HARRY SKELTON: Cheltenham Festival 2025 – Day One

We’re incredibly excited to be back at Cheltenham for what is the best week of Jumps racing each season, and we’ve got two live chances on Day One in L’Eau Du Sud and Take No Chances, writes HARRY SKELTON.

Outside of our two, I’ve got my eye on a few throughout the day which I think might just put their heads in front.

Regardless of the outcome this week, the Festival is a fantastic meeting for the sport and it’s always great to see hundreds of thousands of eyes on all of the brilliant horses vying to etch their names in the history books. Fingers crossed we have similar success to that of last year!

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Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 1.20pm

It’s amazing that Willie Mullins has six entries in this year’s Supreme. I think Kopek Des Bordes looks really special, particularly after what he did last time out at Leopardstown. He is being fitted with a hood for the first time, though, which is interesting. I think they’re just looking to keep a lid on him but I think he’s still going to be a class above the rest. Romeo Coolio hasn’t done anything wrong this season, he’s a real, hardy horse and could give him a proper battle but I’m not sure it’ll be enough when they pass the winning post.

Arkle 2.00pm

We’re looking forward to running L’EAU DU SUD in the Arkle. Everything has gone according to plan since his run at Warwick and the good weather should have dried the ground a bit which will suit him nicely. There are only five runners, but it looks to be a really tight field – Majborough is definitely the horse to beat. We’ve been really happy with our chance, though, he’s got plenty of experience under his belt and the ground looks good for him. We’re hoping to just go out there and do it.

Ultima 2.40pm

This looks like a really competitive edition, but if I were to be on any I’d like to be on board Crebilly. He ran well at the meeting last year and is a few pounds better off this time around and looks like he’s going the right way. The Changing Man has been progressive this season and should run well, likewise with Broadway Boy who’s likely to put in a solid performance, he’s a good handicapper and will make them all go. For me, Crebilly is rather unexposed and could just be the one.

Mares’ Hurdle 3.20pm

The Mares’ race looks hot. We’ve got TAKE NO CHANCES running for us, who’s progressed really nicely this year. If you’d told us at the start of the season that we’d be running here with a live chance, we’d have bitten your hand clean off! She’s in really good form and the trip looks fine, she’s pretty versatile. She showed us a tough performance at Ascot last time out but she’s got stiff competition here in the form of Lossiemouth, who’s the classiest mare in the field. She did have a nasty fall last time out at Leopardstown which she’ll need to overcome and that can be really tough. There are plenty of other chances in the field, too, but we’re happy with ours and if we were to finish in the top four and pick up some money, we’d be delighted.

Champion Hurdle 4.00pm

I think Brighterdaysahead has been brilliant this year, but I don’t think she’ll have enough to beat Constitution Hill, as he looks back to his best. I think they had a great run through with him and he looked in good form, so I think he’ll make them all go. I think the value play is reigning champ State Man after a below average season. I don’t think we’ve seen him at his best but with cheekpieces on, I think he’ll be a bit sharper, but it’s Constitution Hill for me.

Fred Winter 4.40pm

I’d side with Puturhandstogether for Joseph O’Brien who holds a strong hand in this race. Mark Walsh rides this one and I think that’s enough for me!

National Hunt Challenge Cup 5.20pm

Now Is The Hour stands out for me in the last, I love his profile. He’s only had four runs over fences and is relatively unexposed, and Gavin Cromwell is certainly a trainer that can ready one for the big day. Keith Donoghue rides the track very well and I think he’ll be the winner of the last.

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