So, this is it, here are my Cheltenham Festival 2025 Day 1 Tips.
I always think this time of the Cheltenham build-up is fascinating. Chat is at its highest from every single camp, and it’s so easy to be influenced into backing or not backing one.
A horse you wouldn’t have given one look to, let alone two, suddenly finds a way into your brain and it’s all you can think of.
I can’t tell you how much time, and staring into the abyss, was spent on Unexpected Party and the nightmarish Grand Annual on Tuesday afternoon. More to come.
Anyway, this article will run through my selections for the first day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. Last year I didn’t put points against my Cheltenham fancies, so this year is a small step into the unknown.
For the benefit of clarity, I am gutted Golden Ace has not been declared for the Mares’ Hurdle. She would have been my fancy with or without Lossiemouth.
Final bit of housekeeping, I won’t have a selection for every race, but this is the Cheltenham Festival, so I’ll naturally have more selections than my standard weekend columns. Because of this, I’ll keep these write-ups on the slimmer side.
Also, any ante-post bets that have already been advised will be spoken about at the relevant race.
Anyway, let’s do this.
Cheltenham Festival 2025 Day 1 Tips
Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (1:20, Tuesday) – Workahead @ 9/1 with William Hill (3 places) – 1pt EW
Yes, I’m one of the ‘wise guys’ that’s taking on Kopek Des Bordes, but please indulge me momentarily.
When looking at this race for the first time last week, Workahead was the horse who thoroughly impressed me with my eyes and on the clock.
On his second run over hurdles at Leopardstown, he carried 5lbs more than Kopek Des Bordes, who won on his hurdles debut one race previously, and ran an almost identical overall time. Workahead made all, set his own tempo, and was quicker from the second hurdle to the line; Kopek Des Bordes had Gordon Elliott’s Whinney Hill to shoot at for much of the journey.
Yes, Kopek Des Bordes’ jumping was bad this day and he improved to win his Grade 1 at the DRF, but the occasion of the Cheltenham Festival could hypothetically see him return to his previous poor jumping, and who’s to say Workahead can’t improve from this run?
Furthermore, Workahead’s overall time was two seconds quicker than the Grade 2 juvenile contest won by Hello Neighbour who was carrying 12 pounds fewer.
Away from the times, it’s hard not to be thoroughly excited by what he did on the eye. He winged almost every hurdle and he was able to quicken off his own tempo around the home turn.
He kicked William Munny, a subsequent winner (144 RPR) and runner-up to Kawaboomga, out of the way and the third a massive 20 lengths behind.
The seven-year-old by Workforce managed to do all of this in a time when the Henry de Bromhead stable was out of form, and even his pedigree reads well as he is a half-brother to the useful Bronn.
With the yard now in form, the recent comments from de Bromhead have been positive for Workahead and he is a horse who excites me a lot.
Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase (2:00, Tuesday) – Jango Baie @ 7/1 with William Hill – 1pt Win
So much for keeping these descriptions short. Just the 295 words spent on the Supreme!
I’m less inclined to take on the favourite, Willie Mullins’ Majborough, in the Arkle, but it would be remiss of me to ditch Jango Baie at the 11th hour.
Jango Baie’s chasing debut at Cheltenham over 2m4f was one of the best chasing debuts of the whole season in my eyes.
Behind maybe his stablemate Sir Gino, the way he took to fences like he was an experienced steeplechaser was a sight to behold, and he won’t be lacking for jumping speed in this Arkle, that’s for sure.
Tactical speed is the question mark, but he showed a nice turn of foot when beating Tellherthename on hurdles debut and he didn’t lack speed at the end of last season when he finished second in a handicap at Aintree over 2m4f.
He was nearly taken out of the race by Cuthbert Dibble that day, but he reset, picked up quickly, and chased home Kateira from another parish to finish second.
There’s a chance they won’t do this, but I’d like them to be aggressive on Jango Baie and let him stride on. I think that’s potentially a way to get Majborough beaten, and if L’Eau Du Sud beats you, then fair enough.
