CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2025

AUTHOR: Star Sports Content

CHELTENHAM COUNTDOWN 2025

Our countdown to the 2025 Cheltenham Festival starts right here …

With this year’s Festival just around the corner, we’ll give you a daily snapshot guide of all the latest Festival news and movers to quickly keep you up to date.

Also, check out the very latest ante-post prices here, by clicking below:

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CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2025

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⭕ 2 DAYS TO GO Saturday 9th March

The first final fields of the Festival have arrived, with declarations made for day 1. The big story of the day is that Lossiemouth has opted for the Mares’ Hurdle over the Champion, as she will attempt to retain her title. In a similar swap, Golden Ace – on the instructions of her owner – will now run in the Champion Hurdle rather than the Mares’ Hurdle, meaning the big race has seven in contention.

Here’s the field for the Champion, with their jockeys:

🐴 Burdett Road – Sam Twiston-Davies
🐴 Constitution Hill – Nico de Boinville
🐴 King Of Kingsfield – Danny Gilligan
🐴 State Man – Paul Townend
🐴 Winter Fog – Brian Hayes
🐴 Brighterdaysahead – Jack Kennedy
🐴 Golden Ace – Lorcan Williams

🐴 Last year’s Grand Annual runner-up Libberty Hunter is heading to the Champion Chase: Evan Williams told the Racing Post: “He’s in grand form and everything is good with him. It’s a bit drying weather through the week, so we’re going to take a punt at the Champion Chase.”

🐴 Kopek des Bordes, favourite for the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, will wear a first time hood in the Cheltenham opener. Willie Mullins – who runs six in the opener, including Funiculi Funicula, Irancy, Karbau, Karniquet and Salvator Mundi – presumably has opted for the hood to keep a lid on the favourite, who was keen going in the build up to and during his Grade 1 win in the Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival.

⭕ 3 DAYS TO GO Saturday 8th March

📉 Cheltenham Festival crowds will fall again this year according to the course’s new chief executive Guy Lavender, who declared that while Cheltenham remains a crucial income generator for the Jockey Club, ensuring the enjoyment of those attending the meeting was a priority for this year and into the future.

Last year the attendance was 229,999 across the four days, down nearly 11,000 spectators from the 240,603 who attended the festival in 2023. Numbers at the 2023 festival were capped, after feedback to “enhance the experience of racegoers”.

In his open letter, Lavender said: “I’m sure that those attending this week will really feel the benefit of the investment and changes that the Cheltenham team have made with our customers in mind. These are significant and I know will make a very positive difference, and we have already seen improvement in the race programme from an entries perspective. But I want to reassure everyone that this is only the beginning.

We will be listening to all the feedback we receive from this year’s festival and already have plenty of time set aside in the summer to begin the process of reviewing, resetting and rebuilding for the years ahead.”

🚰 Clerk of the Course Kevin Pullein has given an update on conditions, as watering takes place, telling the Racing Post: “We’ve been continuing to water and I’ll reassess in the morning, but it’s good to soft on the Old and New courses and good to soft, soft in places on the Cross Country.

“We’ve touched 16C today and it’s going to be a similar day tomorrow. It’s slightly cooler on Monday and as the week progresses daytime temperatures will drop fairly significantly from where we have been the last few days down to 6-8C.

“There is risk of a shower on Monday, but nothing too measurable and maybe just 1mm. We’ll reassess tomorrow, but the team have done a great job today and put us in a great position.”

🏇 With jockey James Bowen out with a whip suspension, it will be Harry Cobden who rides the leading JCB Triumph Hurdle contender Palladium, as confirmed by Nicky Henderson on ITV Racing.

