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Cheltenham Festival 2022: Top tipster Templegate gives us his ‘banker’ bet of the meeting
AS we get so close to the Cheltenham Festival, I am asked one question time and time again.
What is the banker bet of the meeting?
PATemplegate can’t see Vauban getting beaten in the Triumph Hurdle[/caption]
The easy answer would be to say Shishkin or Honeysuckle but they are both likely to be well odds-on in the Champion Chase and Champion Hurdle respectively.
Sometimes you have to wait until late in the Festival for your best bet to run – and that’s the case this year.
The opener on the final day, the Triumph Hurdle, is the race in question and the banker is VAUBAN.
I have been really impressed with Willie Mullins’ four-year-old since he switched to jumping.
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He was useful on the Flat in France, winning a Listed contest, and he has shown that class on both starts for the Irish champion.
He kicked off in a big-field contest at Punchestown where he was beaten half a length by Gordon Elliott’s Pied Piper.
That doesn’t tell the story though as Paul Townend’s mount had zero luck in running.
He needed to be switched a couple of times and was eating up the ground to the winner only for the winning post to come too soon.
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That form was left behind in the Grade 1 Spring Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival where he battered Elliott’s other Triumph hopeful Fil Dor by an easy three lengths.
Vauban is joint favourite at around 2-1 with Pied Piper who was impressive in taking a Cheltenham Grade 2 last time but against inferior rivals.
Britain has an each-way Triumph hope in Knight Salute who made it three Grade 2 wins in a row with a smooth Adonis Hurdle success at Kempton last week.
He needs to raise his game again to see off the Irish challenge but could reward place punters at 12-1 given his liking for the track.
But VAUBAN, top-price 15-8 with Coral, Ladbrokes and Bet365, looks a cut above and is worth keeping the powder dry for!
Templegate’s Festival banker
Triumph Hurdle, March 18
VAUBAN (15-8 Coral, Ladbrokes, Bet365)
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