Neil Morrice tips – Cheltenham Festival 2025 – Day 1

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL BEST BETS DAY 1

Race 1 MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 1)

No6 ROMEO COOLIO (Nap)
Trainer: Gordon Elliott – Jockey: Jack Kennedy

Getting past KOPEK DES BORDES will not be easy in a race that should be completely dominated by the Irish, as the unbeaten favourite looked invincible when making it two from two over hurdles and remaining unbeaten at the Dublin Racing Festival last month. He would if successful be the opening leg of a four-timer involving odds-on shots that the bookies are dreading, but there’s one that can save them in the shape of ROMEO COOLIO. Second in last season’s Champion Bumper, the Kayf Tara gelding allowed his halo to slip against Tounsivator at Fairyhouse, but victories either side of that have stamped him very smart, and he destroyed a good field at Leopardstown on Boxing Day. Out of a six-strong Mullins challenge on the contest SALVATORE MUNDI and IRANCY have chances in their own right, with the latter of particular interest on the back of his Punchestown triumph over Will The Wise, who has subsequently excelled in handicaps.

Prediction: 1st ROMEO COOLIO, 2nd Kopek Des Bordes, 3rd Irancy, 4th Salvatore Munti

Race 2 MY PENSION EXPERT ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY NOVICES’ CHASE (Grade 1)

No3 MAJBOROUGH
Trainer: Willie Mullins – Jockey: Mark Walsh

A race that has so far eluded legendary owner JP McManus can finally be his with MAJBOROUGH confidently expected to extend his unbeaten record over fences to three in a mouth watering match up with L’EAU DU SUD. Last year’s Supreme Novices winner has taken to his new discipline like a duck to water and showed with his unextended triumph at Leopardstown in early February that he could be the real deal. L’Eau Du Sud is closest to him in the market, but was not entirely convincing when taking out the Kingmaker at Warwick, though the grey is preferred to the other English challenger JANGO BAIE and the Gordon Elliott and Gavin Cromwell contenders TOUCH ME NOT and ONLY BY NIGHT.

Prediction: 1st MAJBOROUGH, 2nd L’Eau Du Sud, 3rd Touch Me Not

Race 3 ULTIMA HANDICAP CHASE

No13 THE CHANGING MAN (Each Way)
Trainer: Joe Tizzard – Jockey: Brendan Powell

Having spent the first half of the season looking every inch a ‘nearly’ horse, THE CHANGING MAN gained a deserved breakthrough when coming home alone in the Reynoldstown at Ascot, where the early exit of Jingko Blue left him in total command. It ended up being just the confidence builder needed by the strong travelling eight-year-old, who should not only appreciate this more undulating track, but with his ability to gallop close to the pace can stay out of trouble in the 24-runner contest that is one of the best betting heats of the entire week. BROADWAY BOY carries high hopes for his local connections and can bounce back from his rare off day when last seen here. KATATE DORI looked to be running loose for much of the way in a big handicap chase at Kempton in which he came home unchallenged. He rates a threat to all if showing himself to be as effective away from a park course, while any support for the JP McManus-owned CREBILLY might need acting on. Jonjo O’Neill has afforded this horse the softly softly approach in a selective campaign, and this is his choice of several engagements through the week. Another must for exactas, trifectas and quartets is HENRY’S FRIEND, who has surely been laid out for this by Ben Pauling and can definitely earn. Ireland doesn’t have a great record in the race, but of its challengers MALINA GIRL can prove the pick, as she jumped and stayed well and makes only her third outing of the season today.

