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Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Tips 2026
Cheltenham 11 March 2025 Unibet Champion Hurdle Grade 1 Golden Ace and Lorcan Williams race past the fallen Paul Townend
© Healy Racing PhotosAnticipation, excitement and suspense are at their highest among the racing fraternity on day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival when the very best hurdlers go head to head along with up and coming superstars and hardened handicappers.
Find Cheltenham day 1 tips right here and see more expert Cheltenham Festival tips here to discover which horses can make a splash in the big races of the day.
Vincent Finegan's Cheltenham Tips Day 1
Nap - El Cairos - Supreme Novices Hurdle
El Cairos achieved a high level of performance in Bumpers last season when owned and ridden by David Maxwell. Now in care of Gordon Elliott he is the only novice hurdler I have seen so far this season that has genuine star quality. He was in the process of producing a scintillating display at Leopardstown over Christmas when a freak incident after jumping the final hurdle ended with him hitting the deck. Presuming he gets his maiden hurdle victory out of the way before Cheltenham he will be difficult to beat in the Supreme Novices Hurdle.
Next best - Flicker Of Hope - National Hunt Chase
Flicker Of Hope is developing into a decent chaser. He is a very efficient jumper of a fence and is a strong stayer, attributes that are required for this stamina test. He disappointed in last season’s Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at the Festival which is a minor concern, but presuming he travels to Cheltenham again he would look to have a solid chance in this race.
More Cheltenham Festival tips
You can find more top Cheltenham tips for the festival below:
