By Callum Close
National-hunt’s elite from Britain and Ireland will resume their yearly head-to-head for glory when the 2025 Cheltenham Festival commences in five weeks time.
On Tuesday, March 14 the Supreme Novices Hurdle will ‘raise the curtain’ on four days of illustrious racing in Gloucestershire.
The week, like no other in British racing, features 28 races headlined by a feature race on each day of the Festival.
The first of four feature races is the Champion Hurdle, a Grade One hurdle race open to horses aged four and older.
Contested on Cheltenham’s old course, two miles and eight hurdles stand between the starter’s flag and the shadows of the winning post.
Prestigious race
It is the most prestigious hurdles race on the calendar, awarding prize money worth £450,000.
This year’s renewal will see trainer Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill return to the Festival and look to retake his crown after missing last year’s event where he was withdrawn.
The Seven Barrows stable star is the current 4/6 favourite and after his victory on Cheltenham trials day, Henderson said: “It would be hard to be better than what he was.
“In the Supreme and Champion Hurdle you couldn’t imagine a horse could possibly decimate those he did without coming off the bridle, but he can do that.”
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Sir Gino in contention
Fighting Fifth Hurdle winner Sir Gino, who was rerouted to run at Gosforth Park after stablemate Constitution Hill was withdrawn, is included in the betting at 16/1 despite being ante-post favourite for the Arkle Chase.
He holds another possible, yet unlikely, entry into the race for Henderson.
Leading Irish trainer Willie Mullins has been crowned the Festival’s Champion Trainer 10 times since 2013.
He trains last year’s winner State Man, who won his third consecutive Irish Champion Hurdle on Sunday – defeating stablemate Lossiemouth after she fell.
Asked to assess State Man’s performance, Mullins said: “I’m happy that he was back to himself, but it’s hard to know.
“I’ve always said about State Man that we don’t know how good he is because he only does whatever he has to do. He only ever wins by a length or two when he’s right.”
Lossiemouth herself is 5/1 to win the 2025 Champion Hurdle and if running, would see a rematch with Constitution Hill.
Mares’ Hurdle more likely
The Christmas Hurdle at Kempton saw the British horse defeat her by 2.5 lengths, meaning that she is perhaps more likely to run in the Mares’ Hurdle and take on trainer Gordon Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead – the 5/4 favourite.
Elliott’s mare is undefeated since losing the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Cheltenham Festival.
She has also triumphed twice over the State Man and is 6/1 for this year’s race.
An Irish win would be the seventh since 2015, whilst a British win would be the fifth in the same time frame.
Henderson has trained the last four British winners whilst Henry de Bromhead, Gavin Cromwell have flown the Irish flag alongside Mullins.
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