Cheltenham Festival 2025: Tanya Stevenson's Selections For Day 1
Tanya Stevenson joins us once again to preview the very best racing action this week as all eyes turn to the Cheltenham Festival.
She has cast her eye over Tuesday's card at Prestbury Park, and has made three selections which can be backed with horse racing betting sites.
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Tanya Stevenson's Selections For Day 1 At Cheltenham
Tanya Stevenson Panel Tips 1: Tripoli Flyer - 13:20
There has been so much attention on Kopek Des Bordes that I think it has done a disservice to the rivals. Back in 2023, Irancy finished third to Firefox and Ballyburn at Fairyhouse.
Romeo Coolio will not shirk any issue either, while Workahead and William Munny are closely matched and will have some improvement. But I'm going for a big run from one of the two British raiders in Tripoli Flyer.
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He has continued to improve at a rapid pace, and I believe there is so much more to come as I love the horse’s energy and enthusiasm.
The Scottish Supreme at Musselburgh was a tough enough test round a track that has a quick configuration and thus tests his jumping at speed.
Okay, at times he's not the greatest at his hurdles, but that is only because he is keen to please and tends to jump before Jonathan Burke asks. Luckily, Jonathan lets him get on with it.
It's no surprise that Fergal O’Brien gave him the chance up in class in the Grade 2 Dovecote. It’s there he matured and proved there is much more to come by beating Grade 1 Formby Hurdle runner-up Miami Magic.
There were a couple of negatives on the day as he was reported to have bled from the nose and no Dovecote winner has won the Supreme.
Even with all that, they say he has a big engine and they were leaning to a return to Aintree, so the fact they have come here is a statement in itself.
Plenty of focus is on his jumping but his rivals to date have probably not gone fast enough for him to get into some fluency. He could run into a place and better still he could power up the hill.
Tanya Stevenson Panel Tip 2: Famous Bridge - 14:40 (NB)
Fergal O’Brien is looking for his first Festival winner, and there could be many firsts with JP McManus aiming for an inaugural Arkle Trophy, but I've steered away from that contest.
Sean Bowen is also looking for his first win and Resplendent Grey presents himself as a viable chance. He was on the shortlist, as was Joyeuse, but my next selection would give Nicky Richards their first Cheltenham Festival winner.
He has Famous Bridge in the Ultima. Twelve months ago, the horse came into the race having pulled up in the Great Yorkshire Chase, then he was travelling well enough when unseating Sean Quinlan in the Grand National Trial.
Even with that upheaval, he ran a cracker last year, finishing fourth behind Chianti Classico, Twig and Meetingofthewaters.
Nicky Richards could have persevered and gone to either Aintree or Ayr, but instead he opted to end the season there.
This season started off at Kelso in October over 3m 2f and he ran an excellent second to Elvis Mail. Then he went to the Tommy Whittle in really deep heavy ground which I don’t think suits him at all.
He got bogged down, he was favourite and even though he came into contention at the ideal point he could only get within 14 lengths.
He did carry 12 stone and he was given ample time to recover and returned to Haydock for the Grand National Trial on good to soft.
I was at Haydock that day and thought it was nearer the good of good to soft. He was a very easy winner and with a much quieter but smoother season coming into this he could improve that fourth from 12 months ago.
Tanya Stevenson Panel Tip 3: Total Look - 16:40 (Nap)
Total Look has been a long-range pick ever since he ran at Punchestown at the end of January and I noted my thoughts in my ante-post bets of the Festival, if you hadn’t read them.
He is competing in Tuesday’s Fred Winter and has performed reasonably well over a mile and a half on the flat, most recently finishing just over a length behind Prairie Angel while conceding 9lb.
On his hurdle debut, he won against Beyond Your Dreams (who will re-oppose) and Wendrock, despite giving weight to both.
Trainer Gavin Cromwell decided to enter Total Look in a Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham in December, where he started as the favourite, but finished third. It was a shrewd move as it gave the horse the experience of travelling.
In late January he competed on heavy ground at Punchestown, showing a strong finish that caught the attention of the stewards, but he was found to be coughing.
Throughout his races, he has carried significant weights against fair opponents, with his strongest performance typically coming at the end of the race.
The day is set and let's hope the sport is good.