⭕ 4 DAYS TO GO Friday 7th March

🇮🇪 🇫🇷 A big clash between Willie Mullins’ Fact To File and French raider Il Est Francais is still a possibility for day three of the Cheltenham Festival after both featured among the 12 confirmations for the Ryanair Chase. The full field is below:

🐴 Djelo
🐴 Energumene
🐴 Envoi Allen
🐴 Fact To File
🐴 Gaelic Warrior
🐴 Hang In There
🐴 Heart Wood
🐴 Hitman
🐴 Il Est Francais
🐴 Jungle Boogie
🐴 Master Chewy
🐴 Protektorat

⭕ 5 DAYS TO GO Thursday 6th March

🏆 Jonbon will face a maximum of 10 rivals in the Queen Mother Champion Chase next Wednesday.

The nine-year-old, who missed last year’s Festival, is aiming to break his Cheltenham Festival duck after two defeats, and will go off a strong favourite after an impressive season. Here’s the confirmations list below:

🐴 Captain Guinness (IRE)
🐴 Energumene (FR)
🐴 Found A Fifty (IRE)
🐴 Il Est Francais (FR)
🐴 Jonbon (FR)
🐴 JPR One (IRE)
🐴 Libberty Hunter
🐴 Marine Nationale (IRE)
🐴 Master Chewy (IRE)
🐴 Quilixios
🐴 Solness (FR)

❌ James Bowen will miss the Cheltenham Festival after failing to win an appeal against a seven-day ban for whip use on Zestful Hope at Hereford. Bowen, who would have ridden a number of leading contenders for Nicky Henderson including Triumph hopeful Palladium, but this suspension – combined with existing ones on Sunday and Monday – rules him out of the meeting.

🏆 There could be another Gold Cup contender in the shape of Inothewayurthinkin, with connections of the Gavin Cromwell-trained seven-year-old suggesting that he may take his chance if there’s enough ease in the ground. A staying on fourth in the Irish Gold Cup last time, he could be a popular each/way contender for many.

⭕ 6 DAYS TO GO Wednesday 5th March

Recent good weather could help the chances of Banbridge heading to the Gold Cup, as trainer Joseph O’Brien keeps a close eye on conditions ahead of the Festival.

Banbridge showed a tremendous turn of foot and resolution to catch front running French raider Est Francais in the Boxing Day feature after a top class ride from Paul Townend, and with dry weather forecast for the rest of the week – and much of the Festival – the chances of the current second-favourite heading for the Gold Cup are growing by the day.

Joesph O’Brien told At The Races: “I suppose the way the weather is looking at the moment it would suggest the Gold Cup is more likely at this stage.”

“I do think there are a few showers potentially through the second half of the week so there’s no real update on the decision, but it is looking more positive that we could have a tilt at the Gold Cup.

“He’s preparing well for Cheltenham and his training has been very nice. The Gold Cup is a very special race and if we were to have a runner in it then it would be a special experience.”

🏆 Confirmations for the first day are in, with eight horses currently on course for the Champion Hurdle. The confirmed field, including the big four of Constitution Hill, Brighterdaysahead, Lossiemouth and State Man, is below:

🐴 Burdett Road
🐴 Constitution Hill
🐴 King Of Kingsfield
🐴 State Man
🐴 Winter Fog
🐴 Brighterdaysahead
🐴 Golden Ace
🐴 Lossiemouth

⭕️ Top amateur Patrick Mullins is set to take a big mount for Neil Mullholand aboard Transmission in the Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase on Tuesday.

The marathon event is open to professional riders for the first time this season, but Mullholand has trusted Mullins, who partnered Transmission to victory at Prestbury Park in November, with the mount on the 5/1 third favourite.

⭕ 7 DAYS TO GO Tuesday 4th March

⭕ Leading novice hurdler Final Demand is “70-30” more likely to run in the Turners at Cheltenham than the Albert Bartlett, according to owner Bryan Drew,

The two-and-a-half mile race on the festival Wednesday has long been considered his Festival target but with the prospect of good ground, he has been left in the Albert Bartlett.

