Thursday at the Cheltenham Festival once again saw some champions emerge, and all may have a big part to play in the upcoming jumps season. We take a look back at their victories in March and plot their likely courses back to repeat success in 2025.
Turners Novices’ Chase – Grey Dawning
Ante-Post Prices
- Ryanair Chase: 14/1 generally
- Gold Cup: 14/1 generally
There may always be a place in history for Grey Dawning as the last ever winner of the Turners Novices’ Chase with that race sidelined for a return of the novices’ handicap at the Cheltenham Festival. Dan Skelton’s brilliant grey put up a truly dashing performance that day, always tracking the leaders with menace before triumphing over Ginny’s Destiny by two lengths.
He had already won over 3m prior to that, sailing away with Warwick’s Grade 2 Hampton Novices’ Chase in January, while a routine defeat of the vastly more experienced Gaillard Du Mesnil at Haydock earlier in the season also reads very pleasingly. Although his season ended on a low note at Aintree, he had raced five times by then and may not have been suited by the track.
Galloping, undulating, tough tests of jumping are what he thrives on, so a return to Cheltenham in March will suit whatever form he arrives in. He is currently the ante-post favourite for the Betfair Chase at the end of November, and that ranks an excellent starting point for his season.
Where they choose to go next may depend either on his performance in a more bruising encounter, or the aggression of his campaigning. Should he fail notably in a test such as the King George, or even a foray to Ireland, the Ryanair may be the call, but if Skelton chooses to keep the powder dry, all roads may lead to him being the primary British contender in the 2025 Gold Cup.
Predicted Race: Gold Cup
Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle – Monmiral
Ante-Post Prices
- Stayers’ Hurdle: 50/1 SkyBet
In one of the bigger shocks at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, Monmiral recorded his first win in nearly three years, staying on stoutly in a race unusually dominated by British yards, who had the first six home. While the win was slightly out of the blue, he was a Grade 1 winning juvenile and the 3m at Cheltenham appeared to unlock something new from him.
He was fifth on quicker ground at Aintree next time out, but as is often the case with talented juvenile hurdlers, Monmiral now shapes as a thorough stayer. Whether he is up to Stayers’ Hurdle class, the only race in which he appears among the ante-post markets, is another matter entirely, with his mark of 144 at least a stone off even finishing mid division in that championship race.
What Paul NIcholls could still look to utilise is his novice status over fences. He remains without a win in five chase starts over two seasons, but he has never gone beyond 2m4½f over the bigger obstacles. Now that 3m seems to have been revealed as his optimum trip, a race like the Ultima or Kim Muir could well come into play if chanced back over fences, where he could still have potential.
Predicted Race: Ultima Handicap Chase
Ryanair Chase – Protektorat
Ante-Post Prices
- Ryanair Chase: 12/1 Paddy Power/Betfair
While Grey Dawning is the up-and-comer, Protektorat has been the genuine Grade 1 flagbearer for Dan Skelton for a few seasons now. His Ryanair Chase viceroy last season was the crowning moment of his career so far, and with few horses appearing to have this as their bona fide am, there is a fair chance of him repeating the trick.
Remarkably, he has never won more than once in a season since his novice chasing days, but he has remained tremendously consistent. Other than a flop when defending his Betfair Chase title last term, he was never beaten by more than five lengths, making the frame on each start, and being beaten just 2½ lengths by Jonbon in the Melling Chase after his Cheltenham triumph.
Despite having also finished third in a Gold Cup in the past, he is not even offered in the betting for Cheltenham’s showpiece race, so the Ryanair almost certainly looks the aim again, especially if Grey Dawning develops into a contender for the Gold Cup himself. He is entered in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree where he could concede significant weight all round.
Dan Skelton has not been afraid of letting him take his chance in big handicaps despite his lofty mark in recent years, and similar goals could well be set en route this term. In the absence of a defining 2m4f chase on British shores until the Festival, such races may well be considered good preps after last season.
