The Cheltenham Festival 2024 is just a week away and nothing says it’s nearly time like Paddy’s Ultimate Preview Night!
Our fearless leader’s done his part to build the hype by bringing together some of the sharpest minds in the game to talk you through all four days of action at Prestbury Park.
Racing TV presenter Lydia Hislop, Upping The Ante co-host Johnny Dineen and trainer Tony Mullins were all present and, of course, our very own Ruby Walsh, the greatest jockey in the history of the Fez, joined the fun.
Our gang of four picked through all 28 races with the finest of tooth combs to bring you a punt or two or three from the Supreme right through to the Martin Pipe.
If you missed all the action live on Monday night then you can watch it all back in glorious high definition by clicking the YouTube video below, otherwise, keep on scrolling for our experts’ tips for every race and daily NAPs.
Oh, and don’t forget that Cheltenham Festival odds are on the Paddy Power website and Paddy Power app!
Cheltenham Festival Day 1 (Tuesday, March 12)
1:30 – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
Johnny Dineen – Ballyburn
Lydia Hislop – Ballyburn
Tony Mullins – Tellherthename
2:10 – Arkle Novices’ Chase
Johnny Dineen – Quilixios
Lydia Hislop – Found A Fifty
Ruby Walsh – Master Chewy (E/W)
Lydia Hislop: “I was wondering whether the race might set up for Found A Fifty. This is something that I have sort of slowly come around to. I’m not sure he loves making the running I think he might be better being handy and just being able to take a lead. A quicker race might see him in best light.”
2:50 – Ultima Handicap Chase
Johnny Dineen – Chianti Classico
Lydia Hislop – Aye Right
Tony Mullins – Meetingofthewaters
Ruby Walsh – Giovinco
3:30 – Champion Hurdle
Johnny Dineen – State Man
Lydia Hislop – State Man
Tony Mullins – State Man
Ruby Walsh – State Man
4:10 – Mares’ Hurdle
Lydia Hislop – Marie’s Rock (E/W)
Tony Mullins – Lossiemouth
4:50 – Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
Johnny Dineen – Milan Tino
Lydia Hislop – Roaring Legend
Tony Mullins – Milan Tino
Ruby Walsh – Ose Partir
5:30 – National Hunt Chase
Johnny Dineen – Corbetts Cross
Lydia Hislop – Salvador Ziggy
Tony Mullins – Corbetts Cross
Ruby Walsh – Corbetts Cross
Tuesday NAPs
Johnny Dineen – Milan Tino
Lydia Hislop – Found A Fifty
Tony Mullins – Ballyburn
Ruby Walsh – Corbetts Cross
Cheltenham Festival Day 2 (Wednesday, March 13)
1:30 – Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle
Johnny Dineen – Predators Gold (E/W)
Lydia Hislop – Mystical Power
Tony Mullins – Mystical Power
Ruby Walsh – Slade Steel or Ballyburn
2:10 – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
Johnny Dineen – Monty’s Star w/o Fact To File
Lydia Hislop – Grey Dawning
Tony Mullins – Fact To File
Ruby Walsh – Fact To File
Tony Mullins: “Fact To File is the new champion. I think he’d actually beat Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup. This is the new champion, JP has never owned one like this and he’s owned a lot of good horses.”
