Cheltenham Day 1 Lucky 15 Tips: Our first day Fantastic Four

Well; here we are again! Day 1 of the National Hunt celebration that knows no equal - the Cheltenham Festival. Four days of supreme drama, endeavour, colour and vitality. The horses are of course the superstars; top trainers/jockeys the icing on the cake.

The Festival would be much diminished too without passionate, knowledgeable fans to roar home the protagonists - it's just fantastic, frankly. It's amazing on TV, even better in the flesh, but however you enjoy it, it's unique.

Our Lucky 15 tips will, of course, come from the track on each of the four days. ITV provide terrestrial coverage, beaming the first SIX each day of the seven-race cards into our homes and on to our devices, which is great.

Here we go then - and  if you're playing, good luck. Whatever happens, enjoy, and we thank you very much for your company!

Cheltenham Betting odds

Our in-house Horse Racing tipster Owen McMahon has gone through the card for Tuesday's Races and made a selection for every race. Read who he's backing and why with our Cheltenham Day 1 Tips. Add to that former Jockey Katie Walsh has passed on her Cheltenham Tuesday Tips to us here at Betfred.

Bet on Cheltenham at Betfred

13:20 - Mighty Park @ 5/1

The traditional opener is the Supreme Novices', and it's invariably red-hot. Quick look at some of the legends that have done the business in it over the years - the likes of Flyingbolt, L'Escargot, Golden Cygnet, Brave Inca, Douvan, Altior, Shishkin, and Constitution Hill.

Phenomenal athletes, and the placed horses invariably go on to plunder huge prizes for themselves, too. See file marked 'Jonbon.' In terms of form-lines it's almost without equal.

This year's renewal sees Nicky Henderson's Old Park Star at the head of many people's lists, and it's not hard to see why. Since shipping in to Nicky's from Paul Nicholls in October last, three runs over timber have yielded three mightily impressive wins.

Last time was arguably the best, at Haydock 52 days ago, taking a G2 by 18 yawning lengths. He's yet to have a sufficiently stern challenge to be certain what's under the bonnet and is sure to get that on Tuesday.

However - and there are many more genuine threats - the one I like is even trickier to assess in terms of potential ceilings - a five-year-old Walk In The Park gelding that's had just the one hurdles run, a little Fairyhouse maiden, but who sluiced up by 38 (yes, 38) lengths - Mighty Park.

JP McManus owns, and Willie Mullins trains. That success was back in mid-January, and connections promptly put him away, wrapped in cotton wool or the equivalent, daring I guess to dream of this day.

He has all that inexperience to overcome, but on the evidence of that debut, and the whole Willie/JP/Mark Walsh factor, he might just be exceptional. El Cairos, from Gordon Elliott's, has been well touted and is the one I fear the most.

It's a stupendous-looking heat, as per, and with decent ground forecast they'll be hurtling up that hill in a potential finish of necks and nostrils.

14:00 - Lulamba @ 13/8

I'm hoping that the great Nicky Henderson has another special two-mile chaser on his hands in the shape of Lulamba. The master of Seven Barrows certainly knows what the exceptional ones look like.

It's a terrific renewal of the Arkle and I've made a case for the talented five-year-old in an accompanying piece, which you can read by kindly clicking HERE.

16:00 - Lossiemouth @ 2/1

An open-looking Champion Hurdle but I hope we're on the right one in Willie Mullins' gifted seven-year-old mare, and course specialist, Lossiemouth.

Once again I've looked at her prospects in some detail and those deliberations can be found right HERE.

16:40 - McLaurey @ 9/2

We're rowing in with another JP McManus-owned, Mark Walsh-ridden and Mullins-trained entry now, but the seven-year-old Jukebox Jury gelding is housed with the great man's nephew Emmet, not Willie.

McLaurey tackles the Plate, a 2m 4f handicap chase, and the first thing to stress is that he carries just 10st 7lb - a glorious racing weight. A near-maximum field of 23 are scheduled to face the starter so it's competitive and then some, but the selection has one or two pieces of form in his back catalogue that would entitle him to a deal of respect here.

Recent runs have arguably been a little underwhelming, but there was no disgrace in a 6.5l reverse at Down Royal when last seen 49 days ago, for example. He took a £74k handicap hurdle last year at Leopardstown and was then quietly fancied for the County Hurdle at the Festival - but finished stone last.

He immediately went chasing when reappearing for the season in November, and after four runs he could be about to show the benefit of that experience. His owner loves little more than having winners here, and the trainer I'm sure would love to put it up to Uncle Willie!

If all four of our selections won, today's notional 50p win Lucky 15, at the prices indicated (they can of course fluctuate), would return around £325 for a £7.50 total stake. If you can improve upon our selections (of course you can) - then go for it!

Bet £10 & Get £10

Opt in req. £10 Win/EW single on 13:20 Cheltenham 10-13/03/26. £5 E/W will count. Free Bets on settlement. Restricted to bets on Cheltenham. Removed 17:30 on same day. T&Cs Apply.

Sports Welcome Offer

New customers only. 00:00 06/03/26 – 23:59 13/03/26. Deposit via Debit Card & place first bet £10+ (1/1)+ on Sports in 7 days. £20 Sports & £20 in Acca Free Bets within 24 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility, payment excls & T&Cs Apply.

Cheltenham Tips with Betfred Insights.