Cheltenham Tips Today: Daryl Carter's Cheltenham Day 1 bets include 16/1 NAP selection

• Kopek can get followers off to a flyer but use BSP for the best price

• Lossiemouth and Constitution Hill can land

• Back McConnell's big-priced runner in the NHC

• Check out our 2025 Cheltenham Festival HUB

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

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Cheltenham Day 1 Superboost

Last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle winning combination, Henry de Bromhead and Betfair Ambassador Rachael Blackmore, have another good chance of landing the Cheltenham Festival curtain raiser with the lightly raced Workahead.

The 7yo was incredibly impressive when thrashing William Munny - also in this race - at Leopardstown on Boxing Day and for this contest you can back him at the super-boosted price of 1/12.00 (from 4/91.44) to finish in the top five. 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.

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Racing... Only Bettor. Cheltenham Day 1. Watch Now!

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13:20 Cheltenham - Back Kopek Des Bordes @ BSP 3pt

The Supreme Novice can go to Kopek Des Bordes, who is one of just two novice hurdlers to break my 150 barrier this year, and he looks open to any improvement. Three for three in his career, he took a giant step forward at the DRF from his hurdling debut, where his jumping left something to be desired.

Still, his debut run has worked out well, with the second scoring the next time out and the fifth chasing home the now-bumper favourite. The selection was entitled to need his first hurdling/seasonal debut, and he improved significantly to win a Grade 1 on just his second hurdle start by 13 lengths at the DRF.

He devoured his field in an excellent circuit time and had to negotiate a loose horse, which halted his momentum before the second last flight.

That performance made him a well-above-average Novice Hurdler, and he should relish this end-to-end gallop.

He has so much untapped potential that he rates a solid chance to get us off to a winning start. However, back him at BSP as his price can only go one way, and the market has, in the past, liked to be against short-priced horses in the opening race of the festival.

Salvator Mundi doesn't jump well enough for two miles and, like most former juvenile hurdlers, will be seen to the best effect when going out in distance.

Workahead is interesting and should be on the premises. There are a few unknowns down the field, but nothing of the quality of Kopek Des Bordes.

*Kopek Des Bordes was advised at 25/126.00 in Daryl's Cheltenham Focus Series.

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14:00 Cheltenham - Majborough @ 4/71.57 

Majborough is tough to oppose, even though five-year-olds have a below-par record in this race. The youngster has looked a cut above everything he has faced in his career, and I doubt that a former handicapping hurdler like L'Eau du Sud will stop his upward curve.

The Mullins horse's jumping needs some work, but his sizeable engine makes him very difficult to be against. He routed his opposition at Leopardstown and Fairyhouse the last twice and given his finishing effort on both occasions; there's no ceiling to how good he could be. His defeat in this race would likely come down to his errors, but betting on one to make a mistake is not profitable. However, I can only see his price shortening and shortening; for this column to make a profit, he must be left out on a day with plenty of short-priced horses.

He has a high cruising speed but, most potent, a brilliant change of gear that could set him apart from these up the hill. 

*Jango Baie was advised at 8/19.00 each-way three places in the ante-post market, and that could easily still prove a profitable selection. He is the biggest threat over L'Eau du Sud, but Majborough is the class act and expected to score.

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14:40 Cheltenham - Back Katate Dori @ 13/27.50 1pt

The first handicap selection of the week goes to Katate Dori - 13/27.50 on the Betfair Sportsbook - who slammed up 17 days ago at Ascot to win, eased down by 15 lengths over an excellent yardstick in Hyland. He is highly progressive and has now won three of his last four. His defeat at Wincanton was down to some sloppy jumping at the rear of the field at a track where it pays to be ridden prominently, but his finishing effort was a testament to how well-handicapped he was.

In the hope that he is more forward, he could have at least ten pounds in the hand of the handicapper despite his latest rise of 12. He is a seven-year-old firmly on the up and an unexposed novice chaser who will be featured in next year's Grand National should he continue his upward curve.

Lightly raced and open to significant improvement, still following just four chase outings, he has a very likeable profile for this race, similar to last year's winner, Chianti Classico. Broadway Boy will go well following a break, but he has started to prove a little unreliable and looks weighted to the hilt now. Grandeur d'Ame is interesting, moving up in trip for the first time at an enormous price, but I feel he should have been raced prominently in the Plate Handicap.

