With the jumps season now in full swing, we are increasingly likely to see Cheltenham’s 2024 heroes re-emerge from their summer slumbers, with some having done so already. Here, we recap Friday’s winners from last season’s Festival, and preview their seasons ahead.
Triumph Hurdle – Majborough
Ante-Post Prices
- Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase: 8/1 generally
- Arkle: 16/1 Betfair/Paddy Power
- Champion Hurdle: 33/1 generally
An unusual Triumph Hurdle winner in many respects, Majborough had only raced once prior to the Cheltenham Festival, but carried plenty of reputation into Prestbury Park, as indeed he had to the Dublin Racing Festival in February.
He had joined Willie Mullins in November 2023 after winning a three-year-old’s hurdle race at Auteuil that April, but did not meet a racecourse again since finishing a highly admirable third to Kargese in the McCann Fitzgerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown’s annual knees up. A huge, raw individual, he is the archetypal future chaser in the making, but still had time to overhaul Kargese at Cheltenham when staying more strongly up the final hill.
He is in the Champion Hurdle market, but he looks significantly more likely to meet a fence sooner rather than later. The Fact To File route has been mooted as an obvious return path to this year’s Cheltenham Festival, with Navan therefore a potential starting point in their 2m4f beginners’ chase.
However, any intermediate chase could be his debut prospect, with the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novices Chase at the DRF proceeding a likely berth in the Brown Advisory, for which he is the shortest price. Only stablemate Ballyburn is ahead of him in that ante-post market, but if Mullins is tempted with the Arkle for him, then the giant Majborough could easily fill his shoes in the 3m race.
Predicted Race: Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
County Hurdle – Absurde
Ante-Post Prices
- County Hurdle: 16/1 generally
- Champion Hurdle: 40/1 SkyBet
One of last season’s Cheltenham winners we have seen regularly by virtue of his flat exploits, Absurde ran in the early hours of Tuesday morning when fifth in the Melbourne Cup. His dual purpose ability is largely unrivalled among the current crop of British and Irish thoroughbreds.
His three runs since a cheeky winner of the County Hurdle under a brilliant Paul Townend ride have come on the flat, including a Listed win at Chester as well as that fine Flemington effort down under. On a broad line through his flat rating, he is still likely to be well-handicapped over obstacles.
Despite being a potential novice chaser, he is not in the markets for any such races at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. Hurdles are almost certainly his calling still, with quotes about him for both a repeat County Hurdle win or an ambitious Champion Hurdle tilt.
He could develop into a lively outsider for the latter if improving his jumping technique given how proficient he is on the level. Nevertheless, he still holds a mark of just 144 over timber, so expect some potentially high class campaigning from Closutton in the interim as a backup to State Man so as to keep the powder dry for a lenient mark in March again.
Predicted Race: County Hurdle
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – Stellar Story
Ante-Post Prices
- Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase: 20/1 Betfair/Paddy Power
- Stayers’ Hurdle: 20/1 generally
With the National Hunt Chase and Turners Novices’ Chase having been altered ahead of this year’s renewals, the options have been narrowed down significantly for Stellar Story if he is to develop into a Grade 1 animal. After his gallant last-gasp success in the 2024 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, Gigginstown and Gordon Elliott will certainly hope he can.
The National Hunt Chase could still be an option if not as it reverts to a handicap for professional jockeys, as the competition in the Brown Advisory may prove particularly fierce this season. Stellar Story’s Albert Bartlett success was only his second in six starts last term, and he concluded his novice hurdling year by finishing fourth at Punchestown behind Dancing City.
That horse is one of those ahead of him in the novice chase pecking order and is shorter than Stellar Story’s 20/1 odds for the Brown Advisory. It would not take him to be more than an above average jumper to get involved though, particularly if ground conditions were suitably testing for him.
Gordon Elliott already has Teahupoo as a clear favourite for the Stayers’ Hurdle, so prospects for remaining over the smaller obstacles appear remote. I would not be at all surprised if Gigginstown have an eye on a National Hunt Chase mark, as this seven-year-old looks all about stamina. Expect some tough early 2m4f-3m assignments to sneak him in.
