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Cheltenham Day 1 Tips Cheat Sheet: All the best bets in one place

Max Liu
14 March 2023
3:00 min read

Facile Vega is favourite in the opening Supreme at Cheltenham

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The Cheltenham Festival 2023 begins on Tuesday so start four fabulous days of horse racing in style with the best bets and insight from our experts...

Tips for every race on day 1 at Cheltenham
Kevin Blake backs Vega to provide winning start
Tony Calvin goes for an each-way Arkle play
Constitution Hills looks unstoppable in Champion Chase
Sundial to shine in Boodles

Tuesday's Best Bets:

TIME	TIPSTER	TIP	BET NOW ON
13:30	Kevin Blake	Facile Vega to Win @ 3.4	Exchange
14:10	Tony Calvin	Saint Roi E/W @ 8/1	Sportsbook
14:50	Tony Calvin	Corach Rambler E/W, 7 Places @ 11/2	Sportsbook
15:30	Brendan Duke	Constitution Hill @ 1/3	Sportsbook
16:10	Kevin Blake	Brandy Love to Win @ 8.4	Exchange
16:50	Mark Milligan	Sundial E/W, 6 Places @ 14/1	Sportsbook
17:30	Tony Calvin	Mahler Mission E/W @ 6/1	Sportsbook

Supreme Novices' Hurdle: Vega set for Facile win

13:30 - Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)

Kevin Blake says: "The Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (13:30) will open the meeting and one that I've been keen on for many months is the Willie Mullins-trained Facile Vega.

No. 5

Facile Vega (Ire)

Trainer: W. P. Mullins, Ireland
Jockey: P. Townend
Age: 6
Weight: 11st 7lbs
OR: -

"I was far from alone on board this particular express train for much of the season, but quite a few jumped off when it hit a bump in the tracks at the Dublin Racing Festival. Despite this, I'm more than happy to stay aboard until it pulls into Cheltenham Spa on the big day."

Back Facile Vega 2pts @

3.4

Arkle Chase: Saint worth an each-way tickle

14:10 - Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase (Grade 1)

Tony Calvin says: "I have a lot of time for the front three in the market and maybe I am playing for just a place, but Saint Roi was the best hurdler of these (fourth in last year's Champion Hurdle, as well as winning a County Hurdle by 4 ½ lengths in 2020) and the race will be run to suit his closing style.

No. 7

Saint Roi (Fr)

Trainer: W. P. Mullins, Ireland
Jockey: M. P. Walsh
Age: 8
Weight: 11st 7lbs
OR: -

"It is clearly not ideal that he comes here on the back of a mishap last time and he could be taken off his feet early doors , but it was an incredibly soft unseat last time and the ground may help on the latter front, and let us not forget he is already a Grade 1 winner over fences."

Back Saint Roi each-way three places @

8/1

Ultimate Handicap Chase: Corach Rambler must be included

14:50 - Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)

Tony Calvin says: "With seven places being offered, I have to include Corach Rambler at 11/2 each way. He did remarkably well to win this by nigh-on 3 lengths last year after such a tardy start and he is just 6lb higher here.

"Put away since Newbury in November, with an eye to taking in this race en route to the Grand National at Aintree next month, it is quite hard to see him finishing out of the first seven if getting the breaks in running."

No. 10

Corach Rambler (Ire)

Trainer: Lucinda Russell
Jockey: Derek Fox
Age: 9
Weight: 11st 5lbs
OR: 146

Back Corach Rambler each-way @

11/2

Champion Hurdle: Constitution Hill looks unstoppable

15:30 - Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)

On the Racing...Only Bettor Cheltenham Festival preview podcast, our experts were unanimous about Constitution Hill's clear favouritism in this race. Here's what they said...

Kevin Blake: If you're looking for a straight forecast then I would go Constitution Hill followed by State Man.

Brendan Duke: He will win by six-and-a-half lengths or more.

No. 1

Constitution Hill

Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Jockey: Nico de Boinville
Age: 6
Weight: 11st 10lbs
OR: -

Constitution Hill @

1/3

Mares' Hurdle: Lots of Love for Brandy

16:10 - Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1)

Kevin Blake says: "The reason I've had such a long-term admiration for Brandy Love is a simple one. She has looked to be a mare of top-class ability to my eye from an early stage of her career.

No. 1

Brandy Love (Ire)

Trainer: W. P. Mullins, Ireland
Jockey: P. Townend
Age: 7
Weight: 11st 5lbs
OR: -

"Before one delves into her form, it should be viewed in the context that this mare really doesn't like going right-handed. It can be seen as far back as her racecourse debut in a bumper at Fairyhouse where she ended up on the near-side rail in the straight, but it has been much clearer since she has gone hurdling."

Back Brandy Love @

8.4

Boodles Juvenile Handicap: Sundial to shine

16:50 - Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

Mark Milligan says: "I'm convinced Sundial is a much better horse than we saw last time and his mark of 120 is probably a fair one based on some of the company he kept on his first few starts over timber.

No. 20

Sundial (Ire)

Trainer: Padraig Roche, Ireland
Jockey: S. D. Torrens
Age: 4
Weight: 10st 4lbs
OR: 120

"He does have a remarkably similar profile to last year's winner Brazil, too, being an ex-Aidan O'Brien inmate who's sired by Galileo."

Back Sundial each-way @

14/1

National Hunt Chase: Mahler on song

17:30 - Amateur Jockeys' Novices' Chase (Grade 2)

Another one from the Racing...Only Bettor Cheltenham preview in which Tony Calvin said of Mahler Mission:

"I'd like Gaillard Du Mesnil not to be there but if he is I will get a bigger price on Mahler Mission."

Back Mahler Mission each-way @

6/1

Like what you read from the Betting.Betfair tipsters on day one of the Cheltenham Festival? If so you may want to try a day one Lucky 15 - 15 unique bets, covering every possible combination from four selections - on the Betfair Sportsbook.

We can combine Facile Vega, Saint Roi, Corach Rambler and Sundial at enormous odds of 2631.5/1.