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Horse Racing Cheltenham Day 1 Tips: Champion Day, Cheltenham Festival 2023, March 14th
Day One of the Cheltenham Festival 2025 gets underway on Tuesday 14th March with one of the greatest weeks of racing anywhere in the world. Held over four days, the Cheltenham Festival has an incredible amount of twists and turns, heroes and heroines with day one at last year’s festival particularly memorable.
Cheltenham Tips for Tuesday & Schedules
Cheltenham Day 1 Tips 2025, Tuesday 14th March, Day 1 Schedule
| Time | Race | Cheltenham Day 1 Tips 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1:30 | Supreme Novices’ Hurdle | Read Tip |
| 2:10 | Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase | Read Tip |
| 2:50 | Ultima Handicap Chase | Read Tip |
| 3:30 | Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy | Read Tip |
| 4:10 | The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle | Read Tip |
| 4:50 | Boodles Juvenile Handicap | Read Tip |
| 5:30 | National Hunt Challenge Cup Chase | Read Tip |
More Cheltenham 2023 Tips
Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Video Preview
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 2025
Race 1, Tuesday 14th March 1:30
The race to decide the Supreme Novice hurdler in Britain and Ireland is usually fiercely competitive, although field sizes have undoubtedly dipped in recent years as there are more options available to trainers across the four days of the festival.
The now traditional dominance of the top Irish stables looks sure to be resumed, with Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott holding a very strong hand, and the current 5/4f is the unbeaten Facile Vega. He has barely come off the bridle over hurdles so far, and has the potential to be another superstar much like last years winner Constitution Hill (now a 4/11f for the Champion Hurdle later on the card).
The English challenge centres around the Tolworth Hurdle winner Tahmuras, although that form looks pretty weak (bunched finish on deep ground up the Sandown hill), and he will need to jump a lot more fluently in this bigger field . Perhaps Charlie Longsden’s Rare Edition might be a live outsider, with his Kempton win on Boxing Day really impressive carrying a double penalty for two previous wins.
The Supreme Novice now has a wide open look to it after the flop of Willie Mullins 6-y-o Facile Vega at the Dublin racing festival. He did race freely again disputing a brisk gallop up front, but surely went amiss given how quickly he stopped when headed turning for home. Different tactics will be tried at Cheltenham, but he now has loads to improve after this really disappointing effort at 4/9f.
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Tip
Barry Connells novice has showed a terrific attitude for pressure in winning both starts over hurdles so far, and remains open to plenty of improvement as he gathers more racing experience.
The Supreme now has a wide open look to things after the short priced favourite Facile Vega bombed out altogether at the Dublin Racing Festival in February, but there is little doubt that the form level of the Irish runners remains vastly superior to their UK rivals.
- Tip: Marine Nationale
- Stakes: 5/10
- Odds: 5.50 (William Hill)
Odds as at 9am, 13th March 2023. Odds may now differ.
Sporting Life Arkle Challenge 2025
Race 2, Tuesday 14th March 2:10
The 2023 Arkle really is a mouthwatering clash between the best young novice chasers for many a year, with Nicky Henderson’s chaser Jonbon currently a best priced 6/4f with the bookmakers. He has jumped superbly from the front to win both starts over fences so far, but they have come in small fields that he has been able to dominate and this will be an altogether different test (with rivals like Appreciate It and Dysart Dynamo both looking confirmed trailblazers and unlikely to give him any peace at the head of affairs).
Perhaps better value will lie away from the obvious, with upsets not unusual in this race, and Godon Elliott’s Fil Dor has certainly been overlooked after disappointing at a short price at Leopardstown over Christmas. He wants further than two miles ideally, but they will go such a gallop here that perhaps his proven stamina will be a deciding factor up the sapping final climb, and at the current price around 25/1 he makes plenty of each-way appeal.
