This Friday marks the meaningful returns of the National Hunt season to the front of racing’s collective conscious. The 2024 Cheltenham Festival may have seemed like a long time ago, but with five months left until the following Festival, last season’s winners will be returning soon to attempt to go again.
Here, we look back on Tuesday’s winners from the 2024 Festival, and look at where they may reappear back in March.
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – Slade Steel
Ante-Post Prices
- Arkle: 10/1 Paddy Power
- Stayers’ Hurdle: 16/1 general
- Champion Hurdle: 20/1 SkyBet
- Brown Advisory: 25/1 SkyBet
It was not a vintage Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but Slade Steel was an authoritative winner by the line. That should have surprised few in an open renewal, as on soft ground, he had too much stamina for nearest rival Mystical Power, which he had displayed beforehand when winning a Grade 2 at Navan over 2m4f.
The form was overturned on a slightly quicker surface at Punchestown, but 2m hurdles do not look to be where his future lies, especially with State Man and Constitution Hill lying in wait. The two options for his season appear to be moulding him into a staying hurdler, although owners Robcour already have the defending champion Teahupoo in that division, or, more likely, going novice chasing.
The latter option opens up avenues regarding distance. He is clearly a versatile and hardy type, so is one Henry De Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore will be doubtless excited to go to war with this season if he jumps a fence well. There are no entries as yet, but a race such as the Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse at the turn of December would look an obvious early season goal, though with the removal of the Turners as an open Grade 1, the Arkle could well be the place for him at Cheltenham if able to maintain an end-to-end gallop over fences.
Predicted Cheltenham Festival Race: Arkle
Arkle – Gaelic Warrior
Ante-Post Prices
- Champion Chase: 5/1 generally
- Ryanair Chase: 6/1 Paddy Power
- Gold Cup: 50/1 generally
Quite frankly, who knows where Gaelic Warrior will end up?
He was in markets for pretty much every Grade 1 at last year’s meeting. He looked a Stayers’ Hurdle certainty at one point, threatened to take his place in both the Turners and the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chases, before ultimately taking his chance in the Arkle and promptly bolting up.
That was an exceptional performance, made all the greater by the fact he had been beaten in two previous Cheltenham Festival visits. However, true to his enigmatic self, when he returned right-handed at Punchestown, usually his preferred orientation, he was duly stuffed by stablemate Il Etait Temps, who he’d beaten on the bridle at Limerick earlier in the season.
The Champion Chase could be his calling given how he blitzed the field in the Arkle, but we know already that he has the stamina for 3m. The Ryanair Chase, or even the Gold Cup could appeal, though the King George may well light up his radar mid season on a right-handed, flat track. But then again, maybe he’ll fall at the first, then win the Champion Hurdle and the Grand National?
Predicted Race: Ryanair Chase
Ultima Handicap Chase – Chianti Classico
Ante-Post Prices
- Ultima Handicap: 12/1 generally
- Gold Cup: 66/1 Paddy Power
It had been a while since a winner of the Ultima Handicap Chase had proven close to Gold Cup class, but there is no doubt Corach Rambler did last year when third in the showpiece, following up back-to-back successes in the Festival’s opening handicap in 2022 and 2023. That will give Kim Bailey a lot of faith in Chianti Classico, who proved a durable and tough victor of this race a year ago.
The seven-year-old stepped up to Grade 1 company at Aintree, but was only fourth behind Inothewayurthinkin that day. That said, his progression was continuous last season and a stamina-sapping slog would be right up his streak if he can maintain that improvement this term.
He is not yet slated to begin his season anywhere, though the Coral Gold Cup could stand out as a target given he is still off a mark of 152. Should he win there, Graded races will have to be the aim, and the Gold Cup would open up as a serious option. If not, there is always a repeat bid in the Ultima to fall back on.
Predicted Race: Ultima Handicap Chase
Champion Hurdle – State Man
Ante-Post Prices
- Champion Hurdle: 5/1 generally
- Stayers Hurdle: 20/1 generally
If Constitution Hill remains fit and healthy this season, State Man will barely feel like the defending Champion Hurdler come March. However, apart from his fall on hurdling debut, the 2023 Champion Hurdle remains the only race he has lost, making Constitution Hill the only horse to beat him to a winning post.
