in 2009 and in 2010 and looks the biggest threat to Walsh's recent monopoly on the top jockey title.
Away from the Irish contingent, Robert Thornton is priced at industry best odds of 12/1 by PaddyPower.com as he looks to repeat his 2007 win. He became only the second English jockey in nearly a decade to win the title when he claimed four winners four years ago and is likely to be given some strong juveniles from the Alan King stable and Medermit in the Arkle.
Elsewhere, Richard Johnson can be backed at odds of 14/1 and is likely to ride one of the leading fancies for the Champion Hurdle in Menorah. While Paddy Brennan is an outside bet at 25/1 and could be worth a look as he has 32 winners at Cheltenham Festival to his name and will ride Gold Cup favourite and defending champion Imperial Commander once again.
5/4 Ruby Walsh
11/4 Barry Geraghty
7/1 Tony McCoy*
12/1 Robert Thornton*
14/1 Richard Johnson
16/1 Paul Townend
25/1 Paddy Brennan
25/1 Davy Russell
33/1 Jason Maguire*
33/1 Tom Scudamore*
33/1 Paul Carberry
33/1 Timmy Murphy
50/1 BAR
*Denotes industry best price. Odds supplied by PaddyPower.com bookmakers, who provide a variety of specials betting markets for the 2011 Cheltenham Festival which starts on Tuesday 15th March.
Posted: Tuesday, 8th March 2011
Author: Chris James
Tags: cheltenham festival, ruby walsh, barry geraghty, tony mccoy, paddypower,
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