It’s almost time for the Cheltenham Festival – and Paddy’s Ultimate Preview Night is your one-stop shop for top tips and inside info.
The big man has brought together some of the sharpest minds in the game to talk you through all four days of awesome action at Prestbury Park next week.
Racing TV presenter Lydia Hislop, Upping The Ante co-host Johnny Dineen and trainer Tony Mullins will all be present and correct alongside our very own Ruby Walsh, the winningmost jockey in the history of the Fez.
The fab four will pick through every race on the Cheltenham schedule, with their best bets and insight from the Supreme to the Martin Pipe.
The show starts at 19:30 and you can catch it live in glorious high definition on the Paddy Power Racing YouTube channel.
Cheltenham Festival odds can be found on the Paddy Power website and Paddy Power app, otherwise, keep on scrolling for live coverage of our unmissable preview night.
Welcome to Paddy’s Ultimate Cheltenham Preview Night
Lights, Camera Action!
The gang are in place and ready to run the rule over every race on the Cheltenham Festival schedule.
What can you expect from Paddy’s Ultimate Cheltenham Preview Night? Well, Ruby and co will, no doubt, deliver their verdict on the hot topic of the day – Constitution Hill vs Brighterdaysahead – after Gordon Elliott confirmed his magnificent mare will take on Tuesday’s feature race.
It all kicks off at 19:30 so get a brew on and settle in for an evening of banter and best bets.
Cheltenham Festival Day 1 (Tuesday, 11th March)
MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE
Johnny Dineen: “Kopek Des Bordes looked a generational horse at Leopardstown. He is a candidate for doing a Michael Flatley in the parade ring.”
Ruby Walsh: “I think there could upwards of 16/17 runners. Kopek Des Bordes is definitely the best horse.”
ARKLE CHASE
Johnny Dineen: “I’d rate Majborough a stonking bet compared to some of the others.”
Lydia Hislop: “I’m a big fan of Majborough. He’s comfortably the best here and the market has it right.”
Tony Mullins: “An act of God it’ll take to beat Majborough.”
ULTIMA
Johnny Dineen: “The Changing Man has a lovely profile.”
MARES’ HURDLE
Tony Mullins: “I don’t think Lossiemouth is herself this year. She was wobbling up the straight in the Christmas Hurdle and there was no reason for her to fall the last day.”
Ruby Walsh: “I’ve no reason to believe Lossiemouth won’t go for the Champion Hurdle. Jade De Grugy hasn’t achieved as much as Lossiemouth. The question mark is whether Cheltenham comes too soon for Jade De Grugy.”
CHAMPION HURDLE
Johnny Dineen: “I think all the money will be for Constitution Hill.”
Lydia Hislop: “Constitution Hill is an exceptional racehorse, but he’d need to be exceptional to improve from seven to eight. I don’t see State Man getting involved.”
Tony Mullins: “It is a fascinating Champion Hurdle. What Brighterdaysahead did [at Leopardstown] was mind-blowing.”
Ruby Walsh: “I think King Of Kingsfield will take her to the fourth last.”
The Champion Hurdle verdict is…
Johnny Dineen – Brighterdaysahead
Lydia Hislop – Brighterdaysahead
Tony Mullins – Constitution Hill
Ruby Walsh – Brighterdaysahead
FRED WINTER
Johnny Dineen: “I like Total Look. He’s prepared for this. He’s well in.”
Tony Mullins: “I’m going for Stencil. I’ve been a fan from the start.”
Ruby Walsh: “Beyond Your Dreams has been eye-catching a couple of times this year.”
NATIONAL HUNT CHASE
Lydia Hislop: “I really do like Now Is The Hour. He was good enough to win a Grade 2 hurdle last season. With the ground drying out, I got down to Gericault Roque. He has already proven he can reach the level of form his opposition haven’t got anywhere near. He’s very interesting at 20/1.”
TUESDAY NAPS
Johnny Dineen – The Changing Man (Ultima)
Lydia Hislop – Gericault Roque (National Hunt Chase)
Tony Mullins – Majborough (Arkle)
Ruby Walsh – Beyond Your Dreams (Fred Winter)
Cheltenham Festival Day 2 (Wednesday, 12th March)
TURNERS NOVICES’ HURDLE
Johnny Dineen: “The New Lion is a really sexy horse with a turn of foot. The nicer the ground will play to his strengths.”
Lydia Hislop: “The New Lion looked very good in the Challow. I’ve been a big fan of Final Demand since he started hurdling. If we have drying conditions, Final Demand might be vulnerable.”
BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES’ CHASE
Johnny Dineen: “Ballyburn’s a few questions to answer and it’s a smartish race. It can be a sluggers’ race. There seems to be positivity about Better Days Ahead.”
Lydia Hislop: “I think Ballyburn will like it. It wasn’t a slog last year and class can prevail. The drying conditions counts against Dancing City. Better Days Ahead is the threat to Ballyburn.”
Ruby Walsh: “I think going up in trip will suit Ballyburn. I was pleased with him in Leopardstown.”
CORAL CUP
Lydia Hislop: “It’s the only race Be Aware has been entered, which I found interesting. Comfort Zone might enjoy the test.”
Tony Mullins: “Kopeck De Mee could be chucked in.”
Ruby Walsh: “A big negative for Supersundae is a novice has never won the Coral Cup.”
CROSS COUNTRY
Ruby Walsh: “I think Stumpton will do well to give 10lbs to Vanillier. He’s starting to adapt to Cross Country racing.”
CHAMPION CHASE
Johnny Dineen: “Jonbon should probably win on all known form but I wouldn’t back him due to the history of the favourites in this race.”
Lydia Hislop: “There’s no logical reason in my view to lay Jonbon.”
Tony Mullins: “Jonbon has matured like a good wine.”