Predicted Race: Ryanair Chase
Stayers’ Hurdle – Teahupoo
Ante-Post Prices
- Stayers’ Hurdle: 9/4 SkyBet
Another horse for whom one ante-post market is enough, Teahupoo is the undisputed king of the staying hurdle division. It is not necessarily the goal of any horse when they set out over jumps in Britain and Ireland, but now that he is there, it will take a very good horse to knock him off his perch.
It would not be a surprise if he took exactly the same route through this season, so do not expect to see him too much. A Hatton’s Grace hat-trick is on the cards at Fairyhouse in December, and as a good horse when fresh, that might well be his only stepping stone before a Stayers’ Hurdle repeat in March.
Unless any setbacks occur on the way, his is probably the most predictable path of the championship winners last season. Punchestown afterwards will be his third and final destination and odds on the Grade 1 treble may well be snapped up by some wily eyes.
Predicted Race: Stayers’ Hurdle
TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase – Shakem Up’Arry
Ante-Post Prices
- None as yet
From the most likely to follow up at the Festival to one of the least, with the greatest of respect to Harry Redknapp and Ben Pauling. Shakem Up’arry was a thoroughly deserving winner of the Plate last season, being in control by the line, but he is on a career high mark in a season in which he will turn 11 before the next Festival.
Realistically, a repeat win in this race is his most likely outcome for Cheltenham Festival success. Quite a bit of the Plate form worked out well afterwards too, though he himself was well beaten at Aintree in the Topham afterwards. When he returns this season it will be off that same rating of 149.
Clever preparation by Pauling could get him down to a realistically winnable mark once again, but he is not in any ante-post markets, including the Plate. Even if he does, there is no guarantee the same spark will remain at his age, and he is also a stone away from Graded level too.
Predicted Race: Plate Handicap Chase
Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – Golden Ace
Ante-Post Prices
- Mares’ Hurdle: 8/1 generally
- Champion Hurdle: 66/1 SkyBet
One of the best stories of last season’s Festival, Golden Ace belied the big guns to continue an unlikely emerging trend at Cheltenham: British-trained winners of the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. After Willie Mullins won the first five followed by a Henry De Bromhead winner in 2021, three successive Brits have scored and Golden Ace could prove the best of them.
She is unbeaten over hurdles, winning a pair of contests easily at Taunton before having too much kick for Brighterdaysahead at Cheltenham, that runner-up going on to win an Aintree Grade 1 in a hack canter. The fourth, Mullins’ Jade De Grugy, also won a Grade 1 next time out, so the form could barely have worked out better and there was no fluke about Jeremy Scott’s mare’s success.
The second album is always a tough release, but she followed up her Festival victory by defying a 5lb penalty in a Listed race back at Cheltenham in April. She has been given a mark of 143 after last season’s exploits, so there could well be temptation to attempt a coup in a handicap given she is Grade 1 quality against her own sex.
The Greatwood or Betfair Hurdles could easily come under consideration, while there is also the Relkeel or International Hurdles at Grade 2 level on the way to the open Mares’ Hurdle at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. That race will almost certainly be her calling this year unless the yard throw a novice chasing curveball.
Predicted Race: Mares’ Hurdle
Kim Muir – Inothewayurthinkin
Ante-Post Prices
- Gold Cup: 12/1 SkyBet
Ensuring Inothewayurthinkin retained a mark of 145 for the Kim Muir proved a masterstroke by Gavin Cromwell, as he was not exactly hidden away. He made a highly promising chase debut behind Imagine over 2m last November, then chased Gaelic Warrior home twice over intermediate trips.
A heavy defeat at the Dublin Racing Festival off 144 may be put down to being hampered and making a mistake at a crucial time in the race. Nevertheless, it is easy to see that 2m5½f may also have been on the short side for him whereas 3m2f on the New Course was right up his street, as he cantered to an eight-length on-the-bridle victory.
A Grade 1 at Aintree soon followed in which plenty went wrong in running. Yet he still beat Iroko by four lengths doing his best work nearer the end of the race. Any race below 3m already looks to be too short for him.
The Gold Cup has to be the aim for JP McManus and Gavin Cromwell, especially as he is just a six-year-old. Plenty more could be to come though the road back to Cheltenham looks as yet unclear, with a mark of 157 within the realms of being workable.
Predicted Race: 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.