Irish hurdler Kopek Des Bordes goes into the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle as the one to beat in the opening races of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. Willie Mullins’ runner has won all three of his starts, including on his most recent outing at the Dublin Racing Festival.
The unbeaten eight-year-old has developed a big reputation but victory in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle would elevate him into a superstar, just as it has in the past with Constitution Hill (2022), Shishkin (2020) and Altior (2016).
Dublin Racing Festival Victory Was Impressive
"We're looking at a good one here!"
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 2, 2025
𝐊𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐤 𝐃𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐬 produces an extraordinary performance in the @Tattersalls_ie Novice Hurdle @LeopardstownRC 🌟@WillieMullinsNH's five-year-old holds entries in the Supreme and Turners @CheltenhamRaces #DublinRacingFestival pic.twitter.com/s5SIjnlTgB
Kopek Des Bordes produced one of the most visually impressive performances at the Dublin Racing Festival in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle. He is now the odds-on favourite, at 5/6, in the horse racing odds for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle following that victory.
As the leading novice hurdler in Mullins’ pecking order at the Festival, Kopek Des Bordes will likely be one of the leading horse racing betting tips for the biggest meeting of the season. It is expected that retained jockey Paul Townend will choose to ride the talented five-year-old in the grade one race on the opening day of the event.
The Irish horse only made his debut over hurdles on Boxing Day, winning a maiden contest at Leopardstown. Mullins had a lot of confidence in his horse as he immediately stepped him up in class to grade one level. He was ridden prominently by Townend at the Dublin Racing Festival, and once asked to quicken in the closing stages of the race, his rivals could not match his pace.
Champion Hurdle Contender Next Season
If Kopek Des Bordes does win his first Cheltenham Festival victory at the meeting this year, attention will immediately turn to the 2026 Champion Hurdle. It could lead to a fascinating clash with the 2023 winner Constitution Hill in the premier hurdles contest.
Mullins has won the Champion Hurdle five times in his career with four different horses, so he knows what it takes to prevail in the championship race. State Man was the latest to prevail for the Champion Trainer in 2024.
Kopek Des Bordes may feature one more time this season after the Cheltenham Festival. Mullins will have the option of running his horse at the Grand National Meeting at Aintree in early April or the Punchestown Festival later that month.
Romeo Coolio Expected to Be Biggest Challenger in Supreme
A double on the day for @sam_ewing17 and @gelliott_racing as Romeo Coolio justifies favouritism in the @paddypower Future Champions Novice Hurdle 👊pic.twitter.com/HOhG1aQiWa
— Leopardstown RC (@LeopardstownRC) December 27, 2024
The biggest challenger to Kopek Des Bordes in the 2025 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is expected to be Romeo Coolio. Gordon Elliott’s runner won the Grade One Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle during the festive period at Leopardstown.
This year will be Romeo Coolio’s second appearance at the Cheltenham Festival. He finished as the runner-up behind Jasmin De Vauc in the Champion Bumper in 2024. Since then, he has won two of his three starts over hurdles, with his first triumph coming at Down Royal.
The 2025 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is scheduled to take place at 13:20 on Tuesday, 11th of March, 10 minutes earlier than its previous spot on the racecard.
