As we hot-foot into 2025, horse racing fans will have one eye on March and the biggest jumps meeting of the season. So, with just months away now till the big four day fixture – we look at which horses are currently sitting as Cheltenham Festival favourites for ALL 28 races.
Of, course a lot can change between now at the 11th March, which is day one of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, with horses re-routed to other races and injuries.
Plus, horses that either perform well (or flop) at the big horse racing meetings still to come. Including Cheltenham Trials Day on January 25th and also the two-day Dublin Racing Festival on February 1st and 2nd.
But as the excitement builds we showcase the current ante-post Cheltenham Festival fancies with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK by day for ALL the 28 races spread over the four-day fixture – billed as the ‘Greatest Show On Turf’.
Did you know? There were NINE winning favourites (or joint) at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival – meaning a 32% strike-rate.
When Is The Cheltenham Festival 2025?
The four day Cheltenham Festival 2025, will run from Tuesday 11th March to Friday 14th March.
- Tuesday 11th March 2025: Day 1 – Champion Day
- Wednesday 12th March 2025: Day 2 – Style Wednesday
- Thursday 13th March 2025: Day 3 – St Patrick’s Thursday
- Friday 14th March 2025: Day 4 – Gold Cup Day
Ante-Post Cheltenham Festival Favourites – Day One (Tuesday 11th March 2025)
| Cheltenham Festival Race and Time |
Favourite |
Comment |
| 1:20 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle | Romeo Coolio | Trained by Gordon Elliott: 2nd in 2024 Champion Bumper, impressive winner of the G1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas |
| 2:00 Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase | Sir Gino | Trained by Nicky Henderson: 5-from-5 over hurdles and caught the eye with facile chase debut win at Kempton – beating top Irish novice Ballyburn. Henderson has won the Arkle seven times. |
| 2:40 Ultima Handicap Chase Premier Handicap | Masaccio | Trained by Alan King: A fine second to the useful The Jukebox Man at Newbury in November. But needs to bounce back from well beaten 3rd in Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton. |
| 3:20 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle | Brighterdaysahead | Trained by Gordon Elliott: 2nd in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2024. Returned this season by beating the 2024 Champion Hurdler State Man twice. |
| 4:00 Champion Hurdle | Constitution Hill | Trained by Nicky Henderson: 2023 Champion Hurdle winner that missed last year’s race. Back this season winning third Christmas Hurdle. Henderson has won the Champion Hurdle 9 times. |
| 4:40 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle | Puturhandstogether | Trained by Joseph O’Brien: JP McManus-owned 4 year-old that won well at Cork in December. Will be looking to give Joseph O’Brien a third Fred Winter win since 2019. |
| 5:20 National Hunt Chase | Shannon Royale | Trained by Gordon Elliott: 2nd to the useful Dancing City at Punchestown in December and won since at the same track. Looks the sort to improve again over further. |
Ante-Post Cheltenham Festival Favourites – Day Two (Wednesday 12th March 2025)
| Cheltenham Festival Race and Time |
Favourite |
Comment |
| 1:20 Turners Novices’ Hurdle | The New Lion | Trained by Dan Skelton: Yet to lose a race over hurdles and super impressive when winning the Challow Hurdle at Newbury by 4 3/4 lengths at the end of December. |
| 2:00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase | Ballyburn | Trained by Willie Mullins: Easy winner of the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle at the 2024 Festival. Won on chase debut at Punchestown, but put in his place by Sir Gino in Wayward Lad at Kempton |
| 2:40 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle | Hamsiyann | Trained by Tony Martin: Broke his duck over hurdles at the fifth try at the Cheltenham November Meeting – winning a handicap by 2 1/2 lengths. Martin won this prize in 2003 with Xenophon. |
| 3:20 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase | Stumptown | Trained by Gavin Cromwell: Won the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham December Meeting on his first try over this course. 2nd in the 2023 Kim Muir Chase. |
| 4:00 BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase | Jonbon | Trained by Nicky Henderson: 2nd in 2022 Supreme Hurdle and 2023 Arkle Chase. Missed the Festival in 2024, but Tingle Creek winner and now 11 from 13 over fences. |
