Paddy’s stable of top pundits and tipsters have run the rule over our Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle odds, but who are they backing in the opening race of the Cheltenham Festival?
Kopek Des Bordes has been all the rage in the build up to the contest after a demolition job in the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival continued his perfect record under rules.
The No Risk At All gelding is set to face plenty of competition from fellow Irish-trained horses, however, including stablemate Salvator Mundi and Gordon Elliott’s Romeo Coolio, who finished second in last season’s Champion Bumper.
Henry de Bromhead saddled last year’s winner and the trainer will be hoping Workahead can follow in the hoofsteps of Slade Steel.
Meanwhile, the Brits boast just two runners in the 12-strong field and previous form suggests Tripoli Flyer and Harry Cobden’s mount Tutti Quanti face a tough task to claim the spoils.
Cheltenham Festival odds can be found on the Paddy Power website and Paddy Power app, otherwise, our experts’ tips for the opening race on day one of the 2025 meeting are below.
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Cheltenham 1.20 tips
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
Matt Chapman
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.
Harry Cobden
My ride Tutti Quanti is the outsider of the field and he’s got an extremely tough task ahead of him but I’m sure we’ll drop him in and ride him to run well. Maybe he can pick up a few pieces, but he’s certainly got his work cut out.
If I was riding one of Willie Mullins’ I’d want to be on KOPEK DES BORDES. He looks like a good thing to kick the week off for punters.
Mick Fitzgerald
It’s interesting that connections have put a hood on Kopek des Bordes. It wouldn’t surprise me if he was to wear earplugs also to combat any tendency to get revved up in the preliminaries. Willie Mullins’ short-priced favourite may well win, but he can do so without carrying my money.
I’d rather play ROMEO COOLIO, each-way, in the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices Hurdle, as he looks like a very solid option. He was second in the bumper last season and won the Grade 1 Paddy Power Future Champion Novices’ hurdle impressively at Leopardstown over Christmas on similar ground to what he’ll encounter on Tuesday.
Patrick Mullins
We have put a hood on KOPEK DES BORDES in the hope that it will help him relax more. If he does, he should have a great chance of getting the week off to a flyer for us in the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Ruby Walsh
KOPEK DES BORDES has been doing everything really well at home since winning at the Dublin Racing Festival. I thought there’d be more runners in the Festival opener, but with Workahead and Romeo Coolio in here, there should be a strong pace from the start. It’s hard to get away from Kopek des Bordes as the likely winner.
Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Tips
- Paddy’s Ultimate Cheltenham Cheat Sheet for day 1 of the 2025 Festival
- ITV Racing pundit Matt Chapman’s Cheltenham Tips for Tuesday
- Harry Cobden’s Cheltenham Tips for day 1 of the 2025 Festival
- Mick Fitzgerald’s Cheltenham Tips for day 1 include a 9/1 each-way shot
- Patrick Mullins’ Cheltenham Tips for day 1 feature a 20/1 each-way shout
- Ruby Walsh’s Cheltenham Tips for day 1 of the meeting
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