Cheltenham Festival 2025 Tips: Three horses to back antepost from 7/1 to 33/1

• Three to back for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival

• Port Joulain a big price at 33/134.00

• Il Est Francais to shake up the Gold Cup division

• Sir Gino to be even better over fences

• Serial Winners Fund: Rachael adds £20k to the pot during 2024 Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham fever is still tangible and I have picked out three horses at antepost prices that could turn out to be huge come March next year.

These three horses were not seen at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, but they all represent big value if turning up for these specific races next season.

Sir Gino 7/18.00 - 2025 Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase

Sir Gino was one of the heartbreak stories for many antepost backers at the 2024 meeting as the Nicky Henderson yard had a torrid time of things. The four-year-old was pulled out late for the Triumph Hurdle which left the Irish to dominate the race (as they did in most races this week).

There is a chance he does stay over hurdles next season, but having to take on stablemate Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle does not look likely and this means he will take the logical move over fences, where he will be in novice company and not open.

The horse was set to be a rare British banker this year, having shown in both his French and British hurdle runs just what a motor he possesses.

His last performance at Cheltenham on Trials Day when pulling away from the then antepost Triumph Hurdle favourite Burdett Road was frightening, and only being a five-year-old next year, there is clear progression still to come.

The way he improved his jumping over hurdles with each run tells us that he will likely do the same over fences and if winning on his two/three starts prior to the Festival next season, he will likely be a short-priced favourite for the Arkle come 2025 all being well.

There are caveats to all these selections, but if taking to fences next season, we know he has the engine, and all roads could lead to a big run in the Arkle.

Port Joulain 33/134.00 - 2025 Gallagher Novices' Hurdle

The biggest price of the four selections in this column is Port Joulain for Willie Mullins and owner Rich Ricci.

He is a horse we really don't know all that much about, hence his price, but he could turn out to be a very smart hurdler next year and looking at his pedigree, stamina could be his forte.

Having won a 3m PTP on soft ground at Borris House he was bought for £300,000 and given to Willie Mullins.

Given just one start in March this year at Gowran over 2m2f in a bumper, he travelled beautifully throughout and was nudged out win cosily.

Back in second was Good N' Kind for owner Robcour and trainer Henry De Bromhead and looks like he could turn out to be useful type as well and is shorter in the betting for this race.

Related to winners that raced between 2m4f and 2m7f and having a bloodline to superstar mare Apple's Jade who performed best over similar trips, he looks a type for the Gallagher next season.

Connections have won this race with Faugheen in the past and like Ballyburn last season, he was kept out of the Champion Bumper this term to potentially go on and have a thriving novice hurdle campaign.

At 33/134.00 he looks extremely interesting.

Il Est Francais 10/111.00 - 2025 Gold Cup

The final selection of the four is Il Est Francais in the 2025 Gold Cup and although seeing Galopin Des Champs back next year to land a hat-trick of victories in the race, in this division the French horse could shake everything up.

The Noel George & Amanda Setterholm trained six-year-old is unbeaten in all three of his starts over fences to date, with his victory when last seen at Kempton on Boxing Day arguably the National Hunt performance of the season.

He made smart horses like Hermes Allen, Giovinco and Kilbeg King look exceptionally ordinary when landing the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices' Chase.

The time that day was off the scale and having been saved from the Cheltenham Festival this year it looks as though all roads next term lead to Prestbury Park.

Galopin Des Champs is the horse they all must beat having been there and done it twice now, but from what we saw on Boxing Day, if Il Est Francais stays on an upward trajectory it would set up for a serious showdown.

Il Est Francais at 10/111.00 if all going right in the build-up looks silly value at this stage.

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