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The Independent
10-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Cheltenham Placepot Tips For Day One of The Festival
Day one of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival opens with a cracking renewal of the Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle (1.20pm) and all eyes will be on Kopek Des Bordes and how he copes with the pre-race atmosphere. In fairness to the red-hot ante-post favourite on betting sites, his excitable nature didn't seem to have too much impact on his level of performance at the Dublin Racing Festival last time and the one notable aspect of that display was the improvement in his jumping from his previous debut outing over hurdles. Romeo Coolio is also worth including in the perm as he is a solid galloper with a touch of star quality who boasts good experience of the Festival courtesy of his second in last year's bumper. Majborough is the second of three well-backed Willie Mullins favourites on the card and another which could hold all the aces in the Arkle (2.00pm). He has looked tremendously impressive in both starts over fences to date and was a good winner of the Triumph Hurdle last March. Super-sub Jango Baie is no Sir Gino – sadly sidelined and missing from the line up for his trainer – but he boasts winning form round Cheltenham and should finish off the race strongly. He could also get placed and offers some insurance if the favourite underperforms. The Ultima Chase (2.40pm) is a tough heat for placepot players to negotiate, but the younger less-exposed horses have a good record in recent renewals, so Broadway Boy and The Changing Man make plenty of appeal, while Henry's Friend is also improving at the right time. Lossiemouth dominates the market on horse racing betting sites in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (3.20pm) and should make a bold bid to defend her crown if her fall at Leopardstown last time hasn't dented her confidence. The drying ground should play to the strengths of Take No Chances and she could outrun her odds with her form behind Wodhooh and Joyeuse here in December giving her a frame chance. It is hard to envisage a scenario where both Constitution Hill and Brighterdaysahead are unplaced in an intriguing Unibet Champion Hurdle (4.00pm) so both make the perm, even if it is tempting to banker one of them. The final leg looks another tricky event for backers with 22 juveniles vying for four places in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (4.40pm). At least Stencil and Total Look have experience of the track and look to have the confirmations and ability to cope with one of the most well-contested handicaps of the week. The duo both make the cut along with recent Southwell scorer Liam Swagger, who appreciated having the cheekpieces refitted on the level last time and looks overpriced for a team that is excellent with their juveniles. Cheltenham Placepot perm 1.20 5 Kopek Des Bordes 6 Romeo Coolio 2.00 1 Jango Baie 3 Majborough 2.40 3 Broadway Boy 8 Henry's Friend 13 The Changing Man 3.20 9 Lossiemouth 11 Take No Chances 4.00 2 Constitution Hill 6 Brighterdaysahead 4.40 4 Stencil 5 Total Look 13 Liam Swagger 2x2x3x2x2x3 = 144 lines Please gamble responsibly Bettors should always follow responsible gambling practices. Even the most knowledgeable punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses. When using gambling sites be aware that sports betting can be addictive so please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget. The same applies whether you're using new betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium. It's particularly important not to get carried if you receive a casino bonus or any free bets, which are available in abundance before and during the Cheltenham Festival, but must be approached with caution. You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs. You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:
Telegraph
10-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Cheltenham Festival day 1 Tips: Lucky 15, Accumulator and bet365 Super Boost
Day one of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival is headlined by the Champion Hurdle (4pm). The two-mile championship race is one of four Grade 1 contests on the card that have clear favourites, while some others have big fields and greater potential for outsiders to triumph. So look no further for your Lucky 15, accumulator or bet365 Super Boost selections. Fancy a bet on Cheltenham day 1? If you already have a bookmaker account and are looking for a new operator to use for this week's racing, check out our list of Cheltenham free bets that can be used on day one of the Festival. Today's expert tips for Cheltenham day 1 1.20 Kopek Des Bordes @ 10/11 with Betfair 2.00 Majborough @ 8/15 with Betfair 2.40 Search For Glory @ 20/1 with Betfair Victtorino @ 22/1 with Betfair 3.20 Lossiemouth @ 4/6 with Betfair 4.00 Constitution Hill @ 4/7 with Betfair 4.40 Liam Swagger @ 14/1 with Betfair Ephesus @ 50/1 with Betfair 5.20 Stuzzikini @ 25/1 with Betfair Odds provided by Betfair and correct at the time of writing. Each-way selections are highlighted in the analysis below. Cheltenham Day 1 Acca tips Kopek Des Bordes, Majborough and Lossiemouth @ 3.88/1 with Betfair Cheltenham Day 1 Lucky 15 tips Romeo Coolio, Search For Glory, Liam Swagger and Stuzzikini each-way @ 61,424/1 with Betfair If you are looking for a bookmaker to use for day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival check out our list of betting offers from the UK's best betting sites. 