Cheltenham Festival 2025: A Thrilling Day of Racing
3.20 Mares’ Hurdle (Grade One)
| Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lossiemouth | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend | 4/5 |
| Jade De Grugy | Willie Mullins | Danny Mullins | 4/1 |
| July Flower | Henry De Bromhead | Rachael Blackmore | 15/2 |
| Joyeuse | Nicky Henderson | Nico DeBoinville | 10/1 |
| Kala Conti | Gordon Elliott | Jack Kennedy | 12/1 |
| Bar | – | – | 20/1 |
Ultima Handicap Chase Result
| Position | Horse | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Myretown | 13/2F |
| 2 | The Changing Man | 7/1 |
| 3 | Malina Girl | 14/1 |
| 4 | Happygolucky | 28/1 |
| 5 | The Short Go | 11/1 |
| Total | – | 24 Ran |
Race Highlights
An Irish winner, an English winner, and now a Scottish one – Lucinda Russell trained, ridden by Patrick Wadge. There was a huge gamble on him beforehand, backed down from 12/1 to 13/2 favourite. A stunning win, he was out in front from the start and never let up.
2.40 The Ultima Handicap Chase
| Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Changing Man | Joe Tizzard | Brendan Powell | 6/1 |
| Katate Dori | Sam Thomas | Dylan Johnston | 13/2 |
| Myretown | Lucinda Russell | Patrick Wadge | 13/2 |
| Crebilly | Jonjo O’Neill | Jonjo O’Neill Jr | 15/2 |
| Broadway Boy | Nigel Twiston-Davies | Sam Twiston-Davies | 8/1 |
| Bar | – | – | 10/1 |
Interview Highlight
Just before we go to the next one, a lovely interview here with Charlie McCarthy, owner of Kopek Des Bordes. A Corkman, like Michael O’Sullivan, he’s giving the O’Sullivan family his prize.
Arkle Challenge Trophy Result
| Position | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jango Baie | Nicky Henderson | Nico DeBoinville | 5/1 |
| 2 | Only By Night | Gavin Cromwell | Keith Donoghue | 25/1 |
| 3 | Majborough | Willie Mullins | Mark Walsh | 1/2 |
Race Highlights
Oh my word what a finish! Majborough clattered the last and couldn’t recover. Touch Me Not and L’Eau Du Sud both had their chances but Nico De Boinville came from the next planet to nick it on the line on Jango Baie! He was gone! How the hell did he do that?
2.00 Arkle Challenge Trophy (Grade One)
| Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Majborough | Willie Mullins | Mark Walsh | 4/9 |
| L’Eau Du Sud | Dan Skelton | Harry Skelton | 11/2 |
| Jango Baie | Nicky Henderson | Nico De Boinville | 6/1 |
| Touch Me Not | Gordon Elliott | Jack Kennedy | 14/1 |
| Only By Night | Gavin Cromwell | Keith Donoghue | 20/1 |
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Result
| Position | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kopek Des Bordes | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend | 4/6 Fav |
| 2 | William Munny | Barry Connell | Sean Flanagan | 8/1 |
| 3 | Romeo Coolio | Gordon Elliott | Jack Kennedy | 9/2 |
| Total | – | – | – | 11 Ran |
Race Highlights
What a lovely result for the owner, Charlie McCarthy who had cancer surgery only a fortnight ago. And emotional for everybody – a Cork horse winning in the race named after Cork jockey Michael O’Sullivan. Paul Townend touched his red and white armband after crossing the line in tribute and got choked up when asked about it on TV. Cheltenham is never short on stories.
1.20 Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade One)
The first race is the traditional opener, the battalion charge that is the Supreme. And just as traditionally, we have a heavy Willie Mullins favourite at the head of the betting, with Kopek Des Bordes hotly fancied on the back of his run at Leopardstown at Christmas. But those Mullins fancies don’t always win – for every Appreciate It and Klassical Dream, there’s a Getabird or a Melon. Mullins has actually only won two of the last nine runnings. Gordon Elliot and Henry de Bromhead have big chances here with Romeo Coolio and Workahead respectively.
Betting Odds
| Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kopek Des Bordes | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend | 9/10 |
| Romeo Coolio | Gordon Elliott | Jack Kennedy | 9/2 |
| William Munney | Barry Connell | Sean Flanagan | 6/1 |
| Workahead | Henry DeBromhead | Rachael Blackmore | 7/1 |
| Bar | – | – | 11/1 |
Favourites and Predictions
So let’s have a look at these short-price favourites, then. Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme, Majborough in the Arkle, Lossiemouth in the Mare’s Hurdle and Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle. Stick them all in a four-timer and you’ll get a shade over 7/1. They never all win, of course. But the bookies are already putting on the poor mouth, crying that it will cost them the guts of 80 million if they all come in. We’ll see.
Day One Highlights
Day One always has so much going on, particularly in recent years since the races that people have been analysing to death have tended to end up with really short-priced favourites. This year is no different, with four odds-on shots on the opening card. But the big race remains the big race – Constitution Hill is back at the festival, looking to win the Champion Hurdle.
Related Reading
- Cheltenham Festival: Champion Hurdle to provide definitive answer as to which version of Constitution Hill is back
- Death of a jockey: ‘Michael O’Sullivan was full of ambition, full of passion … he was just a beautiful person’
- Cheltenham Festival: Majborough aiming to set the tone with Arkle victory for Willie Mullins and JP McManus