Following 365 long days, the wait is almost over, with the 2025 edition of the Cheltenham Festival roaring into life on Tuesday, 11th March. The crown jewel of the National Hunt game is a meeting which never disappoints, and the 2025 edition looks primed to set punting pulses racing once again.
Tuesday: Constitution Hill vs Brighterdaysahead in Champion Hurdle
We don’t have long to wait for the first Irish good thing in 2025. The Willie Mullins-trained Kopek Des Bordes is odds on across the board to claim the opening Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – renamed in honour of the young jockey who so tragically passed away in February.
The Irish hot-pot theme continues in race two, with the Arkle market headed by Majborough from the yard of, you guessed it, Willie Mullins.
Strong as the Irish are elsewhere on the card, the hosts may hold the edge in the feature as the sensational Constitution Hill bids to reclaim his Champion Hurdle crown. With the electric mare Brighterdaysahead amongst the opposition, the two-mile championship race is not to be missed.
Wednesday: Third Time Lucky For Jonbon?
Day 2 springs into life with one of the most anticipated head-to-head clashes of the meeting. It’s Britain vs Ireland and Dan Skelton vs Willie Mullins as the unbeaten duo of The New Lion and Final Demand lock horns in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle. Someone’s unbeaten record has to go.
With the top six in the betting all hailing from the Emerald Isle, the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase has a distinctly green tinge in 2025. However, as on Day 1, the hosts will have high hopes of landing the main event.
Nicky Henderson is once again the man charged with keeping one of the four flagship events on home soil as the brilliant Jonbon takes his shot at Queen Mother Champion Chase gold. Having hit the crossbar at the past two meetings, can the eight-year-old confirm his status as the king of the two-mile chase division when it matters most?
Thursday: Teahupoo Tops the Stayers’ Hurdle Bill
Cheltenham celebrates St Patrick’s Day a little early, with Day 3 at the meeting honouring all things Irish. Needing little encouragement to celebrate at the best of times, the Guinness-quaffing contingent looks to have solid claims of toasting the winners of the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and the Ryanair Chase, with Sixandahalf and Fact To File.
However, Sixandahalf and Fact To File get on, the markets suggest that Ireland’s best chance of a winner comes in the feature event. Successful with Sire Du Berlais in 2023, Gordon Elliott followed up with Teahupoo in 2024 and sends the defending champ into battle this time around. Having warmed up with a second to Lossiemouth at Fairyhouse, he’s the one they all have to beat, but stablemate The Wallpark, 2024 third Home By The Lee, and the improving Lucky Place may at least give him something to think about.
Friday: Galopin to Gold Part Three?
All good things must come to an end, but, as ever, the Cheltenham Festival goes out with a bang.
The Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase sees Dinoblue attempt to score at the Festival at the fourth attempt, whilst the stamina-sapping Albert Bartlett looks as tricky as ever. The Big Westerner and The Yellow Clay are fancied to go well for the Irish, but with eight of the past ten winners returning an SP of 14/1 or bigger, don’t rule out a shock.
And then we come to the big one. The 2025 edition of the Cheltenham Gold Cup revolves around one question – can Galopin Des Champs join the mighty Arkle and Best Mate as a three-time winner of the great race? King George hero Banbridge won’t go down without a fight, but a win for the two-time champ would raise the roof on the Cheltenham Grandstand.
And Don’t Forget the Midlands Grand National
And if all that isn’t enough entertainment for one week, Saturday afternoon sees Uttoxeter stage its biggest event of the year. The Grand National itself may still be a few weeks away, but the Staffordshire track whets the appetite with the Midlands version. The trip is 4m2f for a race claimed by future Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised in 2010.