1.20, Cheltenham – Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m ½f) The first selection at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival goes to the Willie Mullins-trained KOPEK DES BORDES. Being the first race of the week the adrenalin can get high in this race, leading to a frantic pace that ultimately results in stamina coming to the fore in the closing stages. Today's selection is a sizable horse that has plenty of scope to stay further – likely over larger obstacles – and at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out he proved he certainly has the class for victory here and get the tipped accumulator off to a win. Recent history does suggest that the winner has to come from the top three in the market as this is where 11 out of the past 12 victors have come from, but Willie Mullins has form lines in the yard with both Romeo Coolio and Workahead, so market confidence will be encouraging. Last off the list was Salvator Mundi who has form with the superstar Sir Gino when trained in France, but after Patrick Mullins getting the ride he has quite rightly taken a drift in the market with his record against professional jockeys very poor. 2.00, Cheltenham – My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase (Grade 1, 2m) It is no surprise that MAJBOROUGH is this year's Arkle selection with a field that is widely regarded as sub-par after the setback to Sir Gino. Both those horses were looking to break trends, as five-year-olds have a record of 0-16 since 2007. The field was thoroughly analysed for an older runner capable of turning over the short-priced favourite, but the ultimate conclusion was that none of them had enough class. The Willie Mullins-trained horse won the Triumph hurdle last year – and while that was on the new course, it is form that should be easily transferable today. This season Majborough has not put a foot wrong, with a perfect 2/2 record both in fine fashion. What sets this horse apart, however, is the intelligence to correct himself when in a spot of bother. Couple that with his speed and you have a formidable chaser. L'eau du Sud poses the biggest challenge and also boasts a perfect record this season, but he hasn't beaten a great deal in the process and lacked a bit of class when pushed out to win by just one length last time out at Warwick. We will include this horse in our acca for today, but also keep your eyes peeled for any bookmakers boosting Majborough's odds to evens or better on the day. 2.40, Cheltenham – Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3, 3m 1f) The Ultima is a race that is usually very consistent year-on-year, so trends can be quite strong indicators of who is going to run well. This year there was a distinct drop in the number of entries, suggesting that maybe not all trends will be upheld in this renewal. SEARCH FOR GLORY is this year's first selection who won on chase debut back in October and the form of that race reads very well ahead of subsequent winner Sa Majeste. He then followed up and proved he can stay three miles with a short-head second to stablemate Stellar Story, who holds claims in bigger races than this at the Festival. The Gordon Elliot-trained runner is unexposed and could have something in hand for today's handicap. Historically in this race, however, you would want to be backing an experienced stayer who is trained in the UK and that is certainly the case for VICCTORINO, who has 18 chase runs to his name and is trained by Venetia Williams. Something has certainly clicked this season with a place and two wins with all three runs on ground with good in the description, suggesting that he will relish today's challenge. 