Day 1 Tips

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After weeks of build-up, preview nights and debate, the talking ends on the opening day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. Champion Day sets the tone, as RacingTV’s Liam Firkin gives you his Lucky 15 for Day 1.

Day One Races Tuesday, 10 March

Supreme Novice Hurdle

I am going to side with Mydaddypaddy at 15/2 for the Skelton team. Many will have been disappointed with his effort in the Formby however there were obstacles omitted on that day and in a wide open contest, you can make a case against some that are towards the head of the market.

Mighty Park is likely to go off as favourite yet he has barely seen a rival to date with just the one start in a weak maiden hurdle and that leaves plenty of questions to answer with regards to how he will handle undulations, going left-handed, having to perform a championship pace, and if he will take to this course.

Nicky Henderson has been seemingly lukewarm on Old Park Star and given that he could be want to go forward along with Sober Glory, I can see this setting up for something coming from off the pace and Mydaddypaddy will no doubt travel strongly into the race and I think it’s a great bet as the first leg, especially if being played as an each-way multiple.

Festival Plate

O’Moore Park (14/1) who is available to be backed with the non-runner, no bet concession and there’s plenty to like about him in the intermediate handicap chase on day one.

He ran a fantastic race when finishing third in last year‘s novice handicap and was clearly competing amongst great quality horses on that day with the winner going on to score graded honours at Aintree. O’Moore Park then returned to Cheltenham for the April meeting where he was no early denied by a well handicap and Skelton horse put that further enforced his liking for the track.

There’s also been some nice form this season when stepped up in trip and tried over further which resulted in a 5th place finish in a big field handicap at Leopardstown over the festive period but more notably was his 2nd to Oscar’s Brother at Galway when just over 3L back and that was no disgrace given that the winner is now as short as 8/1 in places for the Brown Advisory Novice Chase. When many are looking for unexposed and younger horses for most of their handicap during the week this race continues to be a bit of an outlier with experience having come to the fore on numerous occasions in recent years.

From the last 15 renewals a horse aged 9 or older has landed this prize on 7 occasions and three of the last four winners were:

2022 – Coole Cody (11 Years Old)
2023 – Seddon (10 Years Old)
2024 – Shakem Up’Arry (10 Years Old)

This could be the year that Willie finally wins a Handicap Chase at the festival and I’m willing to follow the line of thinking with my pocket and am advising O’Moore Park as a bet.

Champion Hurdle

Lossiemouth (2/1) looks set to take a chance in this year’s race and I think there are plenty of question marks to answer for the other main protagonists. The New Lion wants further, Brighterdaysahead has been poor at the track on two occasions already and seems to get queasy at the sight of the stiff finish here at Cheltenham. Golden Ace has been the beneficiary of a couple of 2m races falling apart and that leads me to only want to get involved with the Ricci mare who is unbeaten at the course having won four from four and seems to come alive every March. For me, she will take all the beating here.

National Hunt Chase

There are some smart horses in here who have been well campaigned throughout the season and a couple that are yet to show their full hand. Most notably the Paul Nolan horse, Iceberg Theory.

A good winner on his most recent start at Cork and subsequently that form has been franked by the double green horse, who was runner up on that day, O’Toole. Iceberg Theory comes in here bidding for a hat-trick of wins and I can only see him further improving for the extra distance and Nolan’s runners always turn up here in good shape and more often than not, you get a good run for you money!

Time	Race
13:20	Supreme Novices Hurdle
14:00	Arkle Novices Chase
14:40	Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
15:20	Ultima Handicap Chase
16:00	Champion Hurdle
16:40	Plate Handicap Chase
17:20	National Hunt Chase