Champion Bumper Betting Tips, Winners & History

Next Race: Wednesday, 17th March 2021

The next race is scheduled to run on 17th March 2021. The race info, trends and tips shown below will be updated for the next renewal once the final declarations have been made.

Champion Bumper Betting Tips

Note: The following tips are from 2020. Tips for the next renewal will be added once the final declarations have been made.

As is the case with many of Cheltenham’s top contests, no trainer has enjoyed more success in this race than nine-time champion Willie Mullins and the Irishman will be looking to work his magic yet again.

FERNY HOLLOW (12/1)

Ferny Hollow isn’t the strongest of Willie Mullins' two entries according to the odds but bear in mind double-digit-priced winners have won six of the last 10 renewal of this race. The betting hasn’t been the most trusty guide for this one so it’s important to identify value when you see it, something a bet on Ferny Hollows has in abundance.

There’s plenty we like about the five-year-old but ultimately it’s his showing last month at Fairyhouse which helped cement his place as our top tip. He lost a very similar race nearly three months prior by two lengths but on this occasion an improved Ferny Hollow breezed past the field despite the testing conditions. Clearly a horse happy to run in the mud, all the recent rainfall at Cheltenham will only serve to aid his cause. The same can be said about the use of headgear which was partly responsible for his improved showing last time out and we think he can really outrun his odds here.

APPRECIATE IT (6/4)

Staying within the Mullins camp, let’s take a look at Ferny Hollow’s stablemate Appreciate It. The clear market leader for this race approaches the prestigious bumper on the back of two commanding wins across the Irish Sea.

While well fancied to win both contests at Leopardstown, he did win them with more ease than some were expecting. It was the shorter test, which came over two miles, which was especially straightforward as the six-year-old had far too much closing stage pace for his competitors to handle.

Another strong finish will be needed to see off such a packed Champion Bumper field but how will the Irish-trained horse cope with all the extra traffic? He’s yet to compete in a double-digit field and his third-place showing at Fairyhouse in November suggests he’s better when able to seize a prominent position. Although he’s in very good hands with Patrick Mullins in the saddle, we wouldn’t fancy him to recover if he gets stuck too deep and odds of just 6/4 look more than a shade short to us.

QUEEN’S BROOK (6/1)

Queen’s Brook is a name virtually none of us had heard of until she made her National Hunt debut last month. Previously a point-to-point runner, she demonstrated enough quality in those low key affairs to warrant a run out at Gowran Park in a NH Flat test. What a debut it was too as she stormed to a 21 length victory in gruelling conditions. To win by such a distance against 16 other runners with no flat racing experience is quite the feat and one that should not be quickly dismissed.

It would be wise to temper expectations at least a little though as the standard of the mares competing at Gowran Park was poor, certainly compared to what she will face here. That day they set off at a rather sluggish pace and and all rather eased off as Queens Brook pulled away late on, exaggerating the difference in quality. At 6/1 you could perhaps argue she’s still worth a go but we’re inclined to think the faster tempo of this race could catch a horse like her out.

PANIC ATTACK (10/1)

If Panic Attack were to claim victory on Wednesday she would become only the third horse under the age of five to manage the feat in this contest. The age trends are firmly against David Pipe’s horse getting herself first to the line but of course, trends merely serve as a guide and do not have the final say. Perhaps more concerning is that Willie Mullins was willing to part with the filly after she comfortably won on her debut. New trainer David Pipe is certainly no stranger to acquiring talent but it’s not too often that Mullins gets things wrong.

Having yet to run for her new trainer, it’s hard to know what to expect from Panic Attack here. There was plenty of talent on display during her sole showing at Market Rasen but she still has some growing to do. Unless she’s filled out quite rapidly since, we doubt that she’ll be able to win a race of this calibre just yet but keep your eye on her over the coming months.

AUDACITY (40/1)

For those of you who can’t resist a hopeful each way punt in this well-attended race, Audacity is one name you will want to consider. Although easily beaten by Ocean Wind, a 12/1 option for this contest, last time out, when the pair met a month earlier it was Audacity who narrowly came out on top. It’s important to point out that when Warren Greatrex’s horse claimed victory they were racing at Cheltenham on ground similar to what we are going to have this Wednesday.

Much slicker ground definitely played its part in February’s dead last finish at Newbury and perhaps the slightly increased trip did too. Audacity had to run two furlongs longer that day and it was around two furlongs out where he began to lose hold of his prominent position. Another two mile attempt is, therefore, something of a concern but this is most definitely built into the long odds. His pedigree suggests he might never be a two mile horse but maybe Cheltenham will bring out the best in him once again, especially on ground that is likely to suit.