*The Changing Man was advised at 10/111.00 on the Cheltenham Focus series, and he is a significant threat. I am happy to take another stab with him already in the bank. Keep him on your side for those who haven't backed him.

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Read why Timeform are also backing Katate Dori in their analysis of day one at Cheltenham here

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15:20 Cheltenham - Back Lossiemouth @ 4/61.67 2pt

I would have given Lossiemouth - 4/61.67 on the Betfair Sportsbook - a good shout in the Champion Hurdle as she ran exceptionally well at Kempton behind Constitution Hill. That was a career-best from this improving six-year-old, having been asked to go quicker than she has ever before and sticking on strongly at the finish.

Still, the logical move is to the Mares Hurdle following her fall at Leopardstown last time, and although that can be taken as a negative, she is so far clear of these rivals on my figures that she must be backed.

The return to 2m4f is a positive move on all known evidence, and the return to Cheltenham, where she is 3-3, is another. She should be able to fend off these; her likely most significant danger in Golden Ace has not been declared.

She makes stacks of appeal now taking in this engagement and must rate the day's banker as she should be a 1/41.25 chance.

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16:00 Cheltenham - Back Constitution Hill @ BSP 2pt

Constitution Hill is building to a more significant performance, and he has made a smooth return to action, including running a scorching time figure in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, fending off Lossiemouth.

That is the best single piece of form in the race, and his main market rival, Birghterdaysahead, is simply making the market for arguably the greatest hurdler Britain has ever seen. Constitution Hill is back to somewhere near his best, and in beating Lossiemouth, he may have even matched his previous form.

He runs Cheltenham very well, unlike Brighterdaysahead, who was beaten in a Mares Novice last term and must prove she handles this course. State Man will need the cheek-pieces to enhance his seasonal form significantly, but he has been a shadow of his former self, and Cheltenham is not his best place of work either.

Back Constitution Hill to regain his crown.

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16:00 Cheltenham - Back Golden Ace W/O Constitution Hill @ 11/112.00 1pt

The bet in the W/O market is Golden Ace, who has already taken the scalp of Brighterdaysahead and is another just coming to herself at the correct time. I expect her to confirm form with Brighterdaysahead and get the better of State Man with how she is likely to be ridden for a place, and she can finish best of all. She offers excellent value for those not wanting to punt at a short price.

Golden Ace is ready to put in a career-best, and she can chase home Constitution Hill.

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16:40 Cheltenham - Back Puturhandstogether @ 6/17.00 1pt

JP McManus has a strong hand in this contest, but Puturhandstogether - 6/17.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - gets the vote, having shown a race-by-race improvement in three outings over hurdles and even looking lairy when scoring at Cork on his penultimate outing.

He has been crying out for a quicker surface, and the ground looks to have come right for him to make his mark on his handicap debut. He showed an electric turn of foot at Cork between the final two flights and quickened again to score over Turn And Finish, who gave the form a good boost next time. The fifth has also advertised that form well by scoring next time out.

The selection was progressive on the flat and took the scalp of a now 103-rated rival at the Curragh last July. While an opening mark of 130 looks a little stiff, we have yet to see the best of this four-year-old, who is a strong traveller and has a bright turn of pace.

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17:20 Cheltenham - Back No Time To Wait @ 16/117.00 1pt e/w (5 places) 

This is a wide-open race, and with a sounder surface on offer, I want to side with John McConnell's No Time To Wait - 16/117.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook. The seven-year-old came from the Caldwell Dispersal sale and is a horse I have always thought wanted an extreme stamina test.

He showed some bright signs of life for the first time for this yard at Musselburgh last month when sticking on well at the finish in a first-time tongue-tie. He will surely appreciate this stiffer track; his trainer knows what it takes for this type of race.

He has the bonus of having been at Cheltenham previously when staying on from the rear of the field in the 2023 Champion Bumper, where he wasn't far behind Captain Cody.

Granted, this stiff stamina test, his handicap rating of 133 isn't beyond him, and he makes plenty of appeal at big odds for an each-way play. There's untapped potential in this horse, and providing he builds on his latest effort, he can play a strong hand.

He is as big as 40/141.00 in places but only 16/117.00 with the Sportsbook after some cash came following the opening of the markets. Do what you must here, but 16/117.00 is the basement price to take!

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Now read Kevin Blake's best bets on day one of the Cheltenham Festival

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