Just like that, we arrive at the final day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, and what a dramatic Cheltenham Festival it has been.
From the drama that was the Champion Hurdle to Jonbon and Ballyburn fluffing their line on Wednesday, the Cheltenham Festival has delivered on all fronts.
Now, I'm all for drama in horse racing, but I would gladly do without any drama when Galopin Des Champs goes for his third Gold Cup on what should be the crowing of the greatest chaser ever to grace a racecourse.
Cheltenham Festival 1:20 Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle - 2m1f (4yo) (new course)
We kick off the final day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival with the traditional Triumph Hurdle.
Lulamba has been all the rage for this even before he stepped foot on a UK race course. He was well-backed for this race before his debut for Nicky Henderson at Ascot and won that race with ease. The form of that race is nothing to get excited about (2nd well beaten since), but Lulamba couldn't have done it any easier.
But even with that impressive start to life in the UK, he may find it hard to get the better of EAST INDIA DOCK.
The James Owen-trained 4-year-old has impressed in all three of his starts over hurdles, looking dominant in each run. He has two course wins to call upon, which is a massive advantage here.
This uncomplicated gelding has everything you need to win a race of this nature. He travels powerfully, jumps well, and picks up at his own pace.
When they are sent on their way at 1:20, East India Dock may not see another rival until they pull up at the top of the hill.
The Irish raider Hello Neighbour can be the one who follows home the selection.
- Selection: East India Dock 2/1
- Danger: Hello Neighbour 6/1
Cheltenham Festival 2:00 William Hill County Handicap Hurdle - 2m1f (5yo+)
Absure, who was an easy winner of this last season off an 8 lb lower mark, is back to defend his crown. But he hasn't been seen over hurdles since this day last year.
He has since gone on to finish 5th in the Melbourne Cup, but there will be no fitness or sharpness worries with him, as we saw when Jimmy Du Seuil overcame a similar absence to win the Coral Cup on Wednesday.
His stablemate Kargese has been all the rage in the betting since word surfaced that the County Hurdle may be her target and not the Mares Hurdle. She has been well found in the market, but she is a keen-going mare who will need to be on her best behaviour to win here.
The one who I have had my eyes on ever since his eye-catching run at Leopardstown over Christmas is last season's Fred Winter winner, LARK IN THE MORNIN.
He is no stranger to being targeted for a big handicap at the Cheltenham Festival and has been saved for this ever since that run. Lark In The Mornin gets in here off a mark of 132, which looks more than manageable for a horse that we have not seen the peak of his powers yet and could take a bit of stopping here.
- Selection: Lark In The Mornin 13/2 (e/w)
- Danger: Absurde 6/1 (e/w)
Cheltenham Festival 2:40 Grade 2 Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase - 2m4½f (5yo+) (new course)
The defection of Only By Night, who finished second in the Arkle Novices Chase on Tuesday, has made this look weaker than normal.
Last season's 1st and 2nd will go head to head once again, but this time around, DINOBLUE should be capable of gaining revenge over Limerick Lace.
Mark Walsh, who rides Dinoblue once again, did not have his finest moment in the saddle when giving Limerick Lace too much rope on the front end last season and failed to reel in her on the ground that was in favour of the winner.
This year, the ground will be ideal for Dinoblue, and with her gradual progressive runs this season, she should be very hard to beat this time.
Limerick Lace has looked like a shell of the mare that took this last season, but she has been given time to recover from her 25-length defeat on New Year's Day, and this five-time chase winner can fill the runner-up spot if she is back to her best.
- Selection: Dinoblue 6/5
- Danger: Limerick Lace 7/1 (e/w)
Cheltenham Festival 3:20 Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle - 3m (5yo+) (new course)
The Albert Bartlett has been notorious for being a graveyard for punters. In recent years, shock results have been the name of the game, and it could be more of the same today.
The Big Westerner could well be the most talented horse in the field in time, but this strapping mare may find this test coming too soon. Given that her trainer's runners haven't been firing on all cylinders this week, it can pay to overlook her today.
