Cheltenham Tips Day 1: Handicaps

The Ultima and the Fred Winter are two of the most competitive handicaps of the week and they’re accompanied by the National Hunt Chase, which has changed conditions to a handicap for 2025.

Here, we have picked out three value bets for the handicaps including a last time out winner that may have been let in lightly by the handicapper.

Get €30 in FREE BETS with the bet365 sign up offer to spend on the action at Cheltenham:

2.40 Cheltenham - 3m1f Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (Class 1) (5yo+)

This is a typically wide-open renewal of this contest and it’s a race that the home team have won every renewal of since 2006.

There’s plenty of pace in this year’s renewal and it could really set up for a closer such as Victtorino, who has enjoyed a fine campaign so far this season. He followed up his third in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury with back-to-back three mile wins at Ascot with some well handicapped rivals in behind in both those victories.

Venetia Willilams’ charge appears likely to get his preferred conditions again on Tuesday with a dry spell in the week before the Festival and that will suit him a lot more than most of his rivals.

With just a 3lb rise to cope with for his latest win, he looks capable of running a big race at decent odds with an ideal set up on paper.

Selection: Victtorino

4.40 Cheltenham - 2m. 87yds.(Old) Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Registered As Fred Winter) (Premier Hcap) (Class 1) (4yo)

An opening mark of 135 looks very workable for Stencil who has made a really promising start to his career so far.

After two wins in France, this JP McManus-owned runner chased home East India Dock (joint favourite for the Triumph later in the week) in a Grade 2 on Cheltenham Trials Day.

That graded course form ought to hold him in good stead back in handicap company, where it’s a surprise he’s not carrying top weight and the owner targets this race, so there’s every chance this has been the long term plan.

James Reveley, who is now based in France, is a fascinating jockey booking given his record in recent seasons over the other side of the Channel and this could be a great confidence booster for the rider ahead of his ride on Il Est Francais later in the week.

Selection: Stencil

5.20 Cheltenham - 3m6f (Old) Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase (Class 2) (5yo+ 0-145)

Jonjo O’Neill has won this race more than any other trainer and Hasthing has to be an interesting runner in a bid to give the trainer a seventh renewal.

He chased home our Ultima selection, Victtorino, last time out at Ascot where he really shaped like an extreme stamina test would suit, staying on strongly in the closing stages of that three mile contest.

He’s been left on the same mark for this contest and given that he’s proven on this sort of ground, he can outrun his double figure price.

Selection: Hasthing

Get €30 in FREE BETS with bet365