Cheltenham 2025: Day One Lucky 15 Tips on Champion Day

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The 2025 Cheltenham Festival begins on Tuesday, 11 March, featuring seven races. A Lucky 15 bet involves selecting four horses across different races; if one wins, you receive a payout, with the potential for more if multiple selections win.

Day 1 Race Schedule:

1. 13:20 – Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle
2. 14:00 – Arkle Challenge Trophy
3. 14:40 – Ultima Handicap Chase
4. 15:20 – David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle
5. 16:00 – Champion Hurdle
6. 16:40 – Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
7. 17:20 – National Hunt Challenge Cup

We have many short-priced favourites throughout day one at Cheltenham, and on paper, if they show up, they should be tough to beat on the day.

I will try to maintain an each-way angle throughout the festival for my Lucky 15 bets, and I'll track their return daily based on a 50p EW stake (£15 total).

Cairnzy's Lucky 15 Tips

Katate Dori 8/1 (6 Places) – Cheltenham 2.40

My first selection of the day is the Sam Thomas-trained Katate Dori, an improving seven-year-old who has performed extremely well in the build-up to this year's Cheltenham festival.

I tipped this horse on the main thread in January when he was hunting for a hat trick of wins. On the day, he had to settle for second place behind Collectors Item, but he got back to winning ways last time out with a dominant 15-length victory in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Kempton.

Jockey Charlie Deutsch gave Katate Dori a peach of a ride that day, and although he isn't on board this time, regular rider Dylan Johnson knows this horse well, having ridden him to victory twice already this campaign.

My selection is very much improving in the jumping department, and he barely put a foot wrong at Kempton last time out. I think the form of a 15-length demolition over Hyland is decent enough form, and he should run well at an attractive price.

Kala Conti 14/1 EW (3 Places) – Cheltenham 3.20

Willie Mullins has chosen to swerve the Champion Hurdle with Lossiemouth, and as a result, she will defend her crown in the Mare's Hurdle. It's no surprise that she's been ditched from the Champion Hurdle, but as an outsider, you would have liked to have seen her run in the big one.

Punters have wasted no time in backing her in the market, and at the time of writing, she is as short as 4/6 to retain her crown. If she's no worse off for a recent heavy fall, then she is the one to beat. Assuming Lossiemouth wins the race with no issues, that leaves two spots on offer for each way punters, and at the prices, my eye was drawn to the Gordon Elliot-trained Kala Conti.

My only slight concern is that Kala Conti lacks a recent run, having not been seen since finishing second behind the reopposing July Flower, who got the better of my selection at Leopardstown over the Christmas period. Gordon is no mug, and he's clearly put Kala Conti away to freshen up before contesting this race. Notably, Kala Conti has a good record when running after a break, winning her last two races after a 193-day break and a 273-day break.

A recent interview with trainer Gordon Elliot stated that he expects my selection to be ridden with more patience this time around, so expect jockey Jack Kennedy to drop her in and come with a challenge late on.

Beyond Your Dreams 6/1 EW (6 Places) – Cheltenham 16:40

I originally picked out Putyourhandstogether for this contest, but a last-minute change of heart has me U-turning, and I've finally opted for Beyond Your Dreams.

I'll be honest, it is a slight concern that jockey Mark Walsh has opted to ride my original selection in Putyourhandstogether, but JJ Slevin is still a good jockey in his own right, and I'll not let the jockey selections put me off what horse I think has the better chance of winning.

Trainer J P O'Brien targets this particular race, which is proven on his CV, given that he has won it twice already since 2019.  My selection gets in here of low weight and, surprisingly, is marked up the same price as the reopposing Total Look, who may have gotten the better of my selection at Navan recently but is now 9lb worse off.  Connections have kept Beyond Your Dreams off track since his win at Fairyhouse over Christmas, and he should arrive here fresh and ready to go after a short break.

Resplendent Grey 10/1 EW ( 5 Places ) – Cheltenham 5.20

I was surprised to see Resplendent Grey marked up as big as 10/1 for the contest, as I feel the form he brings into this contest is up there with the best on offer.

My selection finished second behind Ben Pauling's Handstands during the Christmas period, and that form has worked out well, given that Handstands is now a 159-rated chaser and won his following two races, including turning over Nicky Henderson's Jango Baie.

My selection also finished second behind Hyland at Sandown, a form that also reads well. That one recently finished second in a Grade One behind The Jukebox Man. Hyland also finished second behind Katate Dori on his most recent outing, which I stand by as good form, given I've tipped Kata Dori up already in today's Lucky 15 bet.

My selection tends to finish off his races well but will need to improve upon his recent efforts if he is to win this competitive affair. The forecast ground is right up his street, and he should enjoy this stamina test with the in-form Sean Bowen in the saddle.

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Advised bet – Eachway Lucky 15

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