The son of Doctor Dino has an extraordinary 12/14 strike rate for Willie Mullins, and dispatched Irish Point for his second Cheltenham Festival success seven months ago. He had swept the board of the other 2m Grade 1 hurdles in Ireland beforehand, and mopped up the final one at Punchestown for an unbeaten campaign afterwards.
This year will be more of the same unless Mullins decides he should meet Lossiemouth beforehand. Similarly, if Mystical Power steps up from novice to open company with some progression, there could be a temptation to move State Man up to 3m for a different prize: there are odds about him running in the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Nevertheless, it would be a surprise if any of his stablemates are good enough to dethrone his number one status at this distance in Ireland. A second showdown between he and Constitution Hill is really what the racing public want to see.
Predicted Race: Champion Hurdle
Mares’ Hurdle – Lossiemouth
Ante-Post Prices
- Mares’ Hurdle: 2/1 SkyBet
- Champion Hurdle: 7/2 Betfair
- Stayers’ Hurdle: 14/1 generally
It would seem unlikely that any trainer would have a horse so reputable as to be a shorter price than a defending Champion Hurdler for that same race, not least a champion who has only ever been beaten once. As it happens, the same trainer handles both, with Lossiemouth a shorter price for the Champion Hurdle than State Man, herself having also been beaten just the once in her career.
She was a talented juvenile hurdler, though her form went to the next level last term when she annihilated a decent field in the International Hurdle before facile successes in the Mares’ Hurdles at Cheltenham and Punchestown. Both of those were over 2m4f, and she coped fine for the extra emphasis on stamina.
This season presents a crossroads. Lossiemouth would almost certainly win another Mares’ Hurdle, for which she could go down the same route as last term. However, if Champion Hurdle aspirations are genuine, the Morgiana or Matheson Hurdles could well be the starting points, and a clash with State Man is likely.
Impaire Et Passe proved no match for State Man despite his own strong credentials a year ago. That said, should Lossiemouth be another to fall by that particular wayside, the Mares’ event will be an easy fallback for a ready look at back-to-back Festival victories.
Predicted Race: Champion Hurdle
Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – Lark In The Mornin
Ante-Post Prices
- None as yet
It is not easy for Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle winners to step up to open company. There have been some talented individuals win the race at the time, though few have achieved much thereafter, which is a spot Lark In The Mornin will have to overcome.
What he did overcome at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival was market weakness, as he drifted from favouritism to 9/1 before winning his race emphatically. He disappointed next time out at Haydock on quicker ground though, so a soft surface may be necessary to wherever he appears next.
Look out for some of the big handicap hurdles early on in the season in Ireland, as Joseph O’Brien’s four-year-old retains a mark of just 130. Graded prizes look too far off, but that may just be for now if he has more in his locker.
Predicted Race: Coral Cup
National Hunt Chase – Corbetts Cross
Ante-Post Prices
- Ryanair: 20/1 SkyBet
- Gold Cup: 20/1 Paddy Power/Betfair
Another horse who is not the easiest to predict, Corbetts Cross only won two of his six races last term, but was saved for the big occasion and then tried in testing waters.
He was favourite for Leopardstown’s Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase over Christmas, failing only to peg back Grangeclare West, but suffered a fall in his prep race for Cheltenham when sent off 1/4 at Fairyhouse. However, his class and stamina shone brightly on his Festival day, as he won the National Hunt Chase by a yawning 17 lengths.
Emmet Mullins then sent him the Aintree Bowl against established chasers, a bold move that was rewarded by a highly creditable third-placed finish. He was very well-supported that day too, so clearly much is thought of him. Mullins has often raided some big handicap prizes, but a mark of 166 surely means we will see him in Graded company first, perhaps in Down Royal’s Champion Chase over 3m, or maybe the John Durkan over 2m4f should his Ryanair Chase quotes be well-founded.
The Gold Cup will likely be the ultimate aim for the season, but he should have enough about him to drop back in trip if need be. Mullins is not the a traditionalist when it comes to mapping out schedules, so also expect a surprise entry along the way, that could involve a trip over to these shores.
Predicted Race: Cheltenham Gold Cup
Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
Make sure you’re following us on all our social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest horse racing news and the best tips.