Neil Morrice shares his race-by-race selections for day 4 of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL DAY 4 BEST BETS FRIDAY
Race 1 JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE (Grade 1)
No3 EAST INDIA DOCK (Nap)
Trainer: Jams Owen – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
Owen has made a name for himself under both racing codes and EAST INDIA DOCK gives the Newmarket handler a real chance of putting a first Festival winner on the scoresheet. The gelding puts a three race unbeaten record on the line with an advantage over his foes of having won on both the Old and New courses here. He’s also a strong traveller, will act on the ground and holds an experience edge over market rival LULAMBA. The latter has impressed on both starts, firstly at Auteuil and then on debut for Nicky Henderson at Ascot. He has bags of potential, and should earn. The pair between them will probably stem the recent Irish domination of the race, with Gavin Cromwell’s unbeaten in two HELLO NEIGHBOUR rating the best from the Emerald Isle. Bigger priced contenders GIBBS ISLAND and LADY VEGA ALLEN could also get into the shake-up.
Prediction: 1st EAST INDIA DOCK, 2nd Lulamba, 3rd Hello Neighbour, 4th Gibbs Island
Race 2 WILLIAM HILL COUNTY HANDICAP HURDLE
No6 HANSARD (Each Way)
Trainer: Gary Moore – Jockey: Niall Houlihan
Few trainers have their horses in as good form at present as Gary Moore, which is a big pointer to the chances of HANSARD. The former Irish-trained gelding has been campaigned like a good horse, but with Moore’s yard under a cloud until recently his racecourse appearances have been selective. He has contested three strong hurdles this season, latterly finishing less than five lengths behind Golden Ace in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton. On a belated first visit to this course he needs respecting. ABSURDE was a clear cut winner of this race in 2024 and returns carrying 12lb more, but subsequent to that he landed a Listed race at Chester, and finished fifth in the Melbourne Cup. It all adds up to a very strong profile. I can pass on a persistent whisper for Absurde’s stablemate ETHICAL DIAMOND who is very unexposed, while KARGESE has rock solid credentials that suggest she will be in the shake-up. The Skeltons had no luck with the gambled-on Be Aware on Wednesday but VALGRAND has had his light hidden behind a bushel since his last run on Boxing Day, and could get involved as well.
Prediction: 1st HANSARD, 2nd Absurde, 3rd Ethical Diamond, 4th Valgrand, 5th Kargese
Race 3 MRS PADDY POWER MARES’ CHASE (Grade 2)
No3 LIMERICK LACE (Each Way)
Trainer: Gavin Cromwell – Jockey: Jack Kennedy
In arguably the weakest race at the meeting Ireland should dominate the podium, with LIMERICK LACE taking the plaudits. The winner of this race in 2024 hasn’t been able to recapture that level of form so far this season but this is only her third outing of the campaign, and she may benefit from a return to this track together with cheek pieces added. Her old adversaries DINOBLUE and ALLEGORIE DE VASSY might again give her problems while BRIDES HILL was a prolific scorer in the 2023/24 campaign and looked to be coming back to winning form when second in a Listed chase at Huntingdon last month.
Prediction: 1st LIMERICK LACE, 2nd Brides Hill, 3rd Dinoblue, 4th Allegorie De Vassy
Race 4 ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 1)
No12 JIG’S FORGE (Each Way)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Ben Jones
WINGMEN brings very strong form to the table, and along with THE BIG WESTERNER could prove the pick of a very strong Irish challenge on the race. At the same time however it might pay to look at a couple of fancy outsiders. One such horse is JIG’S FORGE who after winning a point in Ireland looked a useful recruit to hurdles with his defeat of Blue Las at Ffos Las. His latest offering when a distant fourth to Yellow Car at Doncaster was underwhelming, but he’s been in very good form subsequently and can with a frame finish here bounce back. WENDIGO has very good form with four successes in bumpers and hurdles since joining Jamie Snowden. His run behind The New Lion in Newbury’s Challow Hurdle now looks much better than it did, while he then gained a confidence boost at Wetherby. Two visits the Hexham show that he can handle an undulating track.
Prediction: 1st JIG’S FORGE, 2nd Wendigo, 3rd Wingmen, 4th The Big Westerner
Prediction: 1st JIG’S FORGE, 2nd Wingmen, 3rd Wendigo, 4th Jasmin De Vaux
Race 5 BOODLES CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP (Grade 1)
No4 GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
Trainer: Willie Mullins – Jockey: Paul Townend
Prediction: 1st GALOPIN DES CHAMPS, 2nd Banbridge, 3rd Corbetts Cross
Reigning champion GALOPIN DES CHAMPS has shown with his Savills Chase and Irish Gold Cup triumphs that he’s in the best possible place to join the select group of three times Cheltenham Gold Cup winners. With each return to the Festival, opposition to him in chasing’s blue riband gets weaker, and it will be a major shock if he doesn’t enter the history books for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. It looks like being an Irish benefit, as King George winner BANBRIDGE would be his main challenger if running up to that level of form, while the recently supplemented INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN and CORBETTS CROSS look best of the rest.
Prediction: 1st GALOPIN DES CHAMPS, 2nd Inothewayurthinkin, 3rd Banbridge, 4th Corbetts Cross
Race 6 ST. JAMES’S PALACE FESTIVAL CHALLENGE CUP OPEN HINTERS’ CHASE
No1 ALLMANKIND (Each Way)
Trainer: Mrs J Owen – Jockey: Mr Alex Chadwick
The form book seriously points to a success from ANGELS DAWN in the Hunter-chase, bearing in mind that the ten-year-old won the Kim Muir here two years ago, and was challenging Ilikethewayurthinkin when falling two out in last season’s National Hunt Chase. The presence of Derek O’Connor should assist It’S ON THE LINE to get into the argument, although it’s not forgotten that he ran in snatches before rallying for second when a short prices favourite for the corresponding race 12 months ago. WILLITGOAHEAD was impressive when scoring at Thurles in January and now has a first outing for Gordon Elliott, making him one for all exotic wagering. ALLMANKIND has however excelled in points of late, and the former high class chaser can trump them all under leading amateur Alex Chadwick.
Prediction: 1st ALLMANKIND, 2nd Angels Dawn, 3rd Willitgoahead, 4th It’s On The Line
Race 7 MARTIN PIPE CONDITIONAL JOCKEYS’ HANDICAP HURDLE
No4 NO QUESTIONS ASKED (Each Way)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Callum Pritchard
As a novice having his first run in a handicap NO QUESTIONS ASKED is a name to conjure with and Incant think of many better 20-1 shots to have run this week. The selection is a winner of three of his five hurdles runs this season, while according to his trainer is going to enjoy stretching out on the trip ladder. He has greater scope for progression than most of his foes, while Pritchard will give him strong assistance from the saddle. Nicky Henderson’s EAST INDIA EXPRESS looks temptingly weighted and is one that might have gone under the radar under the capable Freddie Gordon. WODHOOH beat subsequent William Hill Hurdle winner Joyeuse and Take No Chances over the course and distance and that form has been heavily boosted, making Gordon Elliott’s unbeaten challenger a serious player. NURSE SUSAN returns from a long absence, and is another one to consider if attracting market support.
Prediction: 1st NO QUESTIONS ASKED, 2nd East India Express, 3rd Wodhooh, 4th Nurse Susan, 5th Push The Button, 6th Taponthego