Drew told Nick Luck on his daily podcast : “He’s in the Turners and the Bartlett, we’ll probably leave him in both until the last minute to keep all doors open given the drying ground but the plan would be to run in the Turners.

🇫🇷 Gabriel Leenders has said Gold Tweet will not be running at the Cheltenham Festival next week. A surprise winner of the Cleeve Hurdle on Festival Trials day in 2023 before finishing eighth in that year’s Stayers Hurdle, and he went well for a long way in November’s Betfair Chase at Haydock, showing up well for a long way in the Grade One event won by Royale Pagaille.

Gabriel Leenders said: “Gold Tweet will not run at the Cheltenham, we will stay in France for the programme in France. I have changed my plans since I made the entries.”

⭕ 8 DAYS TO GO Monday 3rd March

🎉 Racing fans woke up to tremendous news as Gordon Elliott confirmed that Brighterdaysahead will contest the Champion Hurdle at next week’s Cheltenham Festival, setting up a tremendous clash with Constitution Hill.

Brighterdaysahead threw herself into the Champion Hurdle picture with a g back-to-back Grade One victories in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in November and Leopardstown’s Neville Hotels Hurdle at Christmas, beating State Man by ¾ of a length in November before absolutely dismantling her field at Christmas. Brighterdaysahead is 15/8 second favourite with Star Sports behind 4/6 market leader Constitution Hill.

🐎 Gary Moore’s €520,000 recruit Mondo Man could still take a shot at the Triumph Hurdle despite suffering an odds-on defeat in the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton, when unsuited by the lack of pace in the opening stages, finding himself unable to reel

Obviously, it was disappointing and without going on about it, they did go very slow. When they go 26 and 28 miles per hour, you are going to be free when you are used to going much quicker on the Flat.

“I was pleased with his jumping and he’s come out of the race fine, so I’m not ruling him out of the Triumph. I’m not going to say he will win the Triumph, but he finished close enough to the favourite on his first run.

“It was a backwards step the other day but I’m hopeful he will improve on that run and will have learned something from being held up. It’s an extra bit of experience gained and he can take a shot at the Triumph.

☑️ Jack Kennedy made a safe return to race riding after picking up two places at Leopardstown.

Kennedy finished third on his comeback ride aboard Gordon Elliott’s Arabian Diamond and then jumped on his stablemate Qualimita, who was second as 8-11 favourite in the 1888 Restaurant Mares Maiden Hurdle.

The six-year-old was left in front after the pacesetting Glens Lullaby crashed out in the back straight, but tired on the run to the final flight and finished 8 and a half lengths behind Barnahash Primrose.

Kennedy told reporters: “The leg feels good and the fitness is good. I’m a bit disappointed not to get a winner there, but it’s great to be back,” said Kennedy.

“Today was a good starting point. There’s a couple of entries in Thurles (on Thursday) and I’m sure I’ll be in Gowran and Naas over the weekend. We’ll tip away and see how we get on.”

⭕ 9 DAYS TO GO Sunday 2nd March

Connections of dual Champion Chase winner Energumene are hoping for rain at Prestbury Park, although they are happy with preparations for the Tony Bloom owned contender.

Racing manager Sean Graham told At The Races: “We really want a few showers and the ground on the soft side to have a real chance, but there is no doubt he’s in good form and Willie has been happy with him and he will go over there to take his chance.

“I don’t think this horse has always got the credit he deserves and they always mention how Shishkin was pulled up when he won his first and the race fell apart again a year later, but you can only beat what is put in front of you.”

⭕ 10 DAYS TO GO Saturday 1st March

❎ We will not see previous Arkle winner El Fabiolo at the Festival, after Senecia stunned the odds-on with a 50-1 victory in the BoyleSports Webster Cup Chase at Navan.

All eyes were on El Fabiolo – who had fallen on his belated reappearance in the Dublin Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival – in the Grade Two affair, but he was outbattled by the very game winner, who gave Vincent and Laurence Halley much joy with their surprise success. El Fabiolo’s trainer Willie Mullins still has previous winner Energumene set to head for the Champion Chase whilst last year’s Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior could still run.

