13:20 Cheltenham Tips: Willie to reign Supreme
Welcome to the opening race of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival - the Grade 1 Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Twelve runners are scheduled to face the starter on Tuesday at 13:20, triggering that famous roar that rolls all the way down the straight to the foot of Cleeve Hill.
Irish trainer Willie Mullins, of 103 Festival winners thus far and counting fame, saddles half the field and perhaps even more importantly the very warm favourite - more of which shortly. Anticipation is off the scale, and history will be written in the coming days. Enjoy, take care, and have a great week.
13:20 Cheltenham Tips - Tuesday, March 11
(prices accurate at time of publication and can fluctuate)
Kopek Des Bordes to win @ 10/11
The Supreme Novices' is habitually won by a proverbial aeroplane. In fact the placed horses routinely go on to become legends in the sport.
A quick look at the honours board down the years - the likes of Flyingbolt, Bula, Golden Cygnet, Brave Inca, Altior and Constitution Hill to name but a handful have taken this en route to further glories. It's a glittering prize that's invariably secured by a truly outstanding horse.
My idea of the winner is the notion I suspect of many - Willie Mullins' Kopek Des Bordes. He's an unbeaten five-year-old French-bred gelding that's done nothing but impress in three highly-progressive spins so far.
Dotted up on debut in a Fairyhouse bumper nearly 12 months ago. Won his maiden at Leopardstown on Boxing Day, not jumping in all honesty with the kind of fluency that will be needed today; but then in his latest outing 37 days ago, again at Leopardstown in a Grade 1, he took his form to an entirely new level.
His detractors might wonder quite what he's beaten thus far, but visually that last success was just this side of breathtaking. He's comfortably on his own on official figures, owns the loftiest Racing Post Rating, and could be special.
It's a mighty test, he's of course relatively inexperienced, but the engine looked huge the last day. We might just have another flying machine on our hands and Paul Townend, who else, has the riding assignment.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
Workahead each-way @ 7/1
The first of a couple of each-way advices in the race. It's a Championship heat, anything can happen, and the opposition is deep.
Workahead represents the brilliant County Waterford trainer Henry de Bromhead, and the equally gifted Rachael Blackmore is in the saddle. This is a seven-year-old gelded son of the mighty Arc and Derby-winner Workforce, who I saw finish second in York's Dante Stakes 15 years ago under Ryan Moore.
The setting could hardly be more contrasting but the stakes are just as high. Workahead won his point in January 2023 then was absent from competition for 678 days.
He wasn't knocked about when third in his maiden at Navan on reappearance in December, but then rather burst upon the scene next time at Leopardstown on Boxing Day, taking another maiden by 7l from William Munny; a rival again today that I give a great e/w shout to also.
It's big leap from maiden company to Festival Grade 1 but this yard knows what it takes to win it and he could hardly have been more impressive, making all. He's inexperienced, something we could say about several in the field in all candour, and quite apart from the favourite to think about it's fair to say that William Munny has improved a fair bit since they met.
At current prices, and at 1/5 the odds each-way (3 places), if he does indeed place and you've supported him accordingly you'll show a wee profit. A tremendous curtain-raiser with so many potentially exciting combatants lining up.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
William Munny each-way @ 7/1
This seven-year-old gelded son of Westerner has cropped up already whilst discussing his rivals today, and he's far more experienced that the two I've looked at so far.
William Munny runs in the familiar silks of owner/trainer Barry Connell, and is another yet to be tested at the highest level over timber this campaign - but did run in Punchestown's G1 Champion Bumper last term.
His recent appearances however have been in red-hot company when considering the opposition, as he narrowly gave best to Kawaboomga at Fairyhouse in January, who in turn had run Kopek Des Bordes close the time before that!
He's also seen the back-end of Workahead on the racetrack as alluded to in the previous element, but they've all moved onwards and upwards in fairness since, with William Munny announcing himself to the world in earnest at Punchestown 19 days ago; putting a yawning 15l between himself and his rivals in career-best fashion.
Sean Flanagan take the mount, and at current prices it's another that shows a sweet little profit for each-way support if managing to secure a top-three spot.
I'm hoping the winner comes from one of these three and with warm favourites there's always a host of attractive each-way plays as a consequence.
Let's get this party started ...
Odds correct at time of publishing.
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Cheltenham Tips from Betfred Insights.
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