Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Cheat Sheet: Best bets on Tuesday including the Champion Hurdle

• Best bets for every race on Tuesday including Champion Hurdle

• Paul Nicholls' exclusive on his day one runners at Cheltenham

• For the latest Betfair Racing odds click here

• Bet £10 get £10 on racing multiples every day of Cheltenham Festival

• Check out our Betfair Tipsters' Best Bets for the Festival

• Read our in-depth guide to the first day of the Cheltenham Festival

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Cheltenham Day 1 Superboost is a Winner! 

The Cheltenham Festival got off to a flyer for more than 31,000 Betfair customers who celebrated a winner with our day one Superboost!

That huge number of punters were on the Betfair Sportsbook's Superboost as Old Park Star won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in a thrilling finish to the day's opening race.

We boosted a top four finish for Nicky Henderson's hurdler from 2/71.29 to even money. 

Keep your eyes peeled for more as we will be back with another Betfair Superboost for day two at the Festival dropping later this afternoon.

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Tips Summary: A bet for every race on day one at Cheltenham

Please Note: Prices quoted in table below were correct at time of each writer/tipster's column being published on Betting.Betfair.

Race	Tipster	Tip/Runner	Odds
13:20 Supreme Novices'	Katie Midwinter	Talk The Talk	9/25.50
14:00 Arkle Chase	Mark Milligan	Kopek Des Bordes	6/42.50
14:40 Fred Winter	Paul Nicholls	Pourquoi Pas Papa	18/119.00
15:20 Ultima Handicap	Sam Turner	Johnnywho E/W	10/111.00
16:00 Champion Hurdle	Katie Midwinter	Lossiemouth	2/13.00
16:40 Plate Handicap	Katie Midwinter	Zurich E/W	8/19.00
17:20 National Hunt Chase	Alan Dudman	Grand Geste E/W	14/115.00

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NAPs Summary

Please Note: Prices quoted in table below were correct at time of each writer/tipster's column being published on Betting.Betfair.

Race	Tipster	Tip	Odds
13:20 Supreme Novices'	Timeform	Old Park Star	2/13.00
14:00 Arkle Chase	Rachael Blackmore	Kopek Des Bordes	6/42.50
14:00 Arkle Chase	Katie Midwinter	Kopek Des Bordes	6/42.50
14:00 Arkle Chase	Mark Milligan	Kopek Des Bordes	6/42.50
14:40 Fred Winter	Alan Dudman	Glen To Glen	7/18.00
15:20 Ultima Hcap Chase	Sam Turner	Johnnywho	10/111.00

Cheltenham Festival Day 1 - Tuesday's best bets and insight

Supreme Novices' Hurdle, 13:20, Cheltenham - Back Talk The Talk @ 9/25.50

Katie Midwinter: Five-year-old chestnut Talk The Talk finished strongly from a difficult position when narrowly beating two exciting prospects in Ballyfad and King Rasko Grey at Leopardstown when last seen. It looked an unlikely result, but the Joseph O'Brien-trained contender displayed great speed and talent to prevail, landing a first Grade One in the process.

In his penultimate start, Talk The Talk fell at the last when looking likely, but not definite, to beat Skylight Hustle at the top level. He had previously won a Grade Three at Fairyhouse following a Limerick maiden, improving as he gains experience, and could take another step forward at Cheltenham.

Well-bred, related to a number of black-type achievers including Goshen, luckless in the 2020 Triumph Hurdle, dual Grade Two winner Elimay, as well as Delmegan, Talk The Talk has shaped as though he has a bright future ahead of him with a number of good performances. He's been able to get himself out of trouble, learning plenty along the way, which should hold him in good stead in this tough assignment.

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Arkle Novices' Chase, 14:00, Cheltenham - Back Kopek Des Bordes @ 6/42.50

Mark Milligan: Willie Mullins is the dominant training force at the Cheltenham Festival and he's sure to have his fair share of success once again this year. He's got plenty of chances in the Supreme Novices Hurdle that opens the card (more of which later), but it's his Kopek Des Bordes in the following Arkle Novices' Chase who looks the best bet of the day.

Although he has very little experience over fences, he was mightily impressive on his sole start in a chase when bolting up by 13 lengths at Navan in November. The biggest feature of that win was how well Kopek Des Brdes travelled throughout the race and that high cruising speed will stand him in good stead in another race that tests speed rather than stamina.