⭕ 11 DAYS TO GO Friday 28th February

🐎 Top jockey Jack Kennedy will return from injury at Leopardstown on Monday. Gordon Elliott’s leading jockey has been out of race-riding action since the final day of November after suffering a sixth leg break in a crashing fall at Fairyhouse, after which he had surgery on his left tibia.

Kennedy told the Racing Post: “I’m over the moon and can’t wait to get back at it on Monday.”

“It’s nice to be back the week before Cheltenham and to have a few rides just to knock the rust off. I feel great, though, and I think I’m very close to being back to 100 per cent. I’ve been riding out for the last few days and everything feels great. I feel like I’m back to myself.”

🐎 Gavin Cromwell has nominated Sixandahalf and Stumptown as his best chances of getting on the scoresheet at the Cheltenham Festival.

Sixandahalf is one of the leading contenders for the Mares Novices’ Hurdle, having won impressively on her only hurdling start, whilst Stumptown couldn’t have been more impressive when landing a Cross-Country contest earlier in the season.

Cromwell told At The Races: “She’s only had one start over hurdles but she jumped really well and she seems in good shape. Without stating the obvious, she’s probably one of our best chances at the Festival.”

“We weren’t surprised to see Stumptown raised 8lb given how well he won at Cheltenham the last day. He’s clearly a very good horse but he’s got a lot of weight to carry – hopefully he’s good enough. If he’s at his best, then I’d say he’s one of our best chances of a winner.”

⭕ 12 DAYS TO GO Thursday 27th February

🐎 Michael O’Sullivan will be honoured at the Cheltenham Festival with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle to be run in his memory.

The young jockey enjoyed his finest hour in the saddle when winning the race aboard Barry Connell’s Marine Nationale in 2023, the first success of a red-letter day as he would go on to land the Fred Winter on Gordon Elliott’s Jazzy Matty during the same afternoon.

O’Sullivan tragically passed away due to injuries suffered in a fall at Thurles earlier this month, a loss that has shocked the sport of racing.


🐎 James Bowen has lodged an appeal against the suspension which currently rules him out of the Cheltenham Festival.

Bowen, who would have taken many strong mounts for Nicky Henderson, was adjudged to have used his whip twice above the permitted level of seven strikes when winning at Hereford aboard Zestful Hope on Sunday.

🐎 If impressive Ladbrokes Trophy winner Katate Dori heads to the Festival, he is likely to run in the Ultima Handicap Chase, according to his trainer Sam Thomas.

Currently 37th on the list, he would need 12 defectors to get into the final field of 24 but would have a leading chance if making the cut.

⭕ 13 DAYS TO GO Wednesday 26th February

🐎 Stable stalwart Edwardstone is unlikely to be part of Alan King’s Cheltenham Festival squad this season after suffering a setback.

The 11-year-old, an impressive winner of the Arkle Chase in 2022, has run at the showpiece meeting at Prestbury Park in each of the past five years but unfortunately is set to miss this year’s big gathering.


🐎 Trainer Jimmy Mangan is unsure whether his stable star Spillane’s Tower will head to the Cheltenham Festival in a fortnight’s time for a tilt at the Ryanair Chase. A close second in the John Durkan Chase on his seasonal debut, he didn’t match that form when fifth in the King George at Christmas.

⭕ 14 DAYS TO GO Tuesday 25th February

🐎 Fans of Constitution Hill will be delighted with the Champion Hurdle favourite’s gallop at Kempton, where he came clear easily of stablemates Aston Martini and That’s Nice, both rated 126. Nico De Boinville, Nicky Henderson and owner Michael Buckley were all very happy, with Henderson calling the display ‘frightening to watch’.