French raider Jetblue comes here on the back of a course and distance win despite some questionable jumping. He has a good chance of following up here, but he may have to chase home a fellow suspect jumper in JASMIN DE VAUX.
Last season's champion bumper winner made a winning start to his hurdling career despite so shoddy jumping, but his talent got him over the line.
He was then sent off as a short-price favourite to take the Grade 1 Lawlors Of Naas Novice Hurdle, only for the jumping frailties to come to the fore once again. He was much better at the Dublin Racing Festival but was no match for Final Demand.
The demands of the hurdles track on the new course added to the step up in trip can play to his favour. If Paul Townend can safely navigate Jasmin De Vaux around and have him there with a winning chance coming to the last, this talented gelding can pull more out of the fire and claim back-to-back Cheltenham Festival wins.
Derryhassen Paddy looks like a horse to follow in the future, but even though he may find this challenging, he can run into a place, as can Ballybow.
- Selection: Jasmin De Vaux 8/1 (e/w)
- Danger: Ballybow 14/1 (e/w)
Cheltenham Festival Grade 1 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase - 3m2½f (5yo+) (new course)
After all the drama surrounding the short-priced favourites this week, we could do with a straightforward win for the two-time Gold Cup hero, GALOPIN DES CHAMPS, to settle the nerves.
The king of three-mile chasers is looking to add his name to the list of horses who have managed to win three Gold Cups on the bounce, and if avoiding accidents, this should be plain sailing for one of, if not the best three-mile chaser that we have ever set eyes on.
Bar a fall in the Turners Novices Chase at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, Galopin Des Champs has looked unbeatable racing left-handed, and this generational chaser will blow the roof off the stands as he powers away up the Cheltenham hill.
The supplemented Inothewayurthinkin and King George VI Chase winner Banbridge can fight it out for the runner-up spot. Still, Inothewayurthinkin may have too much stamina for the King George hero.
- Selection: Galopin Des Champs 8/15
- Danger: Inothewayurthinkin 8/1 (e/w)
Cheltenham 4:40 St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase - 3m2½f (5yo+)
Run over the same course and distance as the Gold Cup, the Hunters Chase is the amateur's time to get their shine in their version of the Gold Cup.
Over the years, this race has produced no end of drama and never fails to entertain the packed stands.
Angles Dawn has worked her way into favouritism after a fruitful spell in the point-to-point scene. This former festival winner has her obvious claims but does have a tendency to make a bad mistake.
Willitgoahead is having his first run for Gordon Elliott and brings good form to the table, but the sneaking suspicion is that despite two short-price defeats, Emmet Mullins may be playing the long game with ITS ON THE LINE.
This talented 8-year-old was 3/4 of a length off doing the famous hunter-chase treble (Cheltenham, Aintree, & Punchestown), and if Emmet can produce him at the top of his game, Its On The Line will prove hard to beat.
At a price, Rocky's Diamond looks more than capable of outrunning his odds for his young, up-and-coming trainer.
- Selection: Its On The Line 11/2 (e/w)
- Danger: Rocky's Diamond 16/1 (e/w)
Cheltenham Festival 5:20 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle - 2m4½f (4yo+ 0-145)
The conditional jockeys take to the track for the curtain closer of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. This race has a habit of producing some top-class winners like Sir Des Champs, Don Poli, Banbridge, and Galopin Des Champs. And there seems to be a graded horse hiding in plain sight again, with KOPECK DE MEE.
The chat about how well-in this Willie Mullins French recruit could be has to be taken into account. The numbers suggest that he has more than a few pounds up his sleeve off 136, and if that is the case, he could be the latest winner to go on to bigger and better things.
The mare Wodhooh has done nothing wrong in her career to day and looks a huge danger to all, as does No Ordinary Joe, who finished second in this race in 2023. He gets in off just a 1 lb higher mark, and if back on song, he has a part to play.
Punctuation looks to be coming back into form, and if this former Aintree Grand National Festival winner can come on once more for his third run for Nicky Henderson, he is more than capable of outrunning his 50/1 odds.
- Selection: Kopeck De Mee 11/4
- Danger: No Ordinary Joe 12/1 (e/w)