Jango Baie’s jumping is so good. He sometimes doesn’t settle in his races, so this is maybe why they won’t do this, but if they allow him to jump on and build up a lead, you can put pressure on the other two.
Anyway, it’s a tough race, but Jango Baie is a horse I rate highly, and he gets my vote.
Ultima Handicap Chase (2.40, Tuesday) – Broadway Boy @ 10/1 (ante-post)
This one will be simpler to explain as Broadway Boy is my choice in the Ultima. Well, he was an ante-post play for the column at 10/1 two weeks ago, so we are in a nice position.
I really like his chances, and I don’t think he’s a bad price currently at 7/1.
For a full write-up on him, please read here.
Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (4.40, Tuesday) – Beyond Your Dreams @ 13/2 with William Hill (5 places) – 1pt EW
In the Boodles, sorry, the Hallgarten And Novum Wines, JP McManus could have the key with Beyond Your Dreams.
For a horse of her ability, a mark of 123 looks lenient. Admittedly, she jumped like a grand piano on her latest start, but she had no right to win from her position and yet she still did.
She finished a staying-on second to Total Look at Navan in November when she had to switch paths before the final hurdle, and the form of the race is working out well.
Total Look finished second at Cheltenham behind Teriferma and Quantock Hills before running an eye-catching race behind Slurricane at Punchestown.
The third, Wendrock, went on to beat Galileo Dame at Leopardstown in December before finishing fourth in a Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival.
She’s bound to get her ground; her jumping is the only concern. It’s a fairly big concern, admittedly, but I’m hoping a combination of schooling and first-time headgear will help her.
Interestingly, the 1-2-4-5 in the 2023 Fred Winter were all sporting a set of first-time cheekpieces, so I’m hoping this stat will be relevant on Tuesday.
Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (4.40, Tuesday) – Liam Swagger @ 20/1 with William Hill (5 places) – 0.5pt EW
With the nature of the Fred Winter, a few horses make appeal, and Liam Swagger is one I’m keen to keep on side.
He was a decent Flat horse for James Owen having achieved a rating of 82 and bolted up at Southwell last month as a preparation for this race.
Before that Southwell run, he looked good in three starts over obstacles, and the horses he beat were no mugs.
On his hurdles debut, he beat Torrent (rated 121) by over four lengths comfortably when getting 8lbs and on his next start he saw off the challenge of Static (rated 122) to win a Listed race at Wetherby.
He got a bit stuck in the mud at Newbury on soft ground in December and it was his 10th run since March having raced on the Flat in the summer, so I can excuse him for getting beaten at odds of 8/15,
He also gave 10lbs away to the unexposed Believitanducan, and the pair pulled well-clear of the third, Rakki.
The cheekpieces returned at Southwell on the Flat last month having been absent for his three hurdles efforts, so they could remain on, which would help him, and I’m hoping the post-Christmas break has done him the world of good.
Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase (5:20, Tuesday) – Kyntara @ 22/1 with William Hill (5 places) – 0.5pt EW
I caught onto the idea of Kyntara for the National Hunt Chase a few weeks ago, and now he’s made it into the race as number 16 on the list, I’ll chance him with a small stake.
Quite simply, his chase rating of 125 is 9lbs below his hurdles mark and he’s only had three runs over fences compared to his 11 over the smaller obstacles.
He looked laboured on chase debut for Kim Bailey, and he needed his first run of this season when returning to fences, but his Windsor run in January promised more.
His jumping was more consistent and he stayed on for pressure despite getting badly hampered by the falling Myretown at the third-last.
On his hurdles form, he has a right chance off 125. He finished second in a Warwick handicap off 124, second in a Newbury handicap off 128, second in a Pertemps (won by Monmiral) off 131, and he was running a huge race behind Dancing City and The Jukebox Man in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle before falling.
That form is good enough to make me back him, though it is a smaller stakes play.