🐎 Challow Hurdle runner up Wendigo is heading for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, for which he is a 12/1 shot with Star Sports. An easy winner at Wetherby last time out, he is one of the leading British based contenders for the contest.

Trainer Jamie Snowden told the media: “He was second in the Challow and has won a couple of novices so far. He stayed very well in the Challow, when he got himself slightly outpaced entering the home straight and did all of his best work in the final couple of furlongs. The step up to three miles is sure to suit and I think he’s the shortest priced of the English horses going into it.”

📑 The festival weights have been released – with runners in the 11 handicap contests now assigned their handicap ratings and weights. Festival plunge horse Kopeck De Mee has been assigned a rating of 136, giving him a weight of 10st 6lb in the Coral Cup (5/1 favourite with Star Sports), 10st 10lb in the County (also 5/1 favourite) and 11st 3lb in the Martin Pipe (4/1 favourite) as it stands.

⭕ 15 DAYS TO GO Monday 24th February

🌹 Paul Nicholls nominated Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle contenders Just A Rose and Jubilee Alpha as his best chances of a winner at Cheltenham. He told the assorted media, t a Jockey Club-organised press morning at his yard:

“They work together but you wouldn’t pick either out and Cobby (Harry Cobden) is riding her because he’s won on her, while Freddie won on the other. Experience counts for a lot I suppose but the other is very unexposed, I think they’ve both got good chances, probably my best of the week.”

🇫🇷 Noel George is leaning towards the Ryanair Chase for his big festival hope Il Est Francais over the Champion Chase. A close second to Banbridge in a thrilling King George Chase over 3 miles at Kempton, he has the option of the Queen Mother Champion Chase on the Wednesday, and the Ryanair 24 hours later.

Noel George told Nick Luck on his Daily Podcast: “The Ryanair at the moment would be our preference, but we’ll wait to the last minute to see what the ground (weather) does, and the opposition. But that’s the way we’re leaning.

“I think even on good ground, I think he’d be capable of running in a Champion Chase. He’s a very fast horse and a slick jumper, but the main thing is our prep has gone well and it’s an exciting problem to have.

🐎 Joe Tizzard is looking forward to a bold show from The Changing Man, who has entries in the Ultima Handicap Chase, National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase and Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

A wide margin winner of the Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot on his last start following a series of near misses, he is 8/1 for the Ultima, 12/1 for the National Hunt Chase and 33/1 for the Brown Advisory with Star Sports.

⭕ 16 DAYS TO GO Sunday 23rd February

❌ Leading Turners Novices’ Hurdle fancy Kawaboomga will miss the remainder of the season. Wille Mullins’ charge, second to Kopek Des Bordes before beating fellow Cheltenham Festival contender William Munny at Fairyhouse, was as short as 9/2 for the Turners’ with Star Sports and his absence represents a significant blow for many ante-post backers along with Willie Mullins and JP McManus.

🪜 Gordon Elliott may have another string to his bow as Jacob’s Ladder with victory in the Michael
Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Naas, making the most of a last flight error from Joystick to run out a three and a quarter length winner. Jacob’s Ladder is entered in both Turners and the Albert Bartlett, for which he is 50/1 and 25/1 respectively with Star Sports.

🎟️ Will The Wise booked his ticket to the Pertemps Final with a gusty victory in the Naas qualifier under the talented Conor Stone-Walsh, denying Maxi Mac Gold, Lucky Lyreen and Patter Merchant.

🏥 Golden Ace suffered a muscle injury when winning the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton, although her trainer Jeremy Scott remains hopeful that she will be able to make the Festival, where she could run in either the Champion or Mares’ Hurdle.

Scott told geegeez.co.uk: “We found she had pulled a small muscle, which is probably why she was doing it, and we’re treating it.

“She’s well and sound, so hopefully we can get it all right ahead of Cheltenham. I’m very hopeful that she’ll be fine, it’s just a niggly issue, nothing major.”

