Cheltenham Festival - Day 1 Preview and Our Selections.
- Will Sprigg
- Mar 10
- 5 min read
Day 1 of the highly anticipated 2025 Cheltenham Festival sees 6 races live on ITV Racing, including the Champion Hurdle and the Ultima Handicap which are the main attractions on day 1. Constitution Hill tries to retake his Champion Hurdle crown but has stiff challengers from Ireland with Brighterdaysahead and the reining champ State Man.
Sky Bet have done an amazing thing of renaming the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle to the Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle, at the start of this race it could possibly be the biggest roar in Cheltenham history.
After falling in her Cheltenham preparation race Lossiemouth changes to the Mares Hurdle for Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci where she is currently the 8/13 favourite.
Click which race you'd like to read about below.
13:20 Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
Hurdle Turf, Grade 1 Novice Class 1
Runners 12
Distance 2 miles and 1/2 furlong
Going Good To Soft
1st place £84,405
Our selections for the race
To win Romeo Coolio (6/1)
Has not ran since Christmas so he is fresh coming into this. Won a Grade 1 at Leopardstown by 9 lengths on Yielding ground when driven out which leaves his hurdle record to 2 wins from 3. 2nd in last years Champion Bumper so likes the track and holds winning claims if Kopek Des Bordes doesn't repeat his last run.
Each-way Tripoli Flyer (25/1)
Has the best from out of the 2 British contenders, winning a Grade 2 with ease at Kempton on Good to soft but did bleed from the nose, now 3 out of 4 over hurdles but his jumping does lack fluency at times which at this higher level could see him found out but if the jumping inconsistency is fixed he's a player.
14:00 My Pension Bet Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase (Grade 1)
Chase Turf, Grade 1 Novice Class 1
Runners 5
Distance 2 miles
Going Good To Soft
1st place £112,540
Our selection for the race
To win Majborough (4/7)
5 year old who has not done much racing and has been beaten only once. Won last years Triumph Hurdle on Heavy and is now 2 out of 2 over fences. Jumps poorly on occasion but won the Irish Arkle by 9 lengths beating Touch Me Not at Leopardstown last month. Strongest piece of form out of these and will likely track the pace. Leading claims.
14:40 Ultima Handicap Chase
Chase Turf, Grade 3 Handicap Class 1
Runners 24
Distance 3 miles 1 furlong
Going Good To Soft
1st place £84,405
Our selections for the race
To win Henry's Friend (10/1)
Last year he won a Grade 2 novice at Ascot on Good to soft but then came here and got pulled up in the NH Chase but that was 3m 6f and on Heavy. Improved with all 3 runs this season and won by 6 lengths in a handicap at Newbury in December. Very progressive 8 year old who could have more to offer under Ben Jones who is riding winners left right and centre and has strike rate of 18%.
Each-way Victtorino (16/1)
Struggled here last season including in this race which does worry backers. 2 wins around Ascot this winter and also ran well round Newbury in November, climbing the weights slowly and is a dangerous one to rule out.
15:20 Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1)
Hurdle Turf, Grade 1 Class 1
Runners 11
Distance 2 miles 4 furlongs
Going Good To Soft
1st place £69,887
Our selections for the race
To win Lossiemouth (8/13)
Won at the last 2 Cheltenham Festivals. Won this on Heavy Ground which took her 2m4f record to 3 out of 3 which are all Grade 1s. Proved too strong in the Hatton Grace against Teahupoo at Fairyhouse on her reappearance in November. 2nd behind Constitution Hill when not travelling a yard. Jumping with State Man when she took a really heavy fall four our. One to beat if she recovers from the fall.
Each-way July Flower (12/1)
9th to Dysart Enos at Aintree in a Grade 2 Bumper when she started with Henry De Bromhead, did well over hurdles in France including 3rd in the French Champion Hurdle in May. Improved when returning back to this yard when beating Kala Conti by 4 lengths in a Grade 3. Team have a very good record in this race including 2 time winner Honeysuckle.
16:00 Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)
Hurdle Turf, Grade 1 Class 1
Runners 7
Distance 2 miles and 1/2 furlong
Going Good to soft
1st place £253,215
Our selection for the race
To win Constitution Hill (8/13)
Wins on any ground, has had his issues over the past 18 months but was back with a bang in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton against Lossiemouth. Cantered home without even trying the win the Unibet hurdle at Cheltenham (Grade 2). Breezed clear of 2 stablemates on a racecourse gallop two weeks ago but they're both rated mid 120s. Very hard to beat if he's still capable of his world class best.
16:40 Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
Hurdle Turf, Grade 3 Handicap Class 1
Runners 22
Distance 2 miles and 1/2 furlong
Going Good to soft
1st place £45,016
Our selections for the race
To win Total Look (11/2)
Won on the flat over 1m 2f on good ground, didn't take him long to show his class over hurdles when winning at Navan and then following up with a rallying 3rd behind the dead heating Quantock Hills and Teriferma in December and they both reoppose here. Beaten since at Punchestown on Heavy ground but if he can jump better then that day when he stayed on strongly. First time headgear and has more scope then the typical ex flat racer.
Each-way Liam Swagger (16/1)
Good flat horse but has done very well since embarking on his Hurdle career. Won very comfortably most recently on the All weather when long odds on in new cheekpieces and tongue tie combo. Will be coming here full of confidence and has already won a listed hurdle. Came up shy on Soft ground round Newbury when conceding lumps of weight to rivals. Todays bigger field should suit and he's one of many Each-way contenders.
Hopefully the crowd will roar home every winner but most importantly in the first which has been renamed in honour of an excellent young jockey that we sadly lost in February Micheal O'Sullivan. We hope all Horses and jockeys return safely and we get some world class racing through the whole week.
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