3.20, Cheltenham – Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m 4f) LOSSIEMOUTH is the standout horse in the Mares Hurdle – and given her official rating of 160 she should really be lining up in the Champion Hurdle with a solid each-way chance. She took a bad fall last time out at the Dublin Racing Festival when looking like she had State Man dealt with – who went on to win. However, after that setback it seems that connections have opted to get her confidence back with this easier challenge. The pick is in a league of her own compared with the mares she runs against today and is very unlikely to get beaten, but that is reflected in her odds-on price. She is also added to our accumulator for the day. Selection: Lossiemouth @ 4/6 with Betfair 4.00, Cheltenham – Unibet Champion Hurdle Trophy (Grade 1, 2m ½f) There is no denying that CONSTITUTION HILL is a good horse, but today he gets to prove that he is a grade above that, a truly remarkable and special competitor. He looks to put his name beside greats such as Istabraq and Night Nurse as the best hurdlers ever. He has had a mixed season that started with a setback as he missed the Fighting Fifth, followed by an impressive win ahead of superstar mare Lossiemouth in the Christmas Hurdle, and rounded off by a slightly less convincing win in the Unibet Hurdle. The Gordon Elliot mare Brighterdaysahead poses the biggest threat. She has shown glimpses of herself of being generational talent with three wins, twice claiming the scalp of last year's Champion Hurdle winner State Man. Ultimately though she has a lot more to prove today and the likelihood is that Constitution Hill will put her in her place. 4.40, Cheltenham – Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3, 2m ½f) Unlike the Ultima, this race has gone to Irish-trained horses for the past seven years. So while he has been balloted out of the race, thus needing two horses to drop out before he qualifies, EPHESUS certainly fits the bill having been schooled by master trainer Aidan O'Brien before his current handler Denis Hogan. He has a classy pedigree, being by Galileo out of a debut-winning Shadwell mare, and his mark could certainly be lenient given he has run his race every outing without getting his head in front. LIAM SWAGGER could hold the best claims of the horses trained on the eastern side of the Irish Sea. He is an 84-rated middle-distance horse on the Flat and proved he is in good health when taking a 12-furlong race at Southwell last month. His autumn runs on good ground, including a Listed win, suggest that today's conditions will suit and he can add to an amazing season for dual-purpose trainer James Owen. 5.20, Cheltenham – National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase (Class 2, 3m 6f) Second-season novices typically have a good record in this race where experience is certainly beneficial at the extended staying trip. STUZZIKINI, who made his chase debut last May, stands out as a second-season novice chaser who is a proven stayer and will relish the drying ground. He has won twice this term, first over 3m 2f in a novice chase in October and then the following month over 3m in open company when winning the valuable Grade 2 Troytown. His most recent run in the Thyestes will have blown away the cobwebs, leaving him ready to hit his peak today. Transmission, last off the list, certainly looks like the trip will suit after some impressive staying-on finishes. But Patrick Mullins, called up after James Bowen's ban for overuse of the whip, again has to be factored in as a negative because of his poor record against professional jockeys. What is the Cheltenham day 1 bet365 Super Boost? bet365 Super Boosts are being announced at 10am every day during the Cheltenham Festival. bet365 will be considerably boosting the price of one selection each day – this will typically be a popular odds-on shot boosted to evens, but you may even see prices such as 6/4 or 2/1. Last year three out of the four bet365 Super Boosts were successful. Cheltenham tips: Frequently asked questions What is an accumulator bet? An accumulator or acca is a bet that consists of multiple bets (or legs) that multiply together for bigger odds if they all win. What is a Lucky 15? A Lucky 15 is a bet with four legs that consists of 15 separate bets: four singles, six doubles, four trebles and a fourfold accumulator. What is an each-way bet? An each-way bet is when you not only bet on your horse to win, but you also bet on them to finish in the top designated places in a race (this will vary from race to race and bookmaker to bookmaker). The bet to finish in the places will be a fraction of the win odds (usually 1/5, but sometimes 1/4). What does NAP mean? Nap is short for Napoleon and denotes a tipster's best bet of the day. What does SP mean? SP stands for starting price – a horse's odds when a race begins. BOG stands for best odds guaranteed, an industry standard offer. Regarding bets placed after a certain time of day, if a horse's starting price is bigger than the odds you bet on, you will get the larger odds. Click here for the best Cheltenham BOG operators
The Independent
06-02-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
2025 Cheltenham Festival Lucky 15 & 4487/1 four-fold ante-post acca
