Experts' Best Bets: Cheltenham Festival Day 1 tips with Enda McElhinney
Before becoming a Sports Journalist for Free Super Tips, Aaron spent three years studying Sports Journalism at the University of Sunderland while taking in the Black Cats' 'glory years' under Martin O'Neill. Now back in Northern Ireland he turns niche stats into predictions for FST, while he's one of the few people on this island who is equally comfortable at Windsor Park and the Aviva.
The Cheltenham Festival springs into life on Tuesday afternoon with the first of four magnificent days in the Cotswolds set to be headlined by the Champion Hurdle where Constitution Hills bids to reclaim the crown for trainer Nicky Henderson.
Alongside the feature are six more stunning races as the ‘greatest show on turf’ lights up the Gloucestershire countryside, with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the Arkle and the Mares’ Hurdle topping up the Grade 1 offering to four races.
We’ve got race-by-race tips from the Racing Post’s Enda McElhinney for all the day one action at Cheltenham.
All prices quoted are with bet365, where new customers can claim up to £30 in free bets to use on the Cheltenham Festival. You can also back our biggest tips of the day below, while the rest of our hand-picked accumulators are available over on our Cheltenham Festival tips page!
Cheltenham Festival 2025 Day 1 Experts’ Best Bets
1.20 – Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
Experts’ Best Bet: Kopek Des Bordes
Willie Mullins accounts for six of the 12 runners in the opener and Kopek Des Bordes looks the one for the Closutton maestro. His Dublin Racing Festival win suggests a real depth to his talents and he’s still very much a work in progress. The hood should help him settle and the suggestion is his latent ability will make him too good for the likes of stablemate Salvator Mundi and Gordon Elliott’s Romeo Coolio.
2.00 – Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
Experts’ Best Bet: Majborough
It could be a fast start for Mullins, the trainer that went through the century-barrier in terms of Cheltenham Festival winners last season. Majborough won at this meeting a year ago and dominated the Irish Arkle last month in the manner of a really strong young chaser. Leading UK contender L’eau Du Sud has plenty on his plate for the Skeltons and the mare Only By Night could be second-best.
2:40 – Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
Experts’ Best Bet: Victtorino
The Brits have a strong record in this opening handicap of the meeting, with no Irish-based winner since 2006. Trelawne was an early casualty when fancied 12 months ago and could go well despite a higher rating now, while The Changing Man and Katate Dori are other notables. Victtorino is in the best form of his life and a 3lb rise for last month’s Ascot win might not stop Venetia Williams’ charge now.
3:20 – Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
Experts’ Best Bet: July Flower
Lossiemouth’s late defection to this race is a sign that her connections felt she was a busted flush in the Champion Hurdle. This is easier but her recent form isn’t suggesting she will win and last month’s Leopardstown fall could have left a mark. Jade De Grugy is the obvious danger but July Flower did it well on stable bow for Henry De Bromhead at Christmas, with a few of these behind, and she could give the Knockeen trainer Rachael Blackmore more Mares’ Hurdle glory.
4:00 – Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
Experts’ Best Bet: Brighterdaysahead
Constitution Hill is the one to beat on paper and if he wins here he will confirm himself to be the generational talent many believe. He deserves his place atop the market but the mare Brighterdaysahead is a serious talent too and the 7lb she receives, alongside the certainty of a fast tempo with pacemaker King Of Kingsfield in place, could sway this her way.
4:40 – Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
Experts’ Best Bet: Liam Swagger
French raider Stencil has been touted for this contest for some time and is a key player but Liam Swagger hasn’t done much wrong so far over hurdles. He won his first two before going down battling giving away weight at Newbury in December and he warmed up for this with an all-weather win last month at Southwell. A mark of 124 could be lenient.
5.20 – National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase
Experts’ Best Bet: Will Do
Will Do has run in some strong races this season for Gordon Elliott and produced an improved effort at Punchestown last month when undone late on by stablemate Fortunedefortunata. He’s 6lb higher in the ratings now but his stamina could be a major asset and the return of Jack Kennedy is a significant plus.
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