Prediction: 1st THE CHANGING MAN, 2nd Crebilly, 3rd Katate Dori, 4th Malina Girl, 5th Henry’s Friend, 6th Broadway Boy

Race 4 CLOSE BROTHERS MARES’ HURDLE (Grade 1)

No11 TAKE NO CHANCES ( Each Way)
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton

The late decision to run 2024 winner LOSSIEMOUTH in this has rankled with purists who rightly believe the best horses should meet in the Champion Hurdle. The grey will start at odds-on for what looks a far more straightforward assignment following her heavy fall at Leopardstown. She could easily blow her rivals away, but one that could cause her problems at a price is TAKE NO CHANCES. Dan Skelton is very sweet on the chances of his Milan mare, whose gritty triumph over Kargesse at Ascot reads very well in the context of her victim’s capabilities, and makes her a very solid proposition to get into the money. JADE DE GRUGY is very smart in her own right as her almost unblemished record over hurdles attests. A sole defeat came against Golden Ace here 12 months ago, while she made light of a more than 320-day absence when scoring on her reappearance at Punchestown.

Prediction: 1st TAKE NO CHANCES, 2nd Lossiemouth, 3rd Jade De Grugy

Race 5 UNIBET CHAMPION HURDLE CHALLENGE TROPHY (Grade 1)

No2 CONSTITUTION HILL
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville

But for going onto the sick list with a second Champion Hurdle at his mercy, CONSTITUTION HILL would be looking to join the pantheon of three-times winners of this great race. A horse with an astonishingly efficient way of galloping and jumping, the eight-year-old has an engine that would befit any Rolls Royce, while the Prestbury Park track has always brought out the best in him. On the basis of his clear cut Kempton success over Lossiemouth on Boxing Day, plus a virtual lap of honour here in January when he survived an argument with the final flight to score in unextended fashion, Nicky Henderson’s champion will surely reclaim his crown from the 2024 winner STATE MAN. The latter cashed in on Lossiemouth’s fall at Leopardstown but a similar threat to the favourite should emanate from BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD, who was massively impressive at the Leopardstown New Year fixture but needs to put behind her a defeat by Golden Ace in the mares’ hurdle which happened on her only previous visit to Cheltenham.

Prediction: 1st CONSTITUTION HILL, 2nd State Man, 3rd Brighterdaysahead

Race 6 HALLGARTEN AND NOVUM WINES JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE

No4 STENCIL (Each Way)
Trainer: Nick/Amanda Zetterholm – Jockey: James Reveley

One of the best bets of Day 1 emerges in the race that remembers champion jockey and trainer Fred Winter in the form of French raider STENCIL. The Masar gelding is the best hope from four Gallic raiders at the Festival and should play a part in the finish. He won two of his three hurdling outings at Compeigne last year, and when beaten in the Triumph Trial over this course and distance only bowed to the very smart East India Dock. All his form has been with plenty of give in the ground, meaning that the light rain that fell at Cheltenham yesterday together with the decision to water serves to aid his cause. In the same colours PUTURHANDSTOGETHER bids to add to the fine record in this race of his trainer Joseph O’Brien, who has won three of the last seven. BEYOND YOUR DREAMS is yet another leading contender that will carry the McManus colours and appeals as one of the more solid, while at longer odds HOT FUSS and TOTAL LOOK could get into the shake-up.

Prediction: 1st STENCIL, 2nd Beyond Your Dreams, 3rd Puturhandstogether, 4th Hot Fuss, 5th Total Look

Race 7 PRINCESS ROYAL NATIONAL HUNT CHALLENGE CUPNOVICES, HANDICAP CHASE

No13 GERICAULT ROQUE (Each Way)
Trainer: David Pipe – Jockey: Jack Tudor

Now back to a handicap this endurance test should see GERICAULT ROQUE making a mark. He was a dual scorer from only four outings over hurdles, and while yet to win over fences has earned in all seven attempts over the larger obstacles. He shaped with promise on his only start this season and has a good chance on the book of turning the tables on the winner of that Windsor contest, HERAKLES WESTWOOD. Any support for NOW IS THE HOUR should be heeded, granted that he looks to have been laid out in similar fashion by Gavin Cromwell. At longer odds TRANSMISSION is one to note as he ran well to go 212 at the first three meetings here this season. Back over fences after a run over hurdles, Neil Mulholland’s charge is of particular interest as his ability to operate here will greatly assist him.

Prediction: 1st GERICAULT ROQUE, 2nd Transmission, 3rd Now Is The Hour, 4th Herakles Westwood