Cheltenham Festival Lucky 15 Tips Romeo Coolio – The Supreme Novices Hurdle (Tuesday, 1.20pm) – 6/1 William Hill (NRNB) Bo Zenith – The Coral Cup Hurdle (Wednesday, 2.40pm) – 28/1 Betfred Sixandahalf – The Ryanair Mares' Novices Hurdle (Thursday, 1.20pm) – 7/2 BetVictor McLaurey - The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (Friday, 5.20pm) – 10/1 bet365 (NRNB) Lucky 15 pays 4487/1 e/w with bet365 January is behind us; the nights are getting lighter and a scintillating weekend at the Dublin Racing Festival has served to fully wet the appetite for next month's eagerly awaited Cheltenham Festival. The natural ampitheatre at Prestbury Park plays host to four breath-taking days and 28 keenly-contested races as legends are made during a pulsating week at the home of National Hunt racing. Backing a winner or two at the Festival never goes amiss and picking out four ante-post selections from betting sites and placing a bet like a Lucky 15 is a good way to spread the interest across all four days. Our each-way four-fold works out at 4487/1 at bet365. How a Lucky 15 works Romeo Coolio – The Supreme Novices Hurdle (Tuesday, 1.20pm) Trying to oppose the monstrous Kopek Des Bordes after his Dubin Racing Festival rout may appear foolhardy and I concede he looks the most likely winner of this race judged on that brutal display at Leopardstown. However, if there is one chink in his armour, it is a tendency to race a little enthusiastically and 70,000 enthusiastic Cheltenham patrons are going to make plenty of noise once the starter lets them go for the festival opener. If Kopek Des Bordes does boil over a little, the talented Romeo Coolio could be the one to profit and he already has a Grade 1 success on his CV courtesy of a Christmas success at Leopardstown. At 6/1 with William Hill (non runner no bet – nrnb) he looks a solid option to start to our each-way Lucky 15 given he is a progressive sort who already boasts Festival experience having finished second in last year's bumper. Bo Zenith – The Coral Cup Hurdle (Wednesday, 2.40pm) Given the Coral Cup is such a tough race to win it is a testament to trainer Nicky Henderson that he has managed to land four of the last 15 runnings, while also providing a host of place horses, not least with Lucky Place 12 months ago when most of his horses were all but ruled out of the festival with illness. In the lightly-raced Bo Zenith, the Lambourn handler looks to have an ideal candidate for this race, one with few miles on the clock who has already proved himself capable at the highest level. Formerly trained by Gary Moore, Bo Zenith was touched off at Aintree last year in a Grade 1 Hurdle by Zenta (a winner recently) and has shaped with considerable promise in two starts for Henderson this season at Cheltenham and Aintree. The selection left onlookers with the impression a stiffer test of stamina would suit on both occasions and is worth a second glance on betting apps given he looks like he is being brought to the boil nicely by his master trainer. Sixandahalf – The Ryanair Mares' Novices Hurdle (Thursday, 1.20pm) Gavin Cromwell's mare, Sixandahalf, made light work of 13 rivals on her hurdling bow at Fairyhouse in January, routing her field by upwards of 12 lengths. Horse racing betting sites understandably acted swiftly, cutting Sixandahalf dramatically for this event and, given the data showcased her proficient jumping technique, I think she is more of a complete hurdler at this stage of the season than likely market rival Maugheen. The selection is clearly a very talented horse from her body of work on the level and, as a daughter of 2015 Hardwicke Stakes winner Snow Sky, I would think she would be even better on spring ground. McLaurey - The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (Friday, 5.20pm) The decision by Mark Walsh to ride at 10st 2lb aboard McLaurey on the second day of the Dublin Racing Festival was rewarded in spades when his mount completed a snug success in the Listed handicap hurdle. His connections are deadly with this type and his pedigree suggests, as does his shrewd handler, that a step up in trip could produce even more improvement. At 10/1 NRNB with bet365, he makes plenty of appeal to end the week in style! Please gamble responsibly Bettors should always follow responsible gambling practices. Even the most knowledgeable punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses. When using gambling sites be aware that sports betting can be addictive so please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget. The same applies whether you're using new betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium. It's particularly important not to get carried away by any free bets or casino offers you might receive, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution. You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs. You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:
