Cheltenham Tips: Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Best Bets & Predictions From Expert Panel

In this post, you can find our Cheltenham Festival Day 1 best bets ahead of what promises to be a cracking opening day of action from Prestbury Park.

These best bets come from the 2025 BoyleSports Cheltenham Festival Preview Night at Limerick Racecourse. For the big event, we assembled a panel of 5 horse racing experts. Namely, BoyleSports Horse Racing Ambassadors Robbie Power and Bryan Cooper, trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon, pro punter Johnny Dineen, and Willie Mullins assistant trainer David Casey. The night was hosted by the Racing Post’s David Jennings, who also chipped in with some of his favourite bets for the festival.

Watch the video below of the panel’s Cheltenham Day 1 best bets plus you can continue reading below to hear their analysis for why they are picking those horses and to add them to your bet slip.

Cheltenham Tips: Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Best Bets

Bryan Cooper: Kopek Des Bordes – 13:20 Supreme Novices Hurdle

If I were still riding, the horse I’d like to ride in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle would be Kopek Des Bordes . I just thought there was that bit of a wow factor about him. He still looked very immature in what he was doing throughout the race, but his natural ability seems to be incredible.

I can’t see there being a massive field in the race despite the big entries. Willie [Mullins] will probably have 3 to 4, Henry [de Bromhead] will have 2, other than that there might be 12 runners which might suit Kopek Des Bordes. You could see Paul Townend maybe buck out and let him go and get his own way in front.

But I think if the preliminaries don’t get ahead of Kopek Des Bordes , it’s going to be another of a tour kind of job. I think there’s just some wow factor there.

Bryan Cooper’s Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Best Bet: Kopek Des Bordes – 8/11

David Casey: Majborough – 14:00 Arkle Novices’ Chase

I think Majborough will win, yeah. Looking at the field, I think something will have to go badly wrong for him not to win. If he does everything right, I genuinely think he’ll win.

As to whether Majborough is a stayer or a speed horse, I think he can do both. He is a bit forward going so at the moment, I would say you’d be looking at the Champion Chase and the Ryanair Chase if things go right next year. But ideally I think the more raced he is the more relaxed he’ll be and he would get a trip in time.

David Casey’s Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Best Bet: Majborough – 8/15

Robbie Power: Majborough – 14:00 Arkle Novices’ Chase

Majborough looks very, very good. I was very impressed with him in Fairyhouse when he won a beginner’s chase, did go a bit left. He went to Leopardstown then, and I was a bit concerned about him going to Leopardstown with his jumping. But he was much better in Leopardstown, although he still made one or two mistakes.

Now he’s got the right man on his back to nurse him around in Mark Walsh. I think that’s all he has to do is nurse him around. If he nurses him around, he’s in a different league to all of these.

Skelton’s horse LEau du Sud is a good horse but not in the same class as Majborough.

If I were to back just one of the two odds-on favourites in the opening two races of the festival, between Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Majborough in the Arkle Chase, I would back Majborough to win the Arkle.

Robbie Power’s Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Best Bet: Majborough – 8/15

Johnny Dineen: Total Look – 16:40 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

I fancy Total Look very, very strongly in the Fred Winter. I think it’s running off of 125 in Ireland, and it might be 130 in England. I’d say that’s a lot in hand now at 130. I’ve backed it, and I’m not finished backing it either. I think it will be the favourite when the time comes.

Johnny Dineen’s Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Best Bet: Total Look – 6/1

John ‘Shark’ Hanlon: Day 1 Treble

Kopek Des Bordes in the 13:20 Supreme Novices Hurdle, Majborough in the 14:00 Arkle Novices’ Chase, and Constitution Hill in the 16:00 Champion Hurdle. All 3 horses in a treble.

John ‘Shark’ Hanlon’s Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Best Bet: Kopek Des Bordes, Majborough & Constitution Hill Win Treble

*Prices are subject to fluctuation.

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