*Paddy Power is now Non Runner Money Back for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. That means that if your selection does not line up in the race you back it in for any reason – you will now get your stake back. T& C’s apply. Paddy also has the more traditional ante-post market where you will lose your stake if your selection doesn’t run in the race for whatever reason.
Now we’ve seen the latest forfeit stage for the Cheltenham Festival handicaps, we can narrow down who we think are the plot jobs in the Cheltenham Festival betting.
You have the usual Dan Skelton names that will be all the rage, like Unexpected Party, who will look to make it back-to-back wins in the Grand Annual, and Langer Dan who’ll be aiming for his third win at the mid-March showpiece.
He has a Coral Cup entry again as well as a Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle entry, but Team Skelton may go into the Cheltenham with one that is hidden in full view.
1. Lark In The Mornin
Race: County Hurdle
Date: Friday 14th, March
Strongly fancied to get the job done in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, Lark In The Mornin was one of the most talked about handicap plot jobs of last season.
Having spent most of the season as a strong favourite for the Boodles, Lark In The Mornin took a huge walk in the market on the day of the Boodles, only to go on and defy that drift and win like a handicap good thing.
He has been sparingly campaigned this season, with only one run when sent off as 11/2 joint-favourite for a handicap hurdle at Leopardstown Christmas Festival.
He could only manage a seventh-place finish on the day, but it was very much an eye-catching run when you delve into how he was ridden.
From his last-place position coming out of the back straight to when they hit the line, Lark In The Mornin was given tender handling but still managed to make up considerable ground to take a nine-length seventh-place finish.
Come Friday of the Cheltenham Festival, this could be a case of De Javu with Lark In The Mornin.
2. Win Some Lose Some
Race: Pertemps Network Final
Date: Thursday 13th, March
Unsurprisingly, JP McManus has the top three in the betting for the Pertemps with The Wallpark (likely to run in the Stayers Hurdle), Jeriko Du Reponet, and Win Some Lose Some.
But the latter looks to be the one to side with.
Having had nine runs already in his short career, Win Some Lose Some, a progressive six-year-old, has already notched up four wins from nine starts.
The latest of those wins came in a Pertemps qualifier at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, where he was stepping up to three miles for the first time. Placed on the outside for most of the race, it was clear that the plan was to stay out of trouble, avoid unnecessary interference, and get the job done.
Having landed in the lead after jumping the last, Win Some Lose Some powered clear only to idel in front, but he was always doing enough to win. He has been hit with a 10lb rise in the weights to a mark of 135, which should be more than manageable for this progressive six-year-old, who will have his perfect set-up in a race like Pertemps.
Expect Win Some Lose Some to be delivered late with his challenge after the last.
3. Jagwar
Race: Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase – Plate Handicap Chase
Date: Thursday 13th, March
Trained by the Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero duo, who have been making a name for themselves over the past few seasons, may be about to taste Cheltenham Festival glory again with Jagwar.
He is a winner of three of his four starts over fences, and his form is working out quite well, especially his win at Bangor, where the second, fourth, fifth, and eleventh have all gone on to win since.
You can forgive his only defeat over fences when he sent off the 11/8 favourite to beat the now Grade 2 winner, Jinko Blue, as the small field didn’t seem to suit his running style. But his win on Cheltenham trials day has put him at the forefront of many people’s shortlists of handicap picks.
Having been held up in the rear, Jagwar made smooth headway to join the leaders three out, and Jonjo O’Neill Jr waited until landing over the last to pull away and win easily.
Jagwar has a rating of 139 on the back of that course and distance win, and for me, it will take a very well-handicapped horse to get the better of him in whatever race he is declared for.
4. Total Look
Race: Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
Date: Friday 15th, March
I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Total Look in his three starts over hurdles this season. He won on his hurdle debut and backed that up with a neck third in the Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham’s December meeting, gaining valuable course experience.
His latest run at Punchestown, where he was given an easy time to finish third, was similar to what Lark In The Mornin did last season before going on to win the Boodles.
Gavin Cromwell has been in flying form all season and has become a master at placing his horses, so a mark of 125 gives him every chance of going close in the Boodles, and he is sure to be better than his current mark.
5. Joyeux Machin
Race: Coral Cup
Date: Wednesday 12th, March
Formerly trained in Ireland by Paul Nolan, Joyeux Machin has had four interesting starts for Dan Skelton. He started off life with a 24-length defeat on debut for Dan Skelton at Cheltenham’s December meeting over 2m1f before finishing nine lengths behind Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill.
On his next two starts, he was stepped up to just over 2m3f, beaten just over three lengths on both occasions and eye-catching last time behind Altobelli at Ascot.
He has gotten away with just a 2lb rise in the weights, and if he were to line up for the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, it will be a case of Dan Skelton winning his third Coral Cup in a row.
*Paddy Power is now Non Runner Money Back for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. That means that if your selection does not line up in the race you back it in for any reason – you will now get your stake back. T& C’s apply. Paddy also has the more traditional ante-post market where you will lose your stake if your selection doesn’t run in the race for whatever reason.
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