The Irish Arkle novice chase produced one of the most thrilling races of the two days at Leopardstown in February, with the brutal pace set by Dysart Dynamo making things a proper test at the trip. It proved too much for the heavily backed 5/4f Appreciate It, leaving the way clear for the very progressive El Fabiolo to power clear under Daryl Jacob. He is now a best priced 9/4 chance for the Arkle in March, and is clearly a very big danger to the short-priced favourite Jonbon.
Arkle Challenge Tip
Willie Mullins progressive young chaser overcame one serious blunder when winning a very strong Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival in February, and has arguably achieved a lot more over fences in terms of form than the current short-priced favourite Jonbon.
He is expertly handled by Daryl Jacob, and will definitely appreciate a strongly run Arkle at the Cheltenham festival in March. His excellent connections are sure to work hard on his jumping, and he has loads of scope to keep on improving after just two runs in this sphere.
- Tip: El Fabiolo
- Stakes: 10/10
- Odds: 2.75 (BetVictor)
Odds as at 9am, 13th March 2023. Odds may now differ.
Ultima Handicap Chase 2025
Race 3, Tuesday 14th March 2:50
The Ultima handicap chase is not a race that attracts much ante-post interest in the build up to the race, with the final runners only known at the weekend before the festival, and the 2023 renewal has a typically wide open look to it.
The bookmakers tentatively offer 14/1 the field at this stage of proceedings, with perhaps David Pipe’s Remastered the most compelling contender.
He is a thorough stayer who seems to be getting better with age, posting a career best effort when winning at Kempton over Christmas, and his red hot stable have enjoyed their best season for many years (already had more winners at this stage of the season than for the whole of the 2021/22 season).
Ultima Handicap Chase Tip
David Pipe’s tough and versatile handicapper has been a terrific advert for the yard throughout a long career, winning 7 of his 25 runs under Rules and amassing over £75,000 in prize money. He overcame trouble in running when gamely winning at Kempton over Christmas, and is just the type to be well suited to the stamina test demanded by a huge field Cheltenham handicap on easy ground.
- Tip: Remastered
- Stakes: 1/10
- Odds: 21.0 (Paddy Power)
Odds as at 9am, 13th March 2023. Odds may now differ.
Unibet Champion Hurdle 2025
Race 4, Tuesday 14th March 3:30
The Grade 1 Champion Hurdle is always one of the most eagerly awaited races of the week at Cheltenham, but this year could see the emergence of a new superstar for the sport as Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill bids to continue his unbeaten record.
He has always been held in the highest regard at home, but leapt into the public consciousness with a wide margin win in the 2022 Supreme, and is now as short as 2/7f in some bookmakers list to win his first Champion hurdle. Each-way punters will be looking to play in the race, with the terms very much in their favour, and perhaps the Mullins raider Vauban offers a little bit of value at around the 9/1 mark (with 1/4 the odds a place available in places). He shaped nicely behind stablemate State Man on his reappearance over Christmas in Ireland, and his hold-up run style could be well served by the likely fast run nature of this contest.
A proper rival to Constitution Hill emerged as Willie Mullins progressive performer State Man foiled a wholesale plunge on Honeysuckle in the Irish Champion hurdle at the Dublin racing festival. He is now a 3/1 chance in the ante-post lists, and is a straightforward ride who jumps and travels strongly (and finds off the bridle).
Unibet Champion Hurdle Tip
Nicky Henderson’s top class hurdler comes into this Champion Hurdle as the shortest priced banker of the entire four days, and his preparation this season has been flawless, barely off the bridle to come home alone in Graded company at Newcastle (Fighting Fifth) and Kempton (Christmas Hurdle). He now faces the best in Ireland for the first time since winning the Supreme here at the 2022 Festival, but they seem unlikely to trouble him and another armchair ride for Nico de Boinville is surely on the cards.
- Tip: Constitution Hill
- Stakes: 10/10
- Odds: 1.36 (bet365)
Odds as at 9am, 13th March 2023. Odds may now differ.
Close Brothers Mares Hurdle 2025
Race 5, Tuesday 14th March 4:10
Uncertainty surrounds the likely line up for the 2023 Mares Hurdle, with Epatante not declared in error by Nicky Henderson at the first entry stage and Honeysuckle likely to head to the Champion Hurdle according to connections.
