Cheltenham Festival Tips: Kevin Blake has three selections for Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival from 6/1 to 12/1

• Crebilly the one to be on in the Ultima

• Beyond Your Dreams makes obvious appeal in the Fred Winter

• Hasthing can round off the JP treble

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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 offers on every day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival right here.

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

It's here!

After endless talk, arguments and everything else in between, the Cheltenham Festival is finally upon us. Anyone that pays attention to the sport will have heard endless chat about the Graded races at the meeting and while an interesting opportunity or two might well present themselves during the week, my intention in this daily column will be to mostly focus on the handicaps which haven't been nearly as heavily analysed at this stage.

There has been plenty of comment that JP McManus might well be set to have a big week with his string and that is certainly the way I'm thinking on day one. McManus has one of his shortest-priced contenders of the week in the shape of Majborough in the Arkle Challenge Trophy, but in my view he has a series of very good chances in the handicaps elsewhere on the card.

14:40 Cheltenham - Back Crebilly @ 13/27.50

The Ultima Handicap Chase (14:40) is a race that the home team have always held a significant edge in and that edge is only likely to have grown in the last few years with the changes to the handicapping of British-trained runners.

The one that makes the most appeal to me for it is the Jonjo & AJ O'Neill-trained Crebilly. The eight-year-old was very heavily backed for the Plate Handicap Chase at this meeting last year and did well to finish a close second to Shakem Up'arry after getting into a poor jumping rhythm.

Since then, it seems clear that his connections have campaigned him with a view to gaining compensation at this meeting a year later. The handicapper has been a willing friend to him to, dropping him a total of 5lb in three runs over fences which leaves him 2lb lower for this than he was at the meeting last year. The question mark is the step up to this longer trip, but it appeals as being likely to suit him and might well help him get into a better jumping rhythm.

It wouldn't surprise to see him attract strong market support and a bold bid is likely to be forthcoming.

16:40 Cheltenham - Back Beyond Your Dreams @ 6/17.00

The recently renamed Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (16:40) has been an Irish benefit in recent times and the shape of the declarations for this year's renewal suggests that is likely to continue.

Joseph O'Brien has won this race twice in recent years and is set to have at least two runners, as he has two in the main body of the field and the first reserve. All three are owned by JP McManus and all of them have solid chances. McManus's retained rider Mark Walsh will ride Puturhandstogether and the case for him is clear following his eye-catching second in a rated novice hurdle against older horses at Fairyhouse in February. He didn't look to be enjoying the testing ground on that occasion and a sounder surface is likely to bring about improvement in him, but the British handicapper really didn't miss him with a mark of 130 and that tempers enthusiasm for his chance.

In contrast, it is easy to make the case that Beyond Your Dreams is well handicapped relative to her reopposing rivals Slurricane and Total Look. She has shaped better than the result in all three of her starts over hurdles and while her hurdling hasn't been polished to this point, first-time cheekpieces promise to sharpen her in this regard. An improved effort is likely to be forthcoming from her and she makes plenty of appeal.

17:20 Cheltenham - Back Hasthing @ 12/113.00

The final race of the day is the Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase (17:20). This will be the first time it has been run as a novices' handicap chase, but there is little doubt that trainers have adapted quickly to the changed conditions, as more than a few look to have been campaigned with a view to targeting this race. While Irish-trained runners have a stronger hand here, I expect the home team to boss the race given the way the runners have been handicapped.

The one that makes the most appeal to me at the prices is the Jonjo & AJ O'Neill-trained Hasthing. The eight-year-old has won two of his four starts over fences and showed abundant stamina when coming from an unpromising position to win a competitive handicap chase at Windsor in January. He took a major step up in class when contesting the Betfair Swinley Handicap Chase at Ascot and acquitted himself well to finish fourth.

This much longer trip promises to suit and he appeals as being open to more improvement. He looks to be a big price to me and I expect him to run very well.

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