Cheltenham Festival 2025: Horses For Courses
As the excitement builds for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, the age-old racing adage “horses for courses” takes centre stage once again.
Some horses thrive under the unique demands of Prestbury Park, where the undulating track, stiff fences and famous hill sort the good from the great.
In this article, we examine which horses have proven Cheltenham form and break down which course specialists are running each day.
Tuesday, March 11
In the opening race, Romeo Coolio is the only horse with decent course form.
Despite going off at a big price of 18/1 with betting sites in last year's Champion Bumper, he still finished second, and if Kopek Des Bordes were to blow up, he could be the one to pick up the pieces.
In the Arkle, the top three in the market offered by betting apps all have course and distance winning form, but Majborough is the only one to have won at the Festival, which must count for something.
With news recently breaking that Lossiemouth will likely go for the Mares Hurdle, she looks unopposable to win her second Mares Hurdle.
She is a dual Cheltenham Festival winner, but Golden Ace might give her the most to do as she won the Mares Novice Hurdle here last year and is fancied by many.
The Champion Hurdle is the feature race on the opening day of the meeting.
Constitution Hill and State Man are both dual Cheltenham Festival winners, while Brighterdaysahead is the only one of the “big three” without course form as she was beaten at last year's festival.
Wednesday, March 12
The Turners Novices’ Hurdle market is dominated by Final Demand and The New Lion, but neither of them have raced at Cheltenham before.
The value might be with Potters Charm and Sixmilebridge, who have won over course and distance recently.
Ballyburn heads the betting for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, and it’s easy to see why after he was an impressive winner in the Ballymore last year.
Both Better Days Ahead and Stellar Story have winning festival form, too, and could represent each-way value at 7/1 and 14/1, respectively, with horse racing betting sites.
Jonbon is the shortest-priced runner on Wednesday as he trades at 5/6 for the Champion Chase. He has never won at the Cheltenham Festival but has won around the course twice, although he is arguably more suited to tracks like Sandown and Aintree.
If the ground comes up soft, Energumene may give Jonbon the most to do as he bids for a hat trick of wins in the Champion Chase.
Marine Nationale is another Cheltenham Festival winner, although he has won just one race since winning the Supreme in 2023.
Thursday, March 13
Diva Luna is one of only two mares with winning course form in the Mares Novices’ Hurdle, which has to count for something.
That race is followed by then Golden Miller Novices’ chase, where last time out course and distance winner Jagwar heads the market at 11/2.
If Fact To File takes his chance in the Ryanair, he will be very hard to beat if repeating his impressive performance at the Festival last year, where he won the Brown Advisory.
Il Est Francais has never raced at the track before, which has to be a negative, while previous winners Protektorat and Envoi Allen are fancied by some for a repeat success.
Four of the top five in the betting for the Stayers’ Hurdle have won around Cheltenham, including last year's winner Teahupoo, who is odds-on to win the race again this year.
Home By The Lee has failed to fire on his three visits to Cheltenham, while Rocky’s Diamond has never made the trip, so they have it all to prove.
Friday, March 14
East India Dock looks set to go off favourite for the Triumph Hurdle, and he has shown a clear liking for Cheltenham so far, with two wins culminating in a total winning distance of 28 lengths.
Surprisingly, Dinoblue has never won at the Cheltenham Festival, but many think this is her year to shine as she arrives in top form.
She narrowly lost this race to Limerick Lace last year, and that rival is the only significant runner in this year's renewal with Cheltenham course form.
In the Albert Bartlett, Intense Approach, Jet Blue and Jasmin De Vaux are the only runners with winning course form.
The latter is arguably the most interesting of the trio. He won the Champion Bumper last year but has failed to fire over hurdles.
The slower pace and reduced jumping test in the Albert Bartlett may play to his strengths.
The Gold Cup looks all over, bar the shouting, as Galopin Des Champs aims to write his name in history by winning the race for the third time.
Were it not for a last fence fall in the Turner's Novices Chase in 2022, he would be going for his fifth Cheltenham Festival victory in a row.
Banbridge is a Cheltenham Festival winner, too, and he is seemingly the only horse that could give him a race if the ground stays on the drier side.
