THE excitement is building for The Cheltenham Festival on March 11th – 14th, with 28 races over the four days of The Festival. Here are my five ante-post selections for the Cheltenham Festival, with two other Festival pieces to follow in the build up to four days of brilliant racing at the home of jump racing.
Can’t wait.
The Wine Tipster
Tuesday March 11th .
2.40 – Ultima Handicap Chase (3m 1f)
Transmission has been a revelation since being campaigned over fences this season with form figures of 212, and all his runs have been at Cheltenham. It is worth rewatching his appearance at the December meeting when held up at the back and looking unlikely to be placed. He then made steady progress from five out, staying on strongly up the hill, to finish second to Haiti Couleurs running on well, which looked an unlikely scenario and was a run for the notebook.
Transmission then reverted to hurdles on Festival Trials Day in the Cleeve Hurdle and was always out the back without making a challenge, though this was still a good prep run for the Ultima.
The one question at this stage is will he make the Ultima off a rating of 133 and I think he will given that in 2024 Weveallbeencaught was the last runner in the field off 134.
Transmission has impressed throughout this season at Cheltenham, and tactically this looks an ideal opportunity for him to come from off the pace to reward each-way players at a minimum.
3.20 – Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Grade 1 (2m 4f)
Brighterdaysahaed might be a bit of a risky one at this stage, given there’s still some talk of the Unibet Champion Hurdle, however with the current picture the preference has to be the Mares’ Hurdle this time around, where she is such a strong favourite.
Brighterdaysahead probably didn’t get the credit she deserved when downing State Man in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle but she did when pulverising him at Leopardstown over Christmas. Yes, State Man didn’t run his race but she beat Winter Fog by twice the distance she had in the Morgiana and had looked to improve again.
The trainer has made no secret of his admiration for her, and she looks a Day 1 banker for punters.
4.00 – Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy Grade 1 (2m ½f)
Burdett Road must be an each-way play in a race where there could be only five or six runners. The return, and subsequent victory, of the brilliant Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle and Unibet Hurdle on Festival Trials Day has given the Champion Hurdle market a very lopsided look, with Nicky Henderson’s dual Festival winner now at Unibet 1/2 on.
Burdett Road has to be given a second look to chase Constitution Hill home, as the Irish Champion Hurdle in which Lossiemouth and State Man ran didn’t add to the Unibet Champion Hurdle picture after the mare’s fall.
Burdett Road was third to Constitution Hill at Kempton; he was still bang in contention for second at the last when making a dreadful blunder, a very uncharacteristic mistake, but even before that it was all hands and heels, so once Constitution Hill had drawn alongside, he was far from flat out. That was still another step forward after his Unibet Greatwood Hurdle success, and it looks likely there is more to come.
Thursday March 13th .
4.00 – Stayers’ Hurdle Grade 1 (3m)
Home By The Lee has been in good shape this season and reports have been encouraging about this ten-year-old, who has looked in excellent form on his last two starts. Back in November he beat the favourite Bob Olinger at odds of 7/1 when pushed out to win at Navan on his first start since May. Home By The Lee then delivered an eye-catching performance in the Grade 1 Savills Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas when he came to challenge at the last to move smoothly away, beating Bob Olinger by nearly double the distance.
He looked in great form, and whilst the favourite for the Stayers’ Teahupoo had his measure last season at Cheltenham and Punchestown too, Home By The Lee will come with a much more sustained challenge in the 2025 renewal to reward ante-post players.
Friday March 14th
3.20 – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Grade 1 (3m)
Wendigo, owned by over 3000 ‘Racing Club’ syndicate shareholders, won easily at Wetherby yesterday at odds of 1/11 on and this strong travelling type looked in fine order ahead of his next appearance in the Albert Bartlett.
On his previous start he finished second at 25/1 to the very smart New Lion (heading for the Turners) in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December over 2m 4½f when looking outpaced at one point and then made headway from two out to stay on well up the run-in, highlighting his potential.
His form figures for the season are 2121, and with the step up to three miles looking ideal for him Wendigo can run a big race on his first appearance at Cheltenham.
AntePost Betting
We’ve also got a whole host of offers, including Trader Specials, Price Boosts, Super Boosts, and more. Click here for all our Racing Specials.
Please remember to gamble responsibly. Visit our Safer Gambling section for more information, help and advice.
