The annual spectacle that is the Cheltenham Festival kicks off with the first of four days at the amphitheatre of the Cheltenham Racecourse in the Cotswolds on Tuesday 12th March. All of the leading trainers, jockeys, staff and punters have been patiently waiting for these four days in March for the whole of winter and as the tapes go up for the opener the Cheltenham roar will signify the start of the week’s action at the premier meeting of the national hunt season.
The principal race on day one is the Champion Hurdle in which Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill was ruled out on Monday leaving the race open for a new champion which is more than likely to be Willie Mullins’ State Man.
Novices are represented by the hurdlers in the opening race in the shape of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the chasers in the Arkle Chase. Two tricky-looking handicaps in the Ultima Chase and the Boodles Juvenile Hurdle will be tough races to crack whilst the Mares’ Hurdle and National Hunt Chase make up the seven races on day one.
At the time of writing, the 48-hour declarations for the races have not been confirmed. However, we’ve highlighted the horses we believe are worth keeping an eye on in each race on day 1. Make sure to visit Punters Lounge daily during the festival for free Cheltenham tips and our expert horse racing predictions.
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13:30 – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is a Grade 1 contest and the elite race for two-mile novice hurdlers run over 2 miles and 87 yards of the old course. The race was originally run in two or three divisions and has been run in its current format since 1972. It features all the best two-mile novice hurdles in Britain and Ireland with the winner likely to be called the best two-mile novice around.
Ballyburn
This year’s renewal has the quandary of whether Willie Mullins’s impressive Dublin Racing Festival winner Ballyburn will turn up or not. He currently has entries in not only this race over 2 miles but also the Baring Bingham over 2 miles 5 furlongs on Wednesday. Wherever he runs he will be a serious player although in typical Mullins style, we will only know his destination come declaration time on Sunday morning.
Tullyhill
Mullins also has the current second favourite in Tullyhill, who looked so impressive when winning at Punchestown in February and if he ends up the number one from the Closutton maestro then will have to be given the utmost respect.
Mystical Power
Willie Mullins could well be mob-handed as he has the unbeaten Mystical Power entered and in the silks of J P McManus is yet another that could be competitive.
Jeriko Du Reponet
The best of the home contingent may well be Nicky Henderson’s Jeriko Du Reponet who races in the same colours as Mystical Power. He remains unbeaten and his recent victory at Doncaster has been franked since.
Tellherthename
A lively outsider may be Ben Pauling’s Tellherthename. He’s Impressed in two victories at Huntingdon with his trainer stating he’s the best he’s ever trained. If the ground dries out he looks each-way value at around 16/1. Mullins has won this race seven times in the past and it’s highly likely whatever he decides to run here will be hard to beat.
One of the most interesting stats in the race is that 24 of the last 27 winners had won last time out whilst 7 of the last 10 winners had won a Grade 1 on their previous start.
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Ante-Post Odds
Ballyburn 15/8, Tullyhill 9/2, Mystical Power 5/1, Firefox 11/2, Jeriko Du Reponet 7/1, and 14/1 bar.
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14:10 – Arkle Chase
The Arkle Chase is a Grade 1 contest for the best two-mile novice chasers around. The race is run over 1 mile 7 furlongs and 199 yards of the old course. It features the best two-mile novice chasers from Britain and Ireland with the winner likely to be hailed as the best two-mile novice chaser around.
First run under this name in 1969 it commemorates one of the greatest chasers ever in Arkle, who won three Gold Cups in the 1960’s. The late defection of ante-post favourite on Monday Marine Nationale has left the race with an open look about it.
Il Etait Temps
Willie Mullins now has the favourite in Il Etait Temps, a winner of two of his three starts over the larger obstacles including last time out in the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival. He only had a neck to spare over Gordon Elliott’s Found A Fifty last time out and there shouldn’t be much between them again.
Found A Fifty
Found A Fifty represents the Gordon Elliot stable and has shown smart form in four starts over fences. He looks sure to be involved in the finish
Facile Vega
Mullins once again has a few others to consider in Facile Vega, although he has a bit to find with both Il Etait Temps and Found A Fifty and Hunters Yarn who impressed last time out at Fairyhouse. The latter is an interesting runner as he looked good last time out and races in the double green silks of Messrs Souede and Munir.
JPR One
The race looks likely to be going to Ireland again, having won six of the last 9 renewals, as the current shortest-priced British runner is Joe Tizzard’s JPR One, a winner of the Lightning Novice Chase at Lingfield last time out. He will need to improve again to win this, although the eleventh-hour defection of Marine Nationale throws him into the mix for the west country trainer.
Quilixios
Quilixios runs in the Cheveley Park Stud colours in the care of Henry De Bromhead and has won two of his three starts over fences including last time out at Naas. This is a step up in class for him but the race looks weaker now without Marine Nationale and it would be no shock were he to play a hand in the finish. One of the most significant trends is that 18 of the past 23 runners had won a Grade 1 or Grade 2 race over fences.
