Cheltenham Festival 2025 Day 1 Preview & Best Bets

13:20 - Supreme Novices' Hurdle

The big talk since declarations was that Kopek Des Bordes will be wearing a hood for the first time – meaning he will have to defy the stat of no horse winning the Supreme in headgear for 32 years.

I don’t read too much in to that as how many even moneh shots have tried? I imagine not many. He certainly has a huge chance of winning this.

ROMEO COOLIO looks the solid option against the jolly at around 7/1 and is coming here off the back of his easy Grade 1  win at Leopardstown. He would have won that by further that day if he didn’t make a mistake at the last and I think he is a horse on an upwards curve.

He will thrive up the hill as proved when 2nd in the Champion Bumper last season and I expect to give a good account of himself, he may find one too good but I’d be slightly surprised  if he isn’t involved at the last and he rates a solid each way bet.

ROMEO COOLIO 7/1 1PT EW

14:00 – Arkle Novices’ Chase

Majborough lines up as a 4/7 favourite at the time of writing this and I certainly wouldn’t be laying him. He jumped better at the Dublin Racing Festival and was very impressive to beat Touch Me Not – beating him around 7 lengths further than L’eau Du Sud beat him at Sandown. Form doesn’t always translate like it should – but he looks a class above the rest of the field here and will be very hard to beat.

14:40 – Ultima Handicap Chase

The Ultima has filled at 24 runners so it’s obviously going to be very competitive and I quite like a couple towards the head of the market and they are BROADWAY BOY (15/2) and THE CHANGING MAN (15/2).

Broadway Boy obviously has to bounce back from a poor run here last tjme but there were genuine excuses for that disappointment – that also may have done him a favour in his chances to win today. Other than that blot, he has an excellent record at Cheltenham with form figures of 12113 and he was also coming off a big run when 2nd to Kandoo Kid in the Coral Gold Cup this season, that form has already worked out well. He looks a very solid each way bet and barring his problems reoccurring, he should be in the shake up.

The Changing Man is the other one and he is coming here off the back of a confidence boosting victory in the Reynoldstown at Ascot. It’s hard to really judge that form as the main rival that day, Jingko Blue, unseated early – either way the Tizzard’s horse could do no more. Prior to that, he has been a model of consistency over fences, finishing 2nd in valuable handicaps, The Rehearsal at Newcastle, The Silver Cup at Ascot and The Great Yorkshire at Doncaster. He comes here off a mark of 140 and while he may not be chucked in, he looks another solid each way bet with extra places widely available.

BROADWAY BOY 15/2 1PT EW

THE CHANGING MAN 15/2 1PT EW

15:20 – Mares' Hurdle

Ultimately it is disappointing to see Lossiemouth lining up here as we all wanted her to run in the Champion Hurdle – but we have to crack on.

The one positive is that it makes JADE DE GRUGY a tempting price at around 5/1 against her stablemate. The interviews about Lossiemouth working at home are hardly votes of confidence for if you want to pile in to a 4/6 favourite – I definitely want to get against her.

Jade De Grugy returned from a 326 day break to win at Fairyhouse last month and that should set her up nicely for this, where the step up in trip will be a big positive.

Her career best was in the Grade 1 at Fairyhouse following her slightly disappointing run at Cheltenham – she really relished the trip that day and I expect her to thrive up the hill. If there are any jinxs in Lossiemouth’s armour, I think she is the one to expose them and looks an ‘each way bet to nothing’.

JADE DE GRUGY 5/1 1PT EW

16:00 – Champion Hurdle

This is probably the best renewal of this race in a long time – if only …

Constitution Hill is the best hurdler I have seen in my time and if he is back close to his best, I suspect Brighterdaysahead or State Man will have to find something they haven’t before to trouble him – but at at 4/6 I’m not incline to wager him.

16:40 – Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle

JP McManus certainly holds a strong hand in this race with the top 3 horses in the market at the time of writing.

I certainly wouldn’t be shocked if Stencil wins and he has well well backed from 11/2 into 7/2, he is the only horse who could even make it to the bend with  East India Dock on Trials Day and his mark of 135 may be lenient.

A horse who has got closer to East India Dock is HOT FUSS, who was only beaten by 4 lengths at Wincanton on their hurdling debuts. The 3rd that day, Give It To Me Oj has since off a mark of 122 as well and East India Dock is my fancy for the Triumph. He did run flat at Chepstow but the ground was desperate and nobody could see a thing so I’m happy to forgive that run. He has also since put in a career best off the flat winning off a mark of 88.

With all that in mind, I think his hurdling mark of 122 looks a nice one and I think he could run a big race today at double-digit odds – especially if the cheekpieces sharpen up his jumping a bit too.

HOT FUSS 10/1 0.5PT EW

17:20 – National Hunt Chase

I’ve found it hard to get away from a certain piece form in my mission to find the winner of this race and that piece of form comes from this track back in December.

HAITI COULEURS was the winner off that race, beating TRANSMISSION by just over 2 lengths and I think they hold excellent chances over this marathon trip too – with both horses looking likely stayers of the near four miles. Both contenders have had a spin over hurdles since then, likely to protect their marks which look fairly lenient. The latter was raised 5lb for the win and the former just 1lb for his second.

Haiti Couleurs is certainly the easier ride and should give a bold bid from the front under Ben Jones whereas Transmission will likely be held up again with the aim to be delivered late by the reunited Patrick Mullins (the pair on at Cheltenham in November).

Transmission rates the slightly better betting proposition at 5/1 as I do think he can get closer with a 5lb swing in the weights, if things go right for him. However, I feel I have to have a saver on the favourite at 7/2 as he could just jump them all into submission.

HAITI COULEURS 7/2 1PT WIN

TRANSMISSION 5/1 1PT EW