However, this still promises to be a cracking contest, with the prolific Maries Rock likely to take plenty of stopping as she bids to repeat her impressive victory in 2022. Perhaps better value may lie with Harry Fry’s prolific Love Envoi, who has looked high class in winning two valuable prizes at Sandown already this winter, and will not mind at all if the ground comes up testing on the day (currently a best priced 4/1 chance with the bookmakers).
The Close Brothers Mares hurdle suddenly has a wide open look to it, and promises to be a red hot affair after impressive wins for both Epatante and Echos in Rain in January. Both were sent off odds-on chances and came home hard on the bridle in Graded company, with perhaps the prolific Irish mare achieving more in form terms.
Close Brothers Mares Hurdle Tip
Harry Fry’s mare has really impressed in bad ground at Sandown twice this season, defying a huge weight in a top class handicap and then landing long odd-on against the smart Martello Sky.
She revels in testing conditions, is a strong traveller with relentless reserves of stamina, and will relish the demands of the Cheltenham hill now stepping up in class against some smart rivals from Ireland.
- Tip: Love Envoi
- Stakes: 2/10
- Odds: 10.0
- Odds as at 9am, 13th March 2023. Odds may now differ.
Boodles Juvenile Handicap 2025
Race 6, Tuesday 14th March 4:50
The market moves are well worth noting every year for this valuable and competitive juvenile handicap, with several runners hiding their light under a bushel in order to achieve an attractive handicap mark.
The Irish yards have begun to really dominate in recent years, and any cash around in the markets on the day is well worth noting. Traditionally the ante-post market is quite an active one, and in 2022 the well regarded Tekao has been backed down to 9/1f by all the right faces in the past few weeks.
Boodles Juvenile Handicap Tip
Andrew Slattery’s juvenile has progressed run to run in three starts over hurdles so far, and starts off into handicaps from a fair mark with more improvement in the tank. He showed a huge field and soft ground held no terrors when winning at Punchestown in December, and the booking of Danny Mullins certainly increases confidence of a bold showing with any luck in running.
- Tip: Sir Allen
- Stakes: 1/10
- Odds: 13.0 (William Hill)
Odds as at 9am, 13th March 2023. Odds may now differ.
National Hunt Challenge Chase 2025
Race 7, Tuesday 14th March 5:30
2022 saw 2/1f Stattler win a small field renewal of this contest, and he is now one of the leading contenders for the 2023 Gold Cup on Friday. Whether the 2023 renewal will throw up another star is questionable, but perhaps the through stayer Gaillard du Mesnil can land another one for the all powerful Willie Mullins team.
He has been very well supported down to 7/4f in the ante-post market in recent weeks, impressing in landing hefty cash at Leopardstown over Christmas in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase.
Stamina for this trip has already been established when he finished a cracking third over 3m5f in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse last April, and he seems sure to have the assistance of one of the best amateurs riding in Patrick Mullins.
National Hunt Challenge Chase Tip
Willie Mullins boasts a fantastic record in this stamina sapping contest over the years, and his improving chaser shaped really nicely over an inadequate trip behind Mighty Potter at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in February. He has a touch of class against some more exposed stayers, with just 8 runs over fences so far, and a cracking effort in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse last spring maked him down as a likely candidate for this prestigious prize.
- Tip: Gaillard du Mesnil
- Stakes: 4/10
- Odds: 2.0 (bet365)
Odds as at 9am, 13th March 2023. Odds may now differ.
Cheltenham 2025 Champion Day Races
The 2023 Cheltenham Festival gets underway with the traditional Cheltenham roar as the runners jump off for the Supreme Novice Hurdle, and this race is always one of the most fascinating and informative of the whole week. The most expensive and highly regaded young hurdlers from Britain and Ireland lock horns, and this is always a frenetic betting heat (both on the day and ante-post in the months leading up to the Festival). The 2022 renewal saw one of the most explosive performances for many a year, with Nicky Henderson’s heavily backed Constitution Hill coming home virtually alone to the delight of the packed grandstands. This year promises to be much more competitive, with the Irish holding a typically strong hand, and Willie Mullins Champion bumper winner Facile Vega heading the current betting market.