Arkle Chase Ante-Post Odds
Il Etait Temps 7/2, Found A Fifty 4/1, Hunters Yarn 6/1, Gaelic Warrior 7/1, JPR One 8/1, Quilixios 8/1, and 14/1 bar.
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14:50 – Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase
The Ultima Handicap Chase is a Premier Handicap run over 3 miles and 1 furlong of the old course. It is the first handicap of the week and is likely to be contested by a maximum field of twenty-four. Lucinda Russell’s Corach Rambler has won the last two runnings and went on from last year’s victory to take the Grand National the following month.
The Goffer
Fourth last season, Gordon Elliott’s The Goffer is towards the head of the market and from a 2lb lower handicap mark and a recent win on the flat has plenty to recommend him. He is significantly better off with the winner Corach Rambler.
Meetingofthewaters
Willie Mullins has Meetingofthewaters entered and as a Paddy Power Handicap Chase winner over Christmas merits plenty of respect. Jonjo O’Neill’s Monbeg Genius is being aimed at the Grand National and if taking in this race has plenty of untapped potential and couldn’t be ruled out despite a disappointing run at Kelso last weekend.
Corach Rambler
Corach Rambler heads the weights although if he was to take up this option of attempting to win for the third successive time he will have to do it off of a handicap mark 13lb higher than last year. Corach Rambler’s handler Lucinda Russell may have a better handicapped option in the shape of Giovinco. He looks an interesting runner towards the bottom of the handicap.
Chianti Classico
With only 24 allowed to run number 35 Chianti Classico will need several defections to get a run. Kim Bailey has done well in this race in the past and if getting into the race this lightly raced novice will have major claims.
Jungle Boogie
An interesting outsider, if taking his chance here (he also holds entries in the Ryanair and Gold Cup) is the Henry De Bromhead-trained Jungle Boogie who runs in a handicap for the first time and as a ten-year-old is very lightly raced.
Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase Ante-Post Odds
Meetingofthewaters 9/2, The Goffer 8/1, Chianti Classico 9/1, Datsalrightgino 10/1, Corach Rambler 12/1, Stumptown 12/1, and 12/1 bar.
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15:30 – Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 hurdle run over a trip of 2 miles and 87 yards of the old course. It is the highlight of day one of the festival and the blue riband for hurdlers featuring the very best hurdlers from Britain and Ireland. The winner will be lauded as the best hurdler around and join an illustrious group of champion hurdlers including the likes of Istabraq, Persian War, Hurricane Fly and Honeysuckle.
Last year’s unbeaten winner Constitution Hill was sadly ruled out on Monday following a lacklustre gallop at Kempton last week in which it transpired his bloods were all wrong. It’s a real shame as he is the pin-up boy of national hunt racing and the festival will be the worst for his defection.
State Man
His absence opens the race up and is highly likely now to go to Willie Mullins’ State Man. He finished a nine-length runner-up to Constitution Hill in last year’s renewal and appears to be even better this season in winning three Grade ones in Ireland with his latest success coming at the Dublin Racing Festival when a comfortable 5 ½ length winner over Bob Olinger. Paul Townend will ride and this would be a richly deserved victory for him even though a hollow one with the current champion on the sidelines.
Irish Point
Last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner Lossiemouth is a possibility to join State Man now that Constitution Hill is ruled out but is more likely to plunder the easier Mares’ Hurdle forty minutes later. Gordon Elliott’s Irish Point is also a possible now that the race looks a bit easier although having impressed over three miles last time you would expect the trip of two miles to be too sharp for him.
Nemean Lion
There is likely to be a small field for this race with the likes of outsiders Nemean Lion and Not So Sleepy possible to hit the frame at big prices. With ten of the last 15 winners trained by either Nicky Henderson or Willie Mullins, the race looks likely to be heading to Closutton and State Man.
Iberico Lord
Following Constitution Hill’s defection, Nicky Henderson is supplementing Betfair Hurdle winner Iberico Lord, which looks a good move as he could quite easily hit the frame for the Seven Barrows trainer having already shown his liking for Prestbury Park.
Champion Hurdle Ante-Post Odds
State Man 2/5, Irish Point 5/1, Lossiemouth 10/1, Not So Sleepy 16/1, and 16/1 bar.
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16:10 – Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle
The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle is a Grade 1 hurdle for mares only run over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 200 yards. The race is a relatively new contest introduced in 2008 as part of the mares programme. 13 of the 16 winners have been trained in Ireland with nine of those trained by Willie Mullins.
Lossiemouth
As long as Willie Mullins and his owner Rich Ricci don’t switch her from this race to the Champion Hurdle, Lossiemouth is the obvious pick. A winner of 6 of her 7 starts, including the Triumph Hurdle at last year’s meeting, she ran away with the Unibet Hurdle here on trials day in January and will be very hard to beat though is priced accordingly.
