The start of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival has finally arrived, and like many, we are looking forward to four days of top-class racing.
Throughout this week, Rizz and I will each have a selection or two each on the main thread. However, we do have other threads on offer that give some insight into other bits and pieces that are happening throughout the festival. These include a daily Lucky 15 bet, which consists of some selections at bigger odds and separate race previews for the main races of each day.
Cairnzy's Tips
Brighterdaysahead 2/1 – Cheltenham 4.00
For the second year on the trot, the Champion Hurdle has a slightly sour feel to it and this year's downfall is of course the withdrawal of the Willie Mullins trained Lossiemouth who now goes to the Mare's Hurdle to defend her crown after spending the guts of two years being trained as a future Champion Hurdle winner. I mean, as much as it's disappointing, it's hardly a surprise, given a recent heavy fall and a below-par run behind Constitution Hill on Boxing Day.
Is Constitution Hill your most likely winner of this year's Champion Hurdle? Of course, he is, but at 8/13, I'll happily have a small wager in taking him on with Brighterdaysahead, who arguably is great value at 2/1 to upset the applecart.
Constitution Hill has barely broken a sweat in each of his 10 races to date, but I do feel Brighterdaysahead can be one of the few to really take him out of his comfort zone. Besides the market leader, my selection by far brings the best form to the table, none more than her 30L demolition job over Stateman in The Neville Hotels Hurdle at Leopardstown. Stateman, of course, was not at his best on that occasion, but there is no debating that he struggled to go the gallop, and I struggle to see how the defending champion reverses the form this time around.
The big question is, can Brighterdaysahead stick with Constitution Hill when push comes to shove, or will the market leader simply sweep by when going for home and win with the minimum of fuss as he usually does. Brighterdaysahead has the benefit of the 7lb mares allowance, and if going by Timeform's recent ratings, Brighterdaysaheads most recent win puts her only 3lb behind Constitution Hill's best run to date.
Rizzel's Tips
Resplendent Grey 9/1 EW – Cheltenham 5.20
It seems a little strange that this race is now a handicap, as for the longest time it was a race on level weights where Willie Mullins or Gordon Elliott chucked in a horse who couldn't be beaten and Jamie Codd/Patrick Mullins/Derek O'Connor would get winners. This race isn't even just an amateur-only race, which divides opinion, but I'm not too fussed, as long as my fancy wins.
I think going for the class angle in this race might be the best play. Resplendent Grey is definitely the best horse in this race, and it all comes down to if he stays the 3m 6f, which I am unsure of, but based on how well he was staying on up the hill behind Hyland earlier in the season over 3m, I think he has every chance of being able to stay this marathon trip.
Sean Bowen being on board is a big positive as in these long-winded races he chucks the kitchen sink and will power horse home, like we saw on the weekend just gone with Booster Bob who came from the clouds to win at Newbury. It might sound daft that I've mentioned Sean Bowen being on board an Olly Murphy horse as he is the stable jockey, but I think he could have easily ignored Resplendent Grey and taken the ride on Haiti Couleurs who has previously won on, so given he is on my horse gives me further confidence that they really believe this is a suitable race for the horse.
Winning off 11st 11lbs will not be an easy task, but I think there is a lot of deadwood in this race, so he should only have to beat a handful of horses, such as the Rebecca Curtis horse I've just named, as well as Transmission who will definitely stay the trip, with a couple of Irish horses likely to be there turning for home.
GambleAware
Cheltenham
2:40 – sequestered 11/1
3:20 – kala conti
4:40 – Liam swagger
5:20 – Gericault roque
E/w lucky 15