February kicked off with a bang as Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs won the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown while Ireland showed their Grand Slam credentials in the Six Nations beating Wales and France in their opening two games.
March will bring similar excitement to sports fans with Ireland clear favourites to win the Six Nations at 4/7 and 4/5 to complete the Grand Slam. There will also be plenty of Irish representation at Cheltenham Festival with trainers Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott and Henry De Bromhead hoping to clear out the English runners.
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry will also be participating at the Players Championship in Florida this month.
The National Football League also continues with several teams bidding for a place in the final.
Without further ado, here is what is to come in March:
March
Cheltenham Festival begins
Galopin Des Champs (6/4) will look to follow on from his Irish Gold Cup win last month with a victory in the Boodles Gold Cup at Cheltenham on St Patrick’s Day.
A Plus Tard (7/1), trained by Henry de Bromhead, won the Gold Cup last year under Rachael Blackmore by a massive 15 lengths and is joint second-favourite with the bookies this year alongside Noble Yeats, trained by Emmet Mullins, who won the Grand National at Aintree in 2022.
In the Champion Hurdle, Willie Mullins-trained State Man (5/2) is hoping to end Constitution Hill’s unbeaten record, while in the Champion Chase, Energumene (13/8) and Gentleman de Mee (8/1) are hoping to make it an Irish 1-2 with the latter winning the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown.
Odds via Casinos En Ligne
Cheltenham Festival – Gold Cup:
Galopin Des Champs – 6/4
Noble Yeats – 7/1
A Plus Tard – 7/1
Bravesmangame – 8/1
Stattler – 8/1
Conflated – 10/1
Ahoy Senor – 12/1
Shishkin – 12/1
Protektorat – 14/1
Minella Indo – 16/1
Hewick – 20/1
Sounds Russian – 20/1
Capodanno – 33/1
Fury Road – 33/1
The Real Whacker – 40/1
Royale Pagaille – 40/1
Envoi Allen – 50/1
Franco De Port – 66/1
Galvin – 66/1
Eldorado Allen – 66/1
Angels Breath – 100/1
Coole Cody – 100/1
Ga Law – 100/1
Champion Hurdle
Constitution Hill – 1/3
State Man – 5/2
Vauban – 9/1
I Like To Move It – 16/1
Honeysuckle – 16/1
Epatante – 20/1
Echoes In Rain – 22/1
Love Envoi – 25/1
Sharjah – 50/1
First Street – 66/1
Pied Piper – 66/1
Zanahiyr – 66/1
Jason The Militant – 100/1
Not So Sleepy – 100/1
Champion Chase
Energumene – 13/8
Edwardstone – 15/8
Editeur Du Gite – 5/1
Gentleman de Mee – 8/1
Blue Lord – 8/1
Nube Negra – 20/1
Greaneteen – 25/1
Chacun Pour Soi – 25/1
Funambule Sivola – 33/1
Captain Guinness – 40/1
Coeur Sublime – 66/1
Six Nations continues
Ireland will be continuing their pursuit of a first Six Nations title in four years, now at odds of 1/10. Andy Farrell’s side will be expected to head into a vital clash against Scotland with three straight wins under their belt.
The Irish side will face a rejuvenated Scotland team, who have already defeated both England at Twickenham and thrashed Wales 35-7 at Murrayfield before losing to France.
The Saturday after, Ireland’s potential prospects of winning the Grand Slam for a fourth time, at odds of 4/7, could come with a victory over England at the Aviva Stadium.
Odds via Casinos En Ligne
Six Nations 2023 – Outright Winner
Ireland – 1/10
Scotland – 10/1
France – 20/1
England – 33/1
Six Nations 2023 – Grand Slam
Ireland – 4/7
No Winner – 6/5
The Players Championship starts
Rory McIlroy enters the Players Championship as second-favourite to win the tournament at 12/1 having won the Dubai Desert Classic in January.
McIlroy, who won the same tournament back in 2019, will face stern competition at TPC Sawgrass from firm favourite Jon Rahm (8/1) with the Spaniard winning at the Genesis Open in February – his fifth win in his past nine starts.
Fellow Irishmen Shane Lowry (33/1) and Seamus Power (100/1) are outsiders to win the Players Championship. Both tied for 14th finishing -7 at the Genesis Open.
The Players Championship – Outright Winner
Jon Rahm – 8/1
Rory McIlroy – 12/1
Justin Thomas – 14/1
Collin Morikawa – 18/1
Patrick Cantlay – 20/1
Xander Schauffele – 20/1
Tony Finau – 22/1
Max Homa – 25/1
Will Zalatoris – 25/1
Viktor Hovland – 25/1
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Shane Lowry – 33/1
Tommy Fleetwood – 50/1
Tyrrell Hatton – 50/1
Tiger Woods – 66/1
Seamus Power – 100/1
Gaelic Football continues
The National Football League reaches a pivotal point in the season with several teams in contention for a place in the final.
Last year’s Division 2 title winners Roscommon have been the surprise package this year having won their first three of three games in Division One as favourites at 10/3.
Close behind Roscommon are Galway (9/2) and Kerry (4/1) in second and third place with just four points between the league leaders and bottom of the table Donegal with the final underway in a few weeks time.
After losing to Mayo in February, Kerry will face Galway and Roscommon in March, suggesting this season could go down to the wire.
National Football League Division 1 – Outright Winner
Roscommon – 10/3
Kerry – 4/1
Galway – 5/1
Mayo – 5/1
Armagh – 8/1
Tyrone – 10/1
Monaghan – 40/1
Donegal – 40/1