Ashroe Diamond
The biggest threat to Lossiemouth may well come from his stable mate Ashroe Diamond. Smart in her own right, she impressed when taking a Grade 2 at Doncaster in January although on official ratings has 11lb to find with the favourite. Mullins also has Echoes In Rain entered who has finished 4th and 5th in the last two renewals and may struggle to trouble her stable companions.
Love Envoi
The race does look highly likely to be going to Ireland again with the best of the home contingent being Harry Fry’s Love Envoi, a winner of the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in 2022 and runner-up in this to Honeysuckle a year ago and Nicky Henderson’s recent Doncaster winner Maries Rock who went off favourite last year but was disappointing.
Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Ante-Post Odds
Lossiemouth 4/5, Ashroe Diamond 9/2, Hispanic Moon 14/1, Echoes In Rain 14/1, Love Envoi 16/1, Maries Rock 16/1, Echoes In Rain 16/1, and 20/1 bar.
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16:50 – Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle is a Premier Handicap for four-year-old juveniles only and is run over 2 miles and 83 yards of the old course. The race is a relatively new race having been added to the festival when a fourth day was added in 2005. It tends to feature the juvenile hurdlers that aren’t quite good enough to run in the Triumph Hurdle and has always featured a near maximum field of around 24 runners.
Lark In The Mornin
This year’s renewal has a typically open look about it with Lark In The Mornin, trained in Ireland by Joseph O’Brien heading the market. He has had the obligatory three starts to get a mark though has missed three engagements recently for one reason or another.
Batman Girac
Willie Mullins has three entries with the most prominent in the betting being Batman Girac who ran a lot better last time in Grade 2 company over Christmas on only his second start for Mullins. Like the majority in the race, he will be running in a handicap for the first time and can’t be ruled out. Fairyhouse one – two Miss Manzor and Karia Des Blaises are Mullins’s other two entries.
Milan Tino
One of the dark horses in the race has to be the French entry Milan Tino who has run third in two juvenile hurdles here at Cheltenham and is owned by J P McManus. He’s been well supported in the ante-post market and can be competitive. Gordon Elliott is likely to have a bunch running including Naas winner Ndaawi who was a 93-rated performer on the flat and the unbeaten filly Wodhooh who missed a recent run in Ireland.
Liari
The best of the home team may turn out to be Paul Nicholls’s Liari who’s unbeaten in three starts including the Scottish Triumph Hurdle at Musselburgh. This is always a tough handicap to crack with 7 of the last 10 winners being priced in double figures. The past six winners have all been trained in Ireland and they once again appear to hold the aces here.
Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Ante-Post Odds
Lark In The Mornin 6/1, Batman Girac 7/1, Milan Tino 8/1, Wodhooh 9/1, Ethical Diamond 9/1, Sir Gino 10/1, Ndaawi 10/1, and 12/1 bar.
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17:30 – National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup
The National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup is a novice chase for amateur riders run over a distance of 3 miles 5 furlongs and 201 yards of the old course. The race is a classier event since being reduced from 4 miles to 3 miles 5 furlongs in 2018 and has fallen to an Irish-trained horse on seven of the last 10 renewals.
Embassy Gardens
Willie Mullins is likely to saddle the likely favourite in Embassy Gardens, an easy winner of two small field novice chases at Punchestown and Naas and the extra half mile here should be to his liking. Mullins also has Meetingofthewaters (who has three other entries) and Nick Rockett who was runner-up to American Mike last time at Navan.
Corbetts Cross
Emmet Mullins has Corbetts Cross prominent in the ante-post betting, a decent hurdler who would probably have won the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the meeting last year but for running out at the last has to put an unfortunate fall behind him last time but is classy and can be in the shake-up.
Salvador Ziggy
Gordon Elliott’s Salvador Ziggy is an interesting runner who’s won three of his four chases and prepped for this with a run over hurdles. He’s been well supported in the ante-post market and will stay well. Elliot has an excellent record in the race having won three of the last 9.
Broadway Boy
The best of the home contingent may well be Nigel Twiston-Davies’s Broadway Boy who has form figures at Cheltenham of 1211 and if running here is an interesting outsider.
National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Ante-Post Odds
Corbetts Cross 9/4, Embassy Gardens 5/2, Salvador Ziggy 11/2, Stay Away Fay 10/1, Kilbeg King 12/1, and 12/1 bar.
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The Brigadier’s Final Thoughts
A cracking opening day is in store with the feature race the Champion Hurdle at 15:30 still likely to be a cracker despite the eleventh-hour defection of reigning champion Constitution Hill. The day’s banker in most accumulators is likely to be Willie Mullins’s Lossiemouth in the Mares Hurdle at 4.10 whilst if Ballyburn turns up in the opener he too will be on many people’s betting slips.
The bookmakers must be fearing a Mullins bloodbath with not only State Man, Lossiemouth, and Ballyburn but also Embassy Gardens in the finale all holding big chances. The two handicaps on day one look as tricky as ever with big fields likely and with the day culminating in the 3M 5F NH Chase enjoy the day’s entertainment but remember to always bet responsibly.
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All odds are correct with Bet365 at the time of writing.
