Welcome, all to my 2021 Cheltenham Festival Preview Day 1 Free Tips, I will be writing a preview along with free tips for each day of this year’s biggest horse racing meeting.
The first day of the Cheltenham Festival is Tuesday 16th of March and the races for day one are listed below.
I will be covering the biggest races on each day so on day 1 I will be covering the Supreme Novices Hurdle, the Arkle Trophy, the Champion Hurdle, and the Mares Hurdle.
Cheltenham Day 1 Race Schedule
13:30 – Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – 2m ½f
14:10 – Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy – 2m
14:50 – Ultima Handicap Chase – 3m 1f
15:30 – Unibet Champion Hurdle – 2m ½f
16:10 – Close Brothers’ Mares Hurdle – 2m 4f
16:50 – Northern Trust Company Novices’ Handicap Chase – 2m 4½f
17:30 – National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup – 3m 6f
Supreme Novices Hurdle
Race one of this year’s big meeting which won’t have the usual roar at the off but will have all the thrills and spills of previous years, with Appreciate it looking likely to be a short-priced favourite and is already around 6/4 to win this.
He has won all three of his races over timber and looks to be improving with every run, he will be hard to beat in the first, though Metier could possibly give him the most to do in the home straight up the Cheltenham hill.
My tip – Appreciate it (currently 6/4)
The others in this field have been in behind him already in previous races so he is worth favourite here.
Arkle Challenge Trophy
Shishkin is the one to watch in this one, he oozes class, travels well picks up well, and more importantly, he jumps well too.
Looks unbeatable at 2 miles, that is until a new horse came on to the scene at Gowran Park winning by over 18 lengths in a 2 mile 4, Energumene is the name from Willie Mullins string he has since been dropped to 2 miles and has come into his own emerging as the chief threat to Shishkin here.
That being said I side with Shiskin in this race but will be watching the young pretender.
My tip – Shishkin (currently 10/11)
He is number one still in my book and I would be surprised if anything beats him in this.
The Champion Hurdle
Epatante is the defending champion in this field and who looked good when winning well in The Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
The Christmas Hurdle poses some questions over here though, losing to Silver Streak who also runs here and does have a chance based upon that form, Epatante will have to prove herself in this race once more.
Honeysuckle is another that can dethrone the current champion and she is currently favourite for this race, A winner of the Mares Hurdle last season, she remains unbeaten over hurdles.
She runs well and stays very well and can stay over slightly further which means the Cheltenham hill could decide this duel in which Honeysuckle I think will come out on top.
My tip – Honeysuckle (11/4 currently)
I can see it being between Epatante and Honeysuckle up the hill with Honeysuckle edging on in the last furlong or less.
The Mares Hurdle
Honeysuckle won this race last year and Henry De Bromhead has her entered in both races so if he decides to swerve the Champion Hurdle she would be a short favourite in this race too.
Roksana would be favourite for me if Honeysuckle sticks to the Champion Hurdle, she has good form coming into this with a Grade 2 win over hurdles at Ascot most recently.
This race being shorter shouldn’t pose any problems for her especially with more emphasis on stamina.
Benie Des Dieux and Concertista are possible each-way bets for me, but I am not sure if they will make it into the final declarations or not yet.
My tip – Roksana (4/1 currently)
That being said I don’t think Honeysuckle will run in this as she’s won it before, and that paves the way for me to get better odds on Roksana who I feel will have the beating of this field.
My Cheltenham Day 1 Yankee
With all four of those selections considered I am going to put them into a Yankee bet (not sure what that is check out my horse racing betting guide)
13.30 – Appreciate It 6/4
14.10 – Shishkin 10/11
15.30 – Honeysuckle 11/4
16.10 – Roksana 4/1
A 50p Yankee on these would cost about £5.50, but the return if they all win is around £138.
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