Cheltenham Festival Friday Tips Cheat Sheet: Best bets for day four plus Paul Nicholls and Rachael Blackmore after superb Day 3 for ambassadors

• Betfair Cheat Sheet for day four of Cheltenham Festival 2025

• Betfair ambassadors dominate day three

• Get picks for every race on Friday of the Festival including the Gold Cup

• Get our tipsters' best bets and our ambassadors' insight

• Check out our 2025 Cheltenham Festival HUB

• Get a completely free bet every day of the Cheltenham Festival with Betfair

• Gamble responsibly with Betfair during the 2025 Cheltenham Festival

---

Cheltenham Day 4 Superboost

On Thursday, the Betfair Superboost, Fact To File, won the Ryanair Chase in a canter after being boosted to 11/43.75 (won at 6/42.50) so you might not want to miss out on our Cheltenham Gold Cup Superboost featuring a jockey who rode 16/117.00 and 8/19.00 winners on Thursday, including the Grade 1 Stayers' Hurdle.

Betfair Ambassador Rachael Blackmore is the jockey in question and she's very much looking forward to riding Monty's Star in Friday's feature race (read her exclusive thoughts here). The Betfair Sportsbook have boosted Monty's Star to finish in the top four from 1/21.50 to 1/12.00 . To take advantage, just click on the odds in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

*Please note. This superboost is provided by the Betfair Sportsbook and not by any of our tipsters or writers. You can read about all of Betfair's offer on every day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival right here.

---

Racing... Only Bettor. Cheltenham Day 4. Watch Now!

---

Watch Paul Nicholls talk to Betfair about his Gold Cup day runner

Just the one runner for team Ditcheat on Gold Cup day but its a family affair for @PFNicholls which has the very special endorsement of a Newcastle legend! pic.twitter.com/NED8JfS9IC

-- Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) March 14, 2025

---

Cheltenham Festival Day 4 Tips and Insight

---

Triumph Hurdle, 13:20, Cheltenham - Kevin Blake says: East India Dock can kick off Friday with a bang

Kevin Blake: "The card kicks off with the Triumph Hurdle (13:20) and the race has a slightly bizarre look to it this year. Willie Mullins saddles 11 of the 18 runners including six maidens, three of which have never run over hurdles in public. In contrast, the James Owen-trained East India Dock has established a high level form by showing a notable level of professionalism that sets the bar very high for his less experienced rivals.

"A son of Golden Horn that is rated 89 on the Flat, he has won all three of his starts over hurdles in very good style, particularly his latest start that saw him smash Stencil by 10 lengths at his ease. He appeals as being very much a here-and-now horse that has a great amount of experience both on the Flat and over hurdles. He is a slick jumper for a juvenile as well as a straightforward ride, all of which is going to stand him in good stead here. He is likely to prove very tough to beat."

---

County Hurdle, 14:00, Cheltenham - Katie Midwinter says: Daddy Long Legs the pick of my three County darts

Katie Midwinter: "Daddy Long Legs has enough class to defy top weight and be competitive from a mark of 152 in this contest.

"The Willie Mullins-trained hurdler has previous winning form in a big field handicap, when beating Brentford Hope by five-lengths at Punchestown last year, from a mark of 135. Despite being 17lb higher rated here, he remains open to further improvement at the age of six, and has shown he has the ability to compete at Graded level when conditions are in his favour.

"He was sent off as 9/43.25 favourite for the Grade One Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown last winter, pulled up when failing to cope with the heavy ground conditions, and was disappointing on his following start in soft ground, too.

"The son of Almanzor, who fetched €210,000 as a three-year-old, has plenty of black-type achieving relatives, with a classy pedigree being out of Listed winner Private Eye. He could well be able to step back into Graded company in future, and be competitive in that sphere, making him an attractive proposition in handicap company, despite having to carry a hefty weight."

---

Mares' Chase, 14:40, Cheltenham - Mark Milligan says: Dinoblue can get revenge on Friday

Mark Milligan: "Dinoblue can possibly count herself a shade unlucky not to have won this race last year and she can make amends this time around.