| 4:40 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase | Libberty Hunter | Trained by Evan Williams: Runner-up in this race in 2024 – beaten only 2 1/4 lengths. Won this season at the Cheltenham December Meeting and is now 1-2-1 at Prestbury Park. |
| 5:20 Weatherbys Champion Bumper | Kalypso’chance | Trained by Gordon Elliott: 2-from-2 in NH Flat races in Ireland – impressing with a 4 1/2 length win at Navan in December. Elliott has won this race twice since 2017. |
Ante-Post Cheltenham Festival Favourites – Day Three (Thursday 13th March 2025)
| Cheltenham Festival Race and Time |
Favourite |
Comment |
| 1:20 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle | Maughreen | Trained by Willie Mullins: Last seen winning a NH Flat race in January 2024. Missed the Festival last season by remains an exciting prospect over hurdles. |
| 2:00 Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase | Jango Baie | Trained by Nicky Henderson: Won well at the Cheltenham December Meeting – beating Springwell Bay, who has since franked the form when winning at Prestbury Park on NYD. |
| 2:40 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle | Win Some Lose Some | Trained by Padraig Roche: Winner of 4 of his 9 career starts over hurdles – including a victory at Leopardstown at the end of December. Owned by JP McManus. |
| 3:20 Ryanair Chase | Banbridge | Trained by Joseph O’Brien: Gutsy winner of the King George Chase – loves quicker ground. 9th in this last year but Festival winner when landing the Martin Pipe Conditionals Hurdle in 2022. |
| 4:00 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle | Teahupoo | Trained by Gordon Elliott: Winner of this race in 2024 and looking to become join Flooring Porter & Big Buck’s as a recent multiple winner. |
| 4:40 TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase | Djelo | Trained by Venetia Williams: Landed this season’s Peterborough Chase easily – beating Protektorat by 6 lengths. Plus was also 3rd in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Festival in 2024. |
| 5:20 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase | Perceval Legallois | Trained by Gavin Cromwell: Won the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown in December for owner JP McManus, who also won this race in 2024 with Corbetts Cross. |
Ante-Post Cheltenham Festival Favourites – Day Four (Friday 14th March 2025)
| Cheltenham Festival Race and Time |
Favourite |
Comment |
| 1:20 JCB Triumph Hurdle | East India Dock | Trained by James Owen: Useful flat performer for James Fanshawe and done even better since going hurdling this season – winning the Triumph Hurdle Trial easily in November. |
| 2:00 County Hurdle Premier Handicap | Kitzbuhel | Trained by Willie Mullins: Won well at Punchestown in December – beating Colonel Mustard by 3 3/4 lengths. Mullins has won this race 7 times, including with State Man in 2022, who is also owned by the Donnellys. |
| 2:40 Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase | Dinoblue | Trained by Willie Mullins: Runner-up in this race 12 months ago – beaten only 3/4 of a length to Limerick Lace. Plus was also 2nd in the Grand Annual in 2023 & 9th in the Mares Novices’ Hurdle in 2022. |
| 3:20 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle | The Big Westerner | Trained by Henry De Bromhead: Caught the eye when winning a Grade 2 Novice Hurdle at Limerick on Boxing Day. De Bromhead won this race in 2019 with Minella Indo, who went onto win the Gold Cup. |
| 4:00 Cheltenham Gold Cup | Galopin Des Champs | Trained by Willie Mullins: Winner of the Gold Cup for the last two seasons and will be hoping to be the first horse since Best Mate (2002-2004) to win three on the bounce. |
| 4:40 St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase | Its On The Line | Trained by Emmet Mullins: Winner of this race last year and also took the Aintree Foxhunters’ Chase. Will be looking to be the first back-to-back winner since On The Fringe (2015/16). Who was also owned by JP McManus. |
| 5:20 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle | Lark In The Morning | Trained by Joseph O’Brien: Won the Fred Winter Hurdle at the Festival in 2024. O’Brien has a good record in this race too – winning the prize in 2019 and 2022. |
Note: The 2025 Cheltenham Festival market leaders listed are subject to change but correct as 2nd Jan 2025.