Predicted Race: National Hunt Chase
Cheltenham Gold Cup – Galopin Des Champs
Ante-Post Prices
- Gold Cup: 7/2 generally
We probably don’t need to do this section, we all know the destination and we all know the place in history which awaits.
Galopin Des Champs is a dual Gold Cup hero and is one of those rare equine talents to have truly delivered on his early promise. From the very start, he possessed a rare air of ability, but he has also been campaigned aggressively and thought provokingly.
Putting to bed the idea that we only hold unbeaten horses in exalted company, he only won three of five starts last season, twice losing at Punchestown. This season may be slightly different given he has a chance at etching his name alongside the greats at Cheltenham, especially with Willie Mullins possessing enough firepower to try and wrestle back the John Durkan at Punchestown.
Galopin may only be first sighted at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting as a result, before first seeking an Irish Gold Cup hat-trick at Leopardstown. Then, Cheltenham looms, and a date with destiny.
Predicted Race: Cheltenham Gold Cup
St James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase – Sine Nomine
Ante-Post Prices
- Hunter Chase: 6/1 generally
Another for whom there should be no introduction as to their 2025 Festival intentions, Sine Nomine provided one of the bigger underdog successes at last season’s meeting when upsetting some big connections in the St James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase.
The grey mare had won easily in her prep run at Wetherby, but as still available at generous each-way prices when outstaying Its On The Line in March. That rival franked that form no end afterwards though, winning the equivalent hunter championships at both Aintree and Punchestown.
Sine Nomine did not run afterwards and will probably reappear at the start of 2025. One or two runs in point to points potentially await before Cheltenham looms once again.
Predicted Race: Hunter Chase
Mares’ Chase – Limerick Lace
Ante-Post Prices
- Mares’ Chase: 4/1 generally
Even avid jumps fans may struggle to recall the answer when posed this: who was the other joint favourite for the 2024 National other than winner I Am Maximus?
Full marks to those remembering that Limerick Lace was the subject of a huge gamble on the day. Carrying the silks of JP McManus, it is unsurprising that she, along with the eventual winner, was plenty popular enough in the build-up, arriving off the back of her Mares’ Chase success the month prior.
Gavin Cromwell’s charge was in receipt of 5lb from Dinoblue when scoring eight months ago, but she had improved significantly throughout the season, and will take high rank among the mares once again. No bookmaker has her in their ante-post markets for the Ryanair or the Gold Cup, which is a bit of a surprise, so the mares’ only race surely looks the likeliest target.
Predicted Race: Mares’ Chase
Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle – Better Days Ahead
Ante-Post Prices
- Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase: 25/1 Betfair/Paddy Power
- Stayers’ Hurdle: 33/1 generally
Winning a race claimed by Galopin Des Champs and Banbridge in the last few seasons suggests Better Days Ahead must be a useful prospect for Gordon Elliott this term. It was his first win the curtain-closing event for six years, and he did it carrying 4lb more than Banbridge did, and only 2lb less than the two-time Gold Cup winner.
He is another who did not score at a prodigious strike rate last season, winning twice in six attempts, identically to Stellar Story. However, he finished ahead of that stablemate when third in the 3m Grade 1 novice event at Punchestown, and looks a likely type for chasing.
He was a point winner before taking part in bumpers, and Gordon Elliott has mentioned in his stable tours that novice chases are the plan. He stays up to 3m fairly comfortably already, and his concluding hurdles mark was only 145. Therefore, there is a chance a similar tale of getting him handicapped could be the goals, especially if he is beaten in the early exchanges of the season.
Gordon Elliott has been one of the few trainers who has aimed to win the Ultima Handicap Chase in recent years, and with the lack of options in the open Grade 1s, that may end up being Better Days Ahead’s calling before developing in open company in season after.
Predicted Race: Ultima Handicap Chase
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.