Cheltenham 2025: Will The Day One Four-Timer Gamble Be Landed?
The Cheltenham Festival is full of stories, fairy tales and heartbreaks, and what happened in 2015 will always be remembered as one of the most iconic moments in the Festival's history.
Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh were on a roll as they had won the first three Grade 1s, with Douvan (2/1), Un De Sceaux (4/6) and Faugheen (4/5).
Many punters had included them in their accumulator bets, and all eyes were on Annie Power (1/2) in the Mares’ Hurdle to see if she could land the popular four-timer, priced at 12/1 with betting sites.
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The Rich Ricci-owned mare travelled like a dream throughout and had a four-length lead coming to the last hurdle.
Disaster then struck, however, as she took a crashing fall, saving the bookmakers millions and leaving punters in despair.
In this article, we take a look at this year's Day One four-timer, which is sure to rack up liabilities with betting apps as the punters seek revenge for what happened in 2015.
What’s On The Cards This Year?
13:20 - Supreme Novices’ Hurdle - Kopek Des Bordes
Kopek Des Bordes shot to the top of the Supreme market as the Evens favourite after a devastating win at the Dublin Racing Festival, where he destroyed his rivals by 13 lengths and hardly came out of second gear.
He remains unbeaten, having won easily at Leopardstown and Fairyhouse prior to his Grade One success.
A free-going sort, he can take a keen hold in his races and many suggest that the buzz of the opening race at the Festival may not play to his strengths.
There is no doubting his ability, though, and it would be no surprise to see him bound up the Cheltenham hill to give Mullins his eighth win in the race.
14:00 - Arkle Novices’ Chase - Majborough
The Arkle had been dubbed the clash of the Festival until Sir Gino was ruled out through injury, which made Majborough’s chances of winning much more likely.
A winner of the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham last season, he has taken well to life over the bigger obstacles and is the horse to beat in this year's Arkle. Horse racing betting sites agree as he currently trades at 8/15.
A dual winner over fences, the five-year-old has only tasted defeat once in his career, and it will take something special to beat him in what looks like a below-average Arkle.
15:20 - Mares’ Hurdle - Lossiemouth
The decision on which race Lossiemouth will run in at the Cheltenham Festival remains up in the air, but regardless of that, she is priced at 8/13 to land this year's Mares’ Hurdle.
She has been treated as a Champion Hurdle horse all year but things have not gone to plan in her last two runs and with Brighterdaysahead now confirmed for the Champion Hurdle, connections are swaying towards the easier route of the Mares' Hurdle.
Ricci said: “We had a chat with Willie on Tuesday night. She's been left in both races and I think we’ll wait and make a call at the weekend.”
“I’m not embarrassed to say we’ve campaigned her as a Champion Hurdle horse and it hasn’t worked out.”
She is a dual Cheltenham Festival winner and despite not arriving to the festival in top form, she is difficult to oppose and should have too much class for her rivals.
16:00 - Champion Hurdle - Constitution Hill
A horse that needs no introduction, Constitution Hill is back to try to regain his crown having missed last year's race through injury.
Nothing has ever gone close to beating him, and despite his injury, he has bounced back well to land a brace of graded races this season.
The Champion Hurdle looks like a deep race but it will take something extraordinary for Constitution Hill’s colours to be lowered.
He is currently priced at 4/6 with UK bookmakers.
Conclusion
Kopek Des Bordes is the biggest-priced runner of the four, and were he to win, the bookies could run for cover after the curtain raiser.
Both Majborough and Lossiemouth look unopposable in their races, while Constitution Hill faces one of the stiffest tasks in his career in what looks like a strong Champion Hurdle.
Each horse holds obvious claims and the four-timer pays just over 6/1, which is sure to be very popular with the punters on Day One of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