The Champion Chase verdict is…
Johnny Dineen – Jonbon
Lydia Hislop – Jonbon
Tony Mullins – Jonbon
Ruby Walsh – Jonbon
GRAND ANNUAL
Lydia Hislop: “If Libberty Hunter ran here I could see him winning it. I like a horse that is tracking a strong pace.”
Tony Mullins: “Touch Me Not is a bit of a value bet if he came here.”
CHAMPION BUMPER
Ruby Walsh: “I like Copacabana. I was impressed with him at Navan. He looked like he could improve for the run and he was learning on the job.”
WEDNESDAY NAPS
Johnny Dineen – Marine Nationale (Champion Chase)
Lydia Hislop – Be Aware (Coral Cup)
Tony Mullins – Dancing City (Brown Advisory)
Ruby Walsh – Copacabana (Champion Bumper)
Cheltenham Festival Day 3 (Thursday, 13th March)
MARES’ NOVICES’ HURDLE
Johnny Dineen: “I’ll be strongly against the front two in the market. It’s an open race. There’s plenty here with chances.”
Lydia Hislop: “It’ll be interesting if Joseph O’Brien reroutes Galileo Dame from the Triumph. I think she’s quite smart. The weight advantage is an advantage.”
Ruby Walsh: “I think it’ll be hard for Maughreen. Air Of Entitlement is overpriced.”
JACK RICHARDS HANDICAP CHASE
Lydia Hislop: “Jagwar’s a key player in this but I’d also keep an eye on Jordans.”
PERTEMPS FINAL
Lydia Hislop: “I like Lucky Lyreen in this. He can step forward again.”
Tony Mullins: “I’m going for D Art D Art. There might be a bit of a hole in Jeriko Du Reponet. It’s a very open race.”
RYANAIR CHASE
Lydia Hislop: “Il Est Francais being there will help Fact To File. It’s much deeper than last year.”
Tony Mullins: “Fact To File should be running in the Gold Cup.”
Ruby Walsh: “After being comprehensively beaten by Galopin Des Champs twice, I think Fact To File will run here. Dropping down in trip won’t inconvenience him. Jungle Boogie was good at Ascot and ran a cracking race in last year’s Gold Cup. At a big price, he has a squeak.”
PADDY POWER STAYERS’ HURDLE
Johnny Dineen: “The ground could be a worry for Teahupoo. He sets the standard but it’s not an insurmountable one. The favourite, to me, is vulnerable.”
Tony Mullins: “Teahupoo wouldn’t be in my trebles and accumulators.”
Ruby Walsh: “I can’t find one to beat Teahupoo. He hasn’t had a taxing season.”
PLATE HANDICAP CHASE
Ruby Walsh: “It’s shaping into a race where you need to be on the pace. One that’s coming down in the weights is Ginny’s Destiny.”
KIM MUIR
Johnny Dineen: “Aworkinprogress would be dangerous if he gets in.”
Tony Mullins: “Now Is The Hour has some good form.”
Ruby Walsh: “Walking On Air was running a cracking race at Doncaster.”
THURSDAY NAPS
Johnny Dineen – Aworkinprogress (Kim Muir)
Lydia Hislop – Galileo Dame (Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle)
Tony Mullins – Protektorat (Ryanair)
Ruby Walsh – Jungle Boogie (Ryanair)
Cheltenham Festival Day 4 (Friday, 14th March)
TRIUMPH HURDLE
Johnny Dineen: “I have a feeling East India Dock beat up Fred Winter horses. Lulamba has only had one run but he had a touch of the wow factor.”
Lydia Hislop: “East India Dock has the best form in the race. It’s very straightforward.”
Tony Mullins: “East India Dock has done it, repeated it and I think he’ll repeat it again. He might be a good thing. He’s one of my bankers if Stencil wins the Fred Winter.”
Ruby Walsh: “I loved East India Dock the last day. He’s hard as nails.”
COUNTY HURDLE
Ruby Walsh: “Absurde’s in good nick but it’d be a miracle to get two run at a crawl. The older horses are vulnerable to some of the five-year-olds. Bunting is one, Kargese is another and it’ll be interesting to see where Kala Conti goes. I think a five-year-old will win it.”
MRS PADDY POWER MARES’ CHASE
Johnny Dineen: “I like Dinoblue. She has a penalty which is a small bit of a negative. I’d be worried about Only By Night getting the distance.”
Ruby Walsh: “I can see why Gavin Cromwell is thinking of coming here with the novice, Only By Night. I think she’ll stay.”
ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICES’ HURDLE
Johnny Dineen: “I could see a whole host of horses having a chance. I’m not mad about The Big Westerner, myself.”
Ruby Walsh: “I think the track will suit Jasmin De Vaux. He could get involved. The Big Westerner sets the standard. Argento Boy could run better than he did in the Champion Bumper last year.”
CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP
Lydia Hislop: “We could see the best of Monty’s Star if it’s strongly run. I expect some headgear to be put on Corbetts Cross.”
Tony Mullins: “The only horse capable of beating Galopin Des Champs is set to run in the Ryanair!”
Ruby Walsh: “Galopin Des Champs just needs average luck to win the race. What you don’t want is bad luck. He’s a great mentality. He’s a solid jumper. He stays and has a turn of foot.”
HUNTERS’ CHASE
Ruby Walsh: “Angels Dawn is the one.”
MARTIN PIPE
Lydia Hislop: “I’d be interested if Wodhooh were to run here.”
FRIDAY NAPS
Johnny Dineen – Dinoblue (Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase)
Lydia Hislop – East India Dock (Triumph Hurdle)
Tony Mullins – East India Dock (Triumph Hurdle)
Ruby Walsh – Angels Dawn (Hunters’ Chase)
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