Day one of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival kicks off on Tuesday March 11th with plenty of Grade 1 action for racing fans to enjoy.
The card features the Champion Hurdle, as Constitution Hill bids to get his career firmly back on track in the feature.
Our expert, Adrian Wall, has a trio of selections on the card including one in the feature race, one in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, and another in the Mares’ Hurdle.
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Cheltenham Festival ante-post tips – Day One
- 1.20 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – Workahead
- 3.20 Mares’ Hurdle – Jade De Grugy
- 4.00 Champion Hurdle – Constitution Hill
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – Workahead
Kopek Des Bordes is odds-on for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but he’s an awful short price, even taking into account the fact that he looked like an absolute monster when bolting up at the Dublin Racing Festival.
It’s difficult to know how strong that form actually was and we are swiftly reminded of Getabird, who had a very similar profile heading to Cheltenham and ended up finishing tailed off in the Supreme.
Kopek Des Bordes is a very keen individual and, although he got away with it at Leopardstown he might not at Cheltenham, so, with that in mind, Henry de Bromhead’s Workahead looks like a solid each-way play.
Third behind Jasmin De Vaux on his debut, he absolutely bolted up next time out in a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown and the form of that contest has worked out really well, with William Munny, Springt De La Mare and Jacob’s Ladder all winning since.
Mares’ Hurdle – Jade De Grugy
We don’t know whether Brighterdaysahead will go for the Mares’ Hurdle or the Champion Hurdle, but if she goes for the latter then the current price about Jade De Grugy is going to look astronomical.
Even if Brighterdaysahead does run, this mare will serve it right up to her. She has won four of her five starts for Willie Mullins, with the only blot in the formbook being a defeat at last year’s Cheltenham Festival over an inadequate 2m in the Mares’ Novice.
She looked a totally different proposition upped to 2m4f next time when winning a Grade 1 at Fairyhouse in style, while she was as good as ever when conceding weight all round on her return when bolting up in the Grade 3 Quevega Mares’ Hurdle at Punchestown.
Champion Hurdle – Constitution Hill
He is short in the betting, but if Constitution Hill turns up in the Champion Hurdle he will win it. The eight-year-old son of Blue Bresil is a perfect 10 from 10 over hurdles and, although he had his injury scares, Nicky Henderson has got him back to near his best.
He made short work of State Man in this contest two years ago and Lossiemouth was no match for him in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton in December.
A winning spin around Cheltenham in the International Hurdle was his last success and he will be spot on for this.
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