The Cheltenham Festival is so close now you can almost hear the roar and this year is set to not disappoint with a whole host of top favourites set to justify the odds.
Along with a few short prices there’s also clear contenders across the week that have quite a bit of value that they should retain even on the day.
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The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle goes off first with a new big favourite who has impressed many on his second start over hurdles for trainer Willie Mullins.
The Arkle is all change in the odds as it was revealed earlier today that the Nicky Henderson-trained horse and big favourite Sir Gino is a non-runner. Majborough backers at anything above evens now will be very much looking forward to the Grade 1 chase now.
The Champion Hurdle is no contest really, if Constitution Hill runs, he wins and will always justify the shortest price of the week if he needs to for the feature race of the day.
There’s also some other big chances through the week where the horses tipped are clearly the best in the race and should win, however, there’s always a surprise in store at Cheltenham Festival.
Cheltenham Festival 2025 Best Bets
- SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE: Kopek Des Bordes 10/11
- ARKLE: Majborough 8/13
- CHAMPION HURDLE: Constitution Hill 1/2
- TURNERS NOVICES’ HURDLE: The New Lion 3/1
- CHAMPION CHASE: Jonbon 4/5
- GOLD CUP: Galopin Des Champs 1/2
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Kopek Des Bordes
This five-year-old out of Willie Mullins yard is one of a few to really stand out this season as a potential future star and it’s no surprise he’s from the Irish trainer’s management.
The gelding is unbeaten in all three starts under rules including two hurdle starts which started on December 26th and then justified that potential with a significant victory at Leopardstown in the Grade 1 Ireland Novice Hurdle on February 4th.
It’s rare for a horse to go as short as this so early on for the Supreme as it’s a novices’ race there’s so many factors still to consider.
What if some horses are just unexposed or haven’t quite figured things out yet?
Well he’s much shorter than when Constitution Hill won the Supreme by a comfortable margin back in 2022 and that should paint some of a picture of how impressive a win it was last time.
Beating Karniquet by 13 lengths going comfortably to win and that’s despite a few quirks and issues in the running, including being hampered slightly by a loose horse.
He’s quite keen but the No Risk At All gelding should justify favouritism to kick off the festival the right way.
Majborough
This horse was 4/1 when Sir Gino was still in contention, but the Nicky Henderson-trained odds-on favourite for the Arkle has been ruled out of the season and potentially beyond with a long road to recovery.
As a result, the Willie Mullins-trained chaser has been hammered in to become the odds-on favourite himself.
Despite this being wide open with many uncertainties given it’s for novice chasers, Majborough has shown clear form ahead of the rest of his rivals and will be a popular bet of the festival amongst many accas, with Mullins always at the forefront of those at this festival.
Constitution Hill
Constitution Hill is going to be a legend of the sport and is already a super star having gone unbeaten in all of his 11 hurdle races.
He’s always comfortable winning the toughest races and has gone on to prove himself time and time again.
Many thought in 2023 he’d have his main competitor in State Man, but the Nicky Henderson-trained horse saw him off comfortably going on to win by nine lengths.
It’s rare in horse racing you get spoiled by a horse where you can just guess the distance he’ll win by rather than if they will win.
The New Lion
It’s rare to be impressed so much by a hurdler who is then as high as 3/1 in the ante-post and not even favourite for The Baring Bingham, known as the Turner’s Novices’ Hurdle.
The six-year-old has emerged as the Skelton team have been incredibly impressive this year and could have a great Cheltenham Festival.
The New Lion appears to be strong in the market and now with non-runner no bets coming into play on talkSPORT BET, appeals even more for his price.
Jonbon
12 wins from 14 chase starts suggests this horse is still very underrated.
It could be to do with the manner in which he’s won not always winning fans over.
Or perhaps his loss to El Fabiolo in the Arkle at Cheltenham Festival in 2023 is what sticks in punters’ minds.
But Jonbon has proved time and time again that even if his jumping isn’t always perfect he still somehow manages to win constantly.
A win over El Fabiolo in the Celebration Chase last April really confirmed his ability having suffered a shock loss in January at Cheltenham to Elixir De Nutz.
He’s won five in a row now and this season he’s been jumping better than ever.
Jonbon isn’t even making mistakes that would usually plague these big races which is partly why he went on to cosily beat Energumene in the Clarence House Chase, winning just like his late stablemate Shishkin did ahead of the same horse three years prior.
There’s of course got to be caution when betting on the Champion Chase as this is the race where favourites go to lose.
Shishkin (5/6), Chacun Pour Soi (8/13), Defi Du Seuil (2/5) and Douvan (2/9) have all failed to deliver at heavy odds-on prices since 2017 alone which could be a concern for many given the race record, despite how solid Jonbon looks.
Galopin Des Champs
At this point it’s only winning bets that you want so Galopin Des Champs to win this for the third straight year is the best for racing for sure.
In the days leading up to it though more markets are available with distances, places or the one that may appeal; betting without the favourite.
That makes it a race between the rest of the field opening up the odds and providing a bit more value.
Banbridge is the second favourite at the moment but may drift if Fact To File backers hammer the odds in.
Either way I’d be keen on seeing Banbridge improve over this distance as he’s still so unexposed over this distance, having won on his first outing over 3m last time out beating Il Est Francais nicely at 7/1 at Kempton on Boxing Day.
All odds correct at time of writing
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