2:50 – Coral Cup
Lydia Hislop – Doddiethegreat
Tony Mullins – Brazil
3:30 – Queen Mother Champion Chase
Johnny Dineen – El Fabiolo
Tony Mullins – Edwardstone
Ruby Walsh – Jonbon (E/W)
4:10 – Cross Country Chase
Johnny Dineen – Minella Indo
Tony Mullins – Foxy Jacks
Ruby Walsh – Galvin or Coco Beach
4:50 – Grand Annual
Johnny Dineen – Path D’oroux
Lydia Hislop – Libberty Hunter
Ruby Walsh – Frero Banbou (E/W)
5:30 – Champion Bumper
Johnny Dineen – Cantico
Tony Mullins – Argento Boy
Ruby Walsh – Argento Boy (E/W)
Wednesday NAPs
Johnny Dineen – Monty’s Star w/o Fact To File
Lydia Hislop – Doddiethegreat
Tony Mullins – Fact To File
Ruby Walsh – Argento Boy (E/W)
Cheltenham Festival Day 3 (Thursday, March 14)
1:30 – Turners Novices’ Chase
Johnny Dineen – Grey Dawning
Lydia Hislop – Facile Vega or Gaelic Warrior
Tony Mullins – Grey Dawning
Ruby Walsh – Iroko
2:10 – Pertemps Network Final
Johnny Dineen – Chantry House (E/W)
Ruby Walsh – Gaoth Chuil (E/W) or Gabbys Cross
2:50 – Ryanair Chase
Johnny Dineen – Banbridge
Lydia Hislop – Protektorat (E/W)
Ruby Walsh – Envoi Allen
3:30 – Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle
Johnny Dineen – Teahupoo
Lydia Hislop – Teahupoo
Tony Mullins – Irish Point
Ruby Walsh – Noble Yeats (E/W)
Ruby Walsh: “Sir Gerhard has to prove he stays, I’m not convinced he does. The one at the prices, I’d be willing to take a chance on, with headgear reapplied, is Noble Yeats. They’ll be a huge help. He was fourth in last year’s Gold Cup. That definitely gets him in the money here.”
4:10 – Plate Handicap Chase
Johnny Dineen – Crebilly
Lydia Hislop – Letsbeclearaboutit
Tony Mullins – Madara
Ruby Walsh – Sharjah
4:50 – Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
Johnny Dineen – Brighterdaysahead
Lydia Hislop – Brighterdaysahead
Tony Mullins – Jade Du Grugy
Ruby Walsh – Jade Du Grugy
5:30 – Kim Muir
Ruby Walsh – Amirite or Where it All Began
Thursday NAPs
Johnny Dineen – Crebilly
Lydia Hislop – Letsbeclearaboutit
Tony Mullins – Irish Point
Ruby Walsh – Noble Yeats (E/W)
Cheltenham Festival Day 4 (Friday, March 15)
1:30 – Triumph Hurdle
Johnny Dineen – Sir Gino or Storm Heart w/o Sir Gino
Lydia Hislop – Nurburgring w/o Sir Gino
Tony Mullins – Majborough
Ruby Walsh – Bunting w/o Sir Gino
2:10 – County Handicap Hurdle
Lydia Hislop – Iberico Lord
Ruby Walsh – King Of Kingsfield
2:50 – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Johnny Dineen – Stellar Story
Lydia Hislop – Readin Tommy Wrong
Tony Mullins – Dancing City
Ruby Walsh – Readin Tommy Wrong
3:30 – Cheltenham Gold Cup
Johnny Dineen – Fastorslow
Lydia Hislop – Galopin Des Champs
Tony Mullins – Corach Rambler (E/W)
Ruby Walsh – Galopin Des Champs
4:10 – St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
Johnny Dineen – Its On The Line
Johnny Dineen: “You’ve got to be stronger than Its On The Line. This track will suit him. It’s a much weaker renewal, there are going to be fewer runners could be a 14 or 15-horse race and I’d fancy Its On The Line quite strong.”
4:50 – Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase
Johnny Dineen – Allegorie De Vassy
Lydia Hislop – Allegorie De Vassy
Ruby Walsh – Dinoblue
5:30 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
Tony Mullins – Bad
Ruby Walsh – Quai de Bourbon
Friday NAPs
Johnny Dineen – Its On The Line
Lydia Hislop – Iberico Lord
Tony Mullins – Corach Rambler (E/W)
Ruby Walsh – Galopin Des Champs
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
Read More on the Cheltenham Festival 2024
- Gallop over to Paddy Power News for all the latest horse racing tips
- When is the Cheltenham Festival 2024? Dates and favourites for this year’s big races
- Cheltenham Festival schedule and race times
- Ruby Walsh’s Lucky 15 tips for the Cheltenham Festival