The Arkle Chase is a top class Grade 1 that brings together the best novice chasers from Britain and Ireland, and is always a breathtaking spectacle run at a strong pace from the tape over the bare two mile trip. In 2022 Alan King’s Edwardstone took the prize in a typically incident packed contest, and he now lines up as a leading fancy for the 2023 Champion Chase later in the week. The race has a history dating back to 1946 and has a roll call of top class horses as its winners, with household names like Pendil, Waterloo Boy, Remottance Man, Moscow Flyer and Well Chief all taking the prize. Nicky Henderson has a remarkable seven wins under his belt, a record that seems unlikely to ever be beaten, and he saddles the current 6/4f this year in the very smart Jonbon.
The Ultima handicap chase always attracts a huge field of stayers for the excellent prize money on offer, and has a rich history dating back to 1946 (has been run under various guises over the years). The race is run over 3m1f on the old-course and with prize money of £125,000 offers some of the smaller yards an opportunity to compete on the top table. In 2023 there was a relatively rare Cheltenham winner for the north, as Lucinda Rusell’s Corach Rambler came with a strong late charge to land the prize. The English have dominated the race in recent times, with Tony Martin’s Dun Doire in 2006 the last Irish winner of the contest.
The Champion Hurdle is the main feature on a cracking opening day at the Cheltenham festival, with the best two mile hurdlers from Britain and Ireland taking each other on. The betting on the race is strong all winter in the build up to the big day, and in 2023 there are plenty of punters clutching fancy prices about the current odds-on favourite Constitution Hill (who has been heavily backed since routing his rivals for the 2022 Supreme). His trainer Nicky Henderson has a fanstastic record in this Grade 1 over the years, winning the prize on 8 occasions with such legends of the game as See you Then and Binocular, and his new superstar is very much the horse that the racing public want to see dominate the sport for years to come.
The Mares Hurdle has undoubtedly offered terrific opportunities for mares to shine on the top stage, and encouraged owners/breeders to keep them in training, but it has also diluted the quality of some of the Grade 1s across the week. The race first took place in 2008 and was dominated by the prolific Quevega between 2009 and 2014, winning the prize a remarkable six times for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh. Perhaps unfairly, this dominance has led many to see the race as uncompetitive, but there are signs in recent years that it is attracting bigger fields and more competitive betting. The 2022 renewal was won by Nicky Henderson’s Maries Rock, advertising the skill of the top syndicate Middleham Park Racing in the process, and she is currently the 5/2f with the bookmakers to retain her crown (after a very impressive winning return at Cheltenham in January).
The Boodles Juvenile handicap hurdle sets a real challenge to punters every year, with several plots hatched over the years and the cross form-lines from Britain and Ireland very hard to compare. A huge field of relatively inexperienced young hurdlers is rarely a good betting medium, and luck in running always plays a crucial part, and it is perhaps not a surprise that there have been numerous big priced shock winners. Paul Nicholls and Gordon Elliott lead the way with three winners each, though it is worth noting that often the “second or third” strings on jockey bookings can come to the fore. Ireland have won the last five runnings of this race, with Padraig Roche’s Brazil well supported in 2022 when winning gamely under a brilliant ride from Mark Walsh.
The NH Chase concludes the action on Day 1 at the Cheltenham Festival, and is a real stamina test over the 3m6f trip. The race has a rich history going back to 1860, although the terms/trip and conditions have changed several times over the 163 years of racing (most notably recently when the distance was shortened from nearly four miles after a BHA enquiry into the 2019 running). This is still a brutal test, and the skills of the amateur riders is a key part in solving the puzzle for punters. Jonjo O’Neill has won the race a remarkable six times as a trainer, while leading amateurs like Jamie Codd and Patrick Mullins have looked a class apart in recent times.
