Mark Milligan's Cheltenham Tips: Three to kick off the week at up to 16/1

• Mark Milligan has a trio of selections on Champion Hurdle Day

• Kopek the day's best bet

• Mark also fancies a pair each-way at bigger prices

• For the latest Betfair Racing odds click here

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

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

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

Cheltenham Day 1 Superboost Winner

The Cheltenham Festival got off to a flyer for the 31,000 backers of the Betfair Sportsbook Superboost as Old Park Star won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. See details of the offer below and look out for more Betfair Superboosts at the Festival.

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The Betfair Sportsbook have a fantastic Superboost to commence the 2026 Cheltenham Festival in the shape of Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Old Park Star.

The six-year-old has never been out of the first three in all of his six career starts and he's won all three of his races for new trainer Nicky Henderson this season. He was 1/31.33 to finish in the top four in Tuesday's curtain raiser, but you can now back him at the super-boosted price of 1/12.00.

To take advantage of this generous Superboost, click on the odds in the below Bet Banner to go to the pre-loaded bet slip.

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Champion Hurdle The Day One Feature

The Cheltenham Festival is the highlight of the jumps season and it's not unrealistic to compare it to the Olympics in terms of the calibre of equine athletes that it attracts year-in-year-out.

Although all the races are big events in their own right, the Champion Hurdle is considered the highlight of the first day.

One of the speed tests of the Festival, an ability to lie up with a fast pace and slick, accurate jumping tends to be what sets the winners apart.

This year's renewal revolves primarily around a pair of Irish mares, Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth, while the best of the home challenge looks to be The New Lion.

Having already put up The New Lion last week for this column, I won't be tipping him as a single again here, but wouldn't put anyone off having a bet on him in what looks a belting contest.

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

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.

14:40 Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle - Back Mustang Du Breuil E/W @ 11/112.00

The big-field handicaps offer up plenty of value at Cheltenham for those who like to back at bigger prices and we have plenty of extra places available on the Betfair Sportsbook throughout the week, which makes each-way betting particularly attractive.

With 24 going to post for the McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, the fact we have six places to go at on the Sportsbook gives this race a nice look to it.

Nicky Henderson fields both Manlaga and Mustang Du Breuil for Irish owner J P McManus and, while the stable's first-choice jockey is on the former, I believe it's the latter who offers up the most value.

The selection won both his first two starts over hurdles (initial one when trained in France) and his form when third at Kempton last time looks pretty strong, while he should be suited by the end-to-end gallop he's likely to get in this contest.

As you'd expect with so many runners, getting a bit of luck will likely prove crucial, but I'm more than happy to side with this one from an each-way perspective.

15:20 Ultima Handicap Chase - Back Konfusion E/W @ 16/117.00

Joint trainers Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith evidently hold Konfusion in high regard as he held a Cheltenham Gold Cup entry until recently and he makes plenty of appeal in the Ultima Handicap Chase.

He's been most progressive over fences this season, a feature of which has been his sound jumping on the way to winning three of his five completed starts (was unlucky to stumble and unseat his rider on the other occasion).

His most recent effort when third in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock can possibly even be upgraded given the stable had had a few high-profile horses run poorly around that time.

This is always a fiendishly difficult puzzle to solve but I believe a handicap mark of 145 still looks within the scope of Konfusion's ability and the fact that connections were prepared to even contemplate a stab at the Gold Cup suggests they think he hasn't hit his ceiling yet either.

We again have six places available on the Sportsbook and I can't let this one go unbacked each-way at 16/117.00

Mark Milligan's Cheltenham Multi Tip

Back Mighty Park 13:20 & The New Lion 16:00 win double @ 20/121.00

The opening Supreme Novices Hurdle looks a cracker and I can't resist putting Mighty Park into a double with my Champion Hurdle selection The New Lion.

As with Kopek Des Bordes in the Arkle, Mighty Park is conceding experience to the majority of his rivals, but he is so highly thought of in the Mullins camp that I doubt that's even a consideration for his master trainer.

Double him up with my Champion Hurdle fancy The New Lion, who I'm hoping can get the better of Mullins' Lossiemouth and cement himself as the dominant force in the 2m hurdling division.

Now read Katie Midwinters 1-2-3 Runner Guide for the Champion Hurdle