The ‘best present on turf’ kicks off at present with ‘Champion Day’, with continuous motion over the following 4 days as the very best jockeys, trainers and horses descend on the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
In the present day’s opener will probably be adopted by Model Wednesday, St Patrick’s Thursday and at last the showpiece occasion, Gold Cup Day, which brings the Pageant to its shut on Friday 14 March. Followers can sit up for 28 races throughout the 4 days and a compelling battle between British and Irish trainers as they vie for supremacy.
Final yr, Willie Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs took the Gold Cup honours and, with jockey Paul Townend, gained the distinguished race for a second consecutive yr. He’s the favorite to say a hat-trick of three straight wins this yr however, earlier than then, Mullins has the prospect to open his 2025 Pageant account with Lossiemouth, who has made a last-minute change from Tuesday’s Unibet Champion Hurdle to race the Shut Brothers Mares’ Hurdle on the identical day.
The full race card and Festival schedule is here, and we’ll be bringing you all of the motion because the Pageant unfolds.
Observe all of the information, together with previews, professional ideas and the newest odds from Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival with our stay weblog beneath:
Cheltenham Pageant climate forecast and floor prediction
The weather will be essential to outcomes, with punters learning the going days and hours out from every race. If the course is heavy, then count on an actual check of the horse’s stamina, although the forecast at present suggests a faster observe because of a dry spell simply earlier than and all through the pageant.
The forecast appears to be like good through the week: the BBC reveals gentle cloud and a mild breeze on day one, sleet and a mild breeze on day two, sunny intervals and a mild breeze on day three and day 4 for the Gold Cup.
Flo Clifford11 March 2025 07:30
Ruby Walsh’s ideas for Day 1 at Cheltenham Pageant
The legendary Ruby Walsh has shared his Cheltenham Pageant Day 1 ideas with Paddy Power:
4.00: Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) Race circumstances: £450,000 | 2m½f | 8 hurdles | Outdated Course
Ruby Walsh – Brighterdaysahead (Champion Hurdle) – 15/8
She [Brighterdaysahead] blew me away in Leopardstown – I used to be watching it considering, you’re going too quick, you’re going too quick, you’re going too quick the entire method, and hastily, they had been going too quick for the pacemaker, he falls in a gap going to the third final, King Of Kingsfield, the following minute the mare picks up, heads on to the second final and away together with her off the bend once more. It’s the one hurdle efficiency this yr that you just went ‘Jesus.’
4.40: Boodles Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) Race circumstances: £80,000 | 2m½f | 8 hurdles | Outdated Course
Ruby Walsh – Past Your Desires (Fred Winter) – 6/1
“I’ll need to go for a worth so I’ll go for Past Your Desires [in the Fred Winter]. I believe the plain ones early within the card – Kopek Des Bordes [Supreme], Majborough [Arkle] however look when you’re going for one thing at some little bit of a worth.”
You possibly can comply with all the newest Cheltenham odds right here:
Flo Clifford11 March 2025 07:15
Cheltenham Pageant race card, dates, begin instances and full four-day schedule
With seven races per day the motion is continuous at Cheltenham. Followers will look out for 13 of the races run at Grade 1 customary, whereas 5 are run as Grade 2s, six Grade 3s and the opposite 4 are Listed.
Right here’s the complete race card, begin instances, and schedule for the Pageant:
Flo Clifford11 March 2025 07:00
Cheltenham ideas for day one
Our specialists give their finest bets and 10 horses to look at on day one:
Flo Clifford11 March 2025 06:45
Full schedule: Tuesday, 11 March – Champion Day
Right here’s the complete schedule for Day 1, with the primary race of the Pageant kicking off at 1.20pm.
1.20pm : Sky Wager Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) Race circumstances: £150,000 | 2m½f| 8 hurdles | Outdated Course
2.00pm: My Pension Skilled Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) Race circumstances: £200,000 | 2m | 13 fences | Outdated Course
2.40pm: Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3) Race circumstances: £150,000 | 3m1f | 20 fences | Outdated Course
3.20pm: Shut Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) Race circumstances: £120,000 | 2m4f | 10 hurdles | Outdated Course
4.00pm: Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) Race circumstances: £450,000 | 2m½f | 8 hurdles | Outdated Course
4.40pm: Boodles Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) Race circumstances: £80,000 | 2m½f | 8 hurdles | Outdated Course
5.20pm: Nationwide Hunt Chase Race circumstances: £200,000 | 2m | 13 fences | Outdated Course
Flo Clifford11 March 2025 06:30
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