She was ridden quite conservatively that day, with connections unsure as to her stamina trying 2m4f for only the second time, but she clearly got the trip well and I expect her to be ridden more prominently this time.

She comes into this in good form having beaten Allegorie De Vassy narrowly last time and she can confirm that form with her stable companion.

Last year's winner Limerick Lace looks to double up, but she benefited very much from getting first run on Dinoblue that day and it's hard to see her finishing in front of that one again if the selection receives a more proactive ride.

---

Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, 15:20, Cheltenham - Timeform says: The Big Westerner can keep her unbeaten record

Timeform: "Henry de Bromhead won the 2017 Albert Bartlett (15:20) with the future Gold Cup winner Minella Indo, and while his representative this year won't be allowed to go off at anything like the 50/1 that he did, The Big Westerner has a first-rate chance of landing the race again for her stable.

"This is a wide-open contest, but being the only mare means that The Big Westerner gets 7 lb from all her rivals and that's enough to make her top rated on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, 2 lb ahead of Wendigo who chased home Wednesday's winner The New Lion in the Challow at Newbury earlier in the season.

"Winning pointer The Big Westerner is a half-sister to the 2023 Albert Bartlett winner Stay Away Fay and has shown that she's cut from much the same cloth, winning both her starts over hurdles and showing plenty of stamina. After beating male rivals on her debut at Punchestown in November, she followed up with a useful effort when upped in trip for a Grade 2 novice at Limerick on Boxing Day and getting the better of another mare, Mozzies Sister, at the end of a slowly-run race. This still greater test of stamina could well suit her better still and she's taken to keep her unbeaten record."

---

Gold Cup, 16:00, Cheltenham - Rachael Blackmore says: Monty's Star can put it up to Galopin Des Champs

Rachael Blackmore: "I can't wait to ride Monty's Star in the Gold Cup.  It's going to be a fantastic race.

"Obviously, Galopin Des Champs is the one we all have to beat, but I do think that the drier ground and the extra few furlongs is all going to be a big plus for Monty's Star.

"His season got going a little later, he didn't make his seasonal debut until New Year's Day.  He came on a lot for that run at Tramore, and he has come on again for his run in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown last time. 

"He ran really well in Cheltenham last year when he finished second in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase.  He's very well in himself, and we're really looking forward to him."

---

Hunter Chase, 16:40, Cheltenham - Paul Nicholls says: Shearer can score at Cheltenham

Paul Nicholls: "He was off for almost two years with injury before qualifying for this by winning twice inside 12 days last month. He has won over hurdles at Cheltenham and is a good solid chaser though it's not ideal to be having a third quick run after such a long time on the sidelines.

"I'm trying cheekpieces again because they brought quite a lot of improvement from him when we tried them before. Shearer has plenty of talent and has his chance in an open race in which the Irish looks to have a strong hand."

---

Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle, 17:20, Cheltenham - Daryl Carter says: Kopeck De Mee is thrown in

Daryl Carter: "Kopeck De Mee - 9/43.25 on the Betfair Sportsbook - stands out as a handicap blot on the system, and providing he is fit and well to replicate his French form, he is thrown in from a mark of 136.

"It has to be a positive that he comes into this 0-145 bracketed handicap instead of taking on much higher-rated horses in the County Hurdle. With this declaration, his appeal only increases.

"The five-year-old was a Listed winner in France on his final outing, easily beating Karam Le Rouge, who had previously beaten the 153-rated Willie Mullins runner Kitzbuhel and, before that, the smart Kawaboomga, who ties in close with the Supreme Novice second, William Munny 145 (minimum).

"Other multiple collateral form lines suggest he is a very well-treated horse. If we factor in the improvement expected for the move to Willie Mullins, he must be a blot on the system.

"The vibes are very strong, and this is a weak race. Wodhooh was flattered by her Cheltenham victory and is not the one to be with here. The rest are only adequately treated. He can end the festival in style for followers!

"*Kopeck De Mee was advised at 5/16.00 2pt win for the Cheltenham Focus Column"

---

Now read more Cheltenham Festival tips and previews here

---