Cheltenham 2025: Final touches to the antepost book

Here we go, folks. It's time for my final entry to the Cheltenham 2025 antepost book ahead of the four greatest days on the sporting calendar.

I've got a couple of selections to finish things off - including one that's proving very popular this very morning. That price might not last long.

Looking at the current weather forecast for Cheltenham, the ground is going to dry up plenty by this time next week - and that'll be music to the ears of GALVIN's connections.

I think Gordon Elliott's 11-year-old, who's always appreciated such conditions, has been treated very fairly by the British handicapper, who opted for a mark of just 154, ahead of his fourth visit to the Festival.

That's a pound lower than his last appearance on these shores, when fourth - beaten eight-and-a-half lengths - in the Grand National. Generous.

Since then, he's finished runner-up in the American National over the smaller obstacles and had a spin round Punchestown in a charity race, simply to keep the blood pumping.

He's reportedly in very good nick at home and while he's getting no better at his age, he certainly doesn't appear to be regressing much to my eye.

On all known form, and with likely conditions in mind, he must have every chance of giving the favourite Stumptown three pounds. I think the price difference between the pair is too much and I expect the gap to tighten in the coming days.

An even bigger eyecatcher after the weights reveal last Tuesday was BEYOND YOUR DREAMS, who I've become very keen on for the Fred Winter.

Joseph O'Brien's daughter of Fastnet Rock was handed a mark of just 123, which looks quite generous on multiple formlines - and considering the way the British handicapper has treated the likes of Willy De Houelle (140), Naturally Nimble (138) and Wendrock (136).

The selection was only half a length behind Gavin Cromwell's Total Look (132) at Navan back in November, closing with every stride. Another half-a-furlong, which she gets at Cheltenham, and the placings would surely have been reversed.

Crucially, that was before Total Look had handicap aspirations. Back then, he was being talked about as a potential Triumph hopeful, so other than the fact it was his hurdling debut, there's no reason to expect he wasn't 100%.

Beyond Your Dreams' beating of Slurricane (126) off level weights last time out also reads well. I just watched the race back and feel she was was worth a good bit more than the official margin too, making a momentum-losing error at the penultimate flight. She went on to win quite cosily, considering.

I also like the fact she's seemingly been kept for this since her maiden victory at Fairyhouse before Christmas. They got her three runs in early and focus turned straight to the Fred Winter.

Any worries about her participation, given JP McManus and O'Brien have multiple possibilities, have been eased, for I'm told O'Brien's race planner Kevin Blake was talking her up at a preview night in Belfast the other day.

The Fred Winter is an incredibly tricky race and you need plenty of luck, but I think Beyond Your Dreams has outstanding claims and I wouldn't be completely surprised if she ends up vying for favouritism. She's sure heading that way, moving from 11s to 9s in the time I've spent writing this.

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