Though he may lack the experiences of many of these, his trainer is on record as stating that he's done plenty of schooling over fences at some of Irelan's top tracks recently so I don't expect there to be too many flaws in his jumping.

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Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Fred Winter), 14:40, Cheltenham - Pourquoi Pas Papa

Paul Nicholls: He can definitely outrun his odds as he's in good form, he keeps on improving and the stiffer track will suit him well as opposed to Haydock. He's got loads of stamina but initially I thought we'd shot ourselves in the foot going to Haydock and going up 7lbs, but if he hadn't have gone up 7lbs he wouldn't be getting in the race so it's actually worked out okay.

It's a very open and competitive race, it's all about jumping and galloping but I think he's got a chance.

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Ultima Handicap Chase, 15:20, Cheltenham - Back Johnnywho EW @ 10/111.00

Sam Turner: Those with decent memories may well remember Johnnywho looming large in the closing stages of last year's Kim Muir Handicap Chase, looking for all the world like the winner under Derek O'Connor.

Unfortunately for connections, the race didn't quite pan out like that as Daily Present showed the greater resolution on the run-in to hold off one of the gambles of the meeting.

This race offers a chance of redemption for the nine-year-old, albeit the presence of two upwardly mobile rivals in near identical colours won't make it an easy assignment.

Both Iroko and the potentially smart Jagwar appeal as possible winners of this event, but I'm hoping that Johnnywho's experience of big field Festival handicaps will stand him in good stead and that a wind op and the first-time cheekpieces are the catalyst to a bold showing.

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Champion Hurdle, 16:00, Cheltenham - Back Lossiemouth @ 2/13.00

Katie Midwinter: Unbeaten at Cheltenham with four wins to her name, including three Grade One victories at the Festival, Lossiemouth will have her first try at the Champion Hurdle in this year's renewal as connections confirmed the intention to run her in the race on Saturday night.

Equipped with first-time cheekpieces, which could help sharpen her up a bit over this trip, the seven-year-old will need to be at her best to reverse form with Brighterdaysahead from the Dublin Racing Festival, but if there's any venue she's likely to do that, it's at Prestbury Park. Tuesday's feature contest is an open race this year with the lack of a Constitution Hill or State Man in the line up, but it's fiercely competitive all the same with the likes of The New Lion and Poniros, both winners at the meeting last year, as well as reigning champion Golden Ace in contention.

Lossiemouth may just have too much in her locker for her rivals, however, and could prove classy enough to land the prestigious trophy for her owners who have previously won the contest twice with Faugheen and Annie Power respectively. 

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Plate Handicap Chase, 16:40, Cheltenham - Back Zurich EW @ 8/19.00

Katie Midwinter:Course-and-distance winner Zurich put in an excellent performance to win at the Showcase Meeting in October at the track. Although two of the more fancied runners fell in the contest, favourite Kdeux Saint Fray and Newton Tornado, the Henry de Bromhead-trained contender still beat four subsequent winners as well as Crest Of Fortune and Double Powerful.

In his subsequent start, Zurich could manage only third over 2m3f at Doncaster, sticking to the task well late on behind winner Jordans Cross, a subsequent Cheltenham winner now rated 10lb higher on a mark of 140, as well as Go West, a now 7lb higher rated performer on a rating of 139 who has won at Musselburgh since.

With the form of his latest run having been franked, as well as there being substance to his course win earlier in the term, Zurich is a name to note in this competitive handicap for team Knockeen. He's making only his eighth start over the larger obstacles, having generally performed with consistency as a chaser, showing progression and steady improvement since making his debut for his current yard in December 2024. 

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National Hunt Chase, 17:20, Cheltenham - Back Grand Geste EW 5 places @ 14/115.00

Alan Dudman: I am hoping, for once, the watering can of the world famous clerk Jon Pullin is used liberally as Grand Geste is best with a bit of cut and this is a handicapper chaser I have loved this term. He's another Sue Smith horse with Haydock form and wins in the Tommy Whittle and Grand National Trial marks him down as a serious Aintree horse for next season, as running in the Grand National would be too much of an ask for a novice at this stage of his career.

I was on board with the rookie chaser at Haydock in the Tommy Whittle in December in soft. His jumping was superb and he attacked those park fences with relish. Another round of jumping pleased me winning at Haydock last time - up in trip to near 3m5f on good to soft with his stamina really coming to the fore.

He does hold an entry in the Midlands Grand National on Saturday, which is usually very testing ground. Hopefully the ground will be in his favour with enough soft, as he's a super jumper and atypical for Smith.

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