Cheltenham Festival 2025: A Punters Pre-Festival Guide

Why Cheltenham Festival Commands Betting Attention

• The Cheltenham Festival is upon on once again, National Hunt racing’s pinnacle, featuring 28 races across four days, including 14 Grade 1 contests. The concentration of top-class chasers and hurdlers, national and global interest, and huge ante-post interest make it uniquely the single best festival in racing globally.
• From a punting perspective, horse class, stamina, going preferences, trainer tactics, and festival-specific trends all matter deeply, every small difference can yield large EV advantages.
• Big Handicaps, smaller field class races, it has everything for everyone, finding value is difficult but possible.
• Willie Mullins has dominated in recent years and the Irish do very well, understanding where the value lays in horses that you don’t see week in week out is key to success.

Key Festival Races & Horses to Watch

1. Tues 11 March)

• Champion Hurdle: On Paper this looks a match between Constitution Hill and Brighterdaysahead, there is no value in either price, we see this as a watching brief.
• Hotpots: Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme Novices looks a hotpot, but no value in price. Lossiemouth in the Mares looks equally as nailed on, again there is no value in the current price. We’d avoid the treble here too, as seen way too often, one leg of the hotpot trebles and accas always seems to favour the bookies.

2. Wed 12 March

• The Turners on day two is a fascinating contest, the top of the market has some real class: The New Lion, Final Demand and The Yellow Clay all have strong credentials and are worthy adversaries. It’s impossible to say who’ll go off favourite on the day, this will be decided by punter pressure on course in the hour before the race. For us, we like The New Lion, although, we’d like more value than 2/1 before he’s a bet.
• Queen Mother Champion Chase: Jonbon will be short and is a justified favourite, although the most likely winner, the Cheltenham hoodoo and such short odds does not make him a betting proposition. Marine Nationale would leave no dry eye in the house, previously ridden to victory by the late Michael O Sullivan, if he wins there will be celebrations all the way back to Ireland. He maybe worth an E/W look, although if there is lots of money due to sentiment, we would not recommend a bet if under 5/1.

3. Thurs 13 March

• Ryanir Chase: Fact To File will be very short and represents no value, although is the most likely winner.
• Stayers Hurdle:  Teahupoo equally looks justified favourite, if the price is right here, there may be some decent value and represents a nice opportunity.

4. Fri 14 March

• The Gold Cup: Galopin Des Champs looking for a threetimer will be very short and represent no value at all in price. A watching brief for us.
• The Martin Pipe: The very last race and the getting out of it stakes, 20+ runners and a minefield, conditional jockeys in name only, as these are very good jockeys. We like a couple and will decide based on price and going on the day.

Market Trends & Advanced Betting Considerations

1. Ground Conditions: Cheltenham weather is famously changeable. Soft/heavy ground swings races dramatically: Be sure to review your selections daily and ensure they have previous form on whatever the going may be.
2. Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG): Essential to use for races where possible, odds can significantly drift on the day if there is hype and betting ring pressure.
3. Trainer/Jockey Patterns: Mullins, Elliott, Nicholls, are the usual suspects, there is no value in backing Mullins as top trainer, although he is fairly certain to be just that.
4. Clashing Public Hype: Big names attract public money, so value is often found in horses with perhaps less star power but better suited to conditions or with upside in obscure trials. Listen for market blips where one horse drifts too much after hype.

Final Thoughts

The Cheltenham Festival 2025 promises a week brimming with elite races and betting opportunity. From the Champion Hurdle trailer rush to the glory of a potential third Gold Cup for Galopin Des Champs, the betting narratives are rich.

For a comprehensive analysis of all 28 races, subscribe to our VIP or Educational services, or alternatively look at our one-off Cheltenham festival special. Good Luck and remember never bet with funds you can’t afford to lose.