⭕ 17 DAYS TO GO Saturday 22nd February

🛫 Tripoli Flyer will head to the Supreme Novices Hurdle after an impressive victory in the Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton. Fergal O’Brien’s charge had won novice hurdles at Market Rasen and Musselburgh in fine style and stepped upto graded level with ease, pulling seven and a half lengths clear of Formby Novices’ Hurdle runner up Miami Magic.

Trainer Fergal O’Brien:

“I think he’s genuinely better going right-handed and he does jump a bit right but if it’s nice ground – and I wouldn’t want him running on soft ground – I do think he’s earned his chance to go to the Supreme.

“He’s won plenty now and definitely deserves a go.”

🎺 Mambonumberfive had all the moves in the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, taking advantage of a below par showing from hot favourite Mondo Man, who could only finish third. All eyes were on the Gary and Josh Moore-trained Mondo Man, purchased for €520,000 last autumn after a Flat campaign highlighted by fifth place in the French Derby. He had finished second to Triumph Hurdle favourite Lulamba at Ascot despite pulling very hard, and that proved to be his downfall once again today as Ben Pauling’s winner, who was bouncing back from a dire effort on his British debut, when he finished pulled up behind East India Dock. St Pancras, giving the winner 5lbs, was a creditable second.

🐎 Constitution Hill will have a public gallop at Kempton on Tuesday, in a move that is a u-turn from his trainer Nicky Henderson. He will join Triumph Hurdle contenders Lulamba and Palladium, both of whom missed the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle.

Henderson told the Racing Post: “Nico is quite keen (Constitution Hill) for him to come. He did a piece of work on him yesterday and he was very pleased with him.

“He just feels he can have a nice time around here. There will be no blistering, head-shaking gallop, and it will be instead of doing a couple of strong bits at home.”

⭕ 18 DAYS TO GO Friday 21st February

⭕️ Willie Mullins has yet another contender for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase after High Class Hero broke his duck at Punchestown on Thursday. The 28/1 chance pushed Dancing City close at the Punchestown Festival last spring and looks set to join him and hot favourite Ballyburn in the 3-mile novice event.

⭐ CHELTENHAM MARKETS ⭐

⭕️ Dan Skelton underlined his Festival plans, with 3/1 second favourite The New Lion on course for the Turners Novices Hurdle, L’Eau Du Sud headed to the Arkle (4/1 with starsports.bet), and Protektorat (6/1) bidding to retain his Ryanair Chase title. Langer Dan, last year’s Coral Cup winner, will head to the Stayers’ Hurdle after a disappointing season so far – he’s a 16/1 shot for the Thursday feature.

⭐ CHELTENHAM MARKETS ⭐

⭕️ The leading British contender for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, L’Homme Presse, remains on course to try and better his fourth placed finish last year despite being pulled up in the Ascot Chase. Part owner Andy Edwards remains confident in his charge:

“L’Homme Presse just made a mistake that dented his confidence and Charlie did the right thing by pulling him up, there was no point carrying on. If he hadn’t made that mistake – and he jumped the first few really well – he may well have have finished second and we could then just say well done to Pic d’Orhy.

“But all he’s done is run a mile, jump half a dozen fences and come home. That is the equivalent of a Wednesday at Venetia’s, there is no harm done and he’s not had a race obviously.”

⭐ CHELTENHAM MARKETS ⭐

⭕ 19 DAYS TO GO Thursday 20th February

⭕️ Jade de Grugy threw herself into the BetVictor Quevega Mares Hurdle picture with a smooth success at Punchestown this afternoon. She’s now 3/1 from 11/4 with Star Sports.

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⭕️ Gameofinches gave the Willie Mullins team another potential champion bumper contender when he sauntered to victory on the same card!

⭐ CHELTENHAM MARKETS ⭐

⭕️ William Munny booked his ticket for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle after a smooth success at Punchestown. He’s now 16/1 from 25/1 with Star Sports for the curtain opener.

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