The 2025 Cheltenham Festival is here, baby! And we’re all mad excited here at Power Tower. One of the best in the business, Matt Chapman, is here to give us his tips on Day One.
You can check out Paddy’s full list of options across all markets on Cheltenham betting as the action gets underway.
Matt Chapman’s Cheltenham Day One tips
13:20 Romeo Coolio (each-way)
14:00 Jango Baie (each-way)
14:40 Henry’s Friend & Happygolucky (each-way)
15:20 Lossiemouth
16:00 Constitution Hill
16:40 Hot Fuss (each-way)
17:20 Transmission (each-way)
*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.
13:20 Romeo Coolio (each-way)
Cheltenham 2025 is here. Yeeehaaa! The Festival gets under way with great meaning with the Grade 1 Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle over an extended 2m. Kopek des Bordes could easily blow this field apart, and a small field might well help him, but the each-way bet has to be ROMEO COOLIO for Gordon Elliott under Jack Kennedy.
The Champion Bumper runner-up has done little wrong over hurdles, and stayed on well when last seen to win a Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas. He’s been absent since, but is held in high regard and his owners love Tottenham so I’m a fan! I’ll have a few quid each-way to get us up and running.
14:00 Jango Baie (each-way)
Another top class Grade 1 in the My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase over 2m. Like in the opener there could be one in Majborough miles better than the rest and, again, such a small field massively helps him. But the Willie Mullins-trained challenger’s jumping of fences has not been flawless and the Triumph Hurdle form is hardly incredible.
I’ve had a decent each-way bet on JANGO BAIE for Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville when I was assured three places. Jango Baie is rated 1lb higher than L’Eau du Sud and I suspect he will be much better on this ground than he was on heavy at Sandown. He jumped for fun here on chasing debut and brings in Grade 1 winning form as a hurdler. I really will be stunned if he’s not placed at least but, of course, the three places has long gone.
14:40 Henry’s Friend & Happygolucky (each-way)
A competitive Handicap Chase in the Ultima over 3m1f. I’m hoping for a good each-way run here from HENRY’S FRIEND for Ben Pauling. In the race everyone knows as the Hennessy, Henry’s Friend got outpaced and then stayed on well into fifth and he followed that up with a tidy success at Newbury. He’s up 6lb from his defeat mark by Kandoo Kid but a strongly run race should suit him and his stable has been in rattling form. He did come here last year and did nothing in the National Hunt Chase but he’s better than that.
I also have to have a few quid each-way on HAPPYGOLUCKY for Mel Rowley. The old boy is chucked in on previous form off a mark of 140. He was ninth in this in 2023 when rated 152. Obivously has had issues and is old but is very-lightly raced.
15:20 Lossiemouth
This is the Grade 1 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle over 2m4f. Very boring I’m afraid and it’s not ideal she’s coming in off a bad fall, but it’s hard to get away from LOSSIEMOUTH for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. The mare was devastating in this last year and she’s just the best horse in the field if anywhere near her best.
16:00 Constitution Hill
The big one of the day in the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle over an extended 2m. Hardly news from Mars this pick, but It’s fantastic for CONSTITUTION HILL fans that at least one decent mare is taking on the 2023 hero with Brighterdaysahead confirmed for Gigginstown.
I don’t think it matters what is in the field as I’m as confident as anyone can be that the Nicky Hendeson-trained Constitution Hill is in a different league to any rivals that might turn up.
I thought he ran a cracker on return in the Christmas Hurdle and was totally dominant in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham when last seen. The way he had the field blown away at halfway was breathtaking. He’s a brilliant horse and I’d have him much shorter in the betting than his current odds.
16:40 Hot Fuss (each-way)
Handicap company now in the Hallgarten and Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle over an extended 2m. A nightmare! Stencil will be popular but I’ll chance HOT FUSS for Tom Dascombe which would be huge for him and David Bass.
My selection was one of the best of these on the Flat and has taken well to jumping scoring at Sandown and a fair fourth in a Grade 2 at Chepstow. He rallied then having been prominent in the early stages and he might just have an each-way chance off 122. First time blinkers go on.
17:20 Transmission (each-way)
Day 1 closes with the National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase over 3m6f. TRANSMISSION and Patrick Mullins will be out the back for most of the race but he might just finish off better than most for Neil Mulholland.
He had a spin over hurdles here in January just to keep him ticking over but his second to Haiti Couleurs at the track in December was a fine run and he kept on well then over half a mile shorter. Being a little bit better off at the weights gives every chance of a reverse in form. Another each-way chance.
So best of luck and pray for Yeeehaaas. You hear me Paddy?
Matt Chapman’s Cheltenham Day One tips
13:20 Romeo Coolio (each-way)
14:00 Jango Baie (each-way)
14:40 Henry’s Friend & Happygolucky (each-way)
15:20 Lossiemouth
16:00 Constitution Hill
16:40 Hot Fuss (each-way)
17:20 Transmission (each-way)
*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.
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