Cheltenham competition 2025: Ballyburn shocked; The New Lion roars to win on day two – stay | Cheltenham competition 2025
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Key occasions
2.00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase: Ballyburn nonetheless on the again however solely 4 or 5 lengths behind – however now Quai De Bourbon falls, and will get within the favorite’s method. Dancing Metropolis, Higher Days Forward and Lecky Watson nonetheless the main trio …
2.00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase: Ballyburn is sort of down very early on, however Paul Townend stays within the saddle and retains the recent favorite in contact behind the pack. Out in entrance are Lecky Watson, Dancing Metropolis and Higher Days Forward.
2.00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase: Ballyburn begins as an odds-on favorite for Willie Mullins, with Gordon Elliott’s Higher Days Forward subsequent within the betting. Mullins has three different horses on this race, Elliott additionally has Lecky Watson, and the opposite title within the subject is Henry De Bromhead’s Beautiful Tom.
Traditionally, 9 Gold Cup winners have emerged from our subsequent race – the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase. This 12 months, all seven runners are from Irish stables.
The snow that fell in a single day is regarded as essentially the most on the competition since 1974, though heavier flurries in 1978 compelled a postponement, with the Gold Cup being raced in April.
Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase: odds replace
Newest odds from Oddschecker:
Ballyburn 4/7
Dancing Metropolis 15/2
Higher Days Forward 9/1
Beautiful Tom 12/1
Quai De Bourbon 14/1
Stellar Story 22/1
Lecky Watson 28/1
Market movers by way of Oddspedia:
Ballyburn (10/11 into 4/7)
Quai De Bourbon (20/1 into 14/1)
The New Lion has additionally damaged racing’s “Challow Curse” – he’s the primary winner of Newbury’s Challow Hurdle to comply with up with a competition win in the identical season since Wichita Lineman in 2006-07.
Jockey Harry Skelton, who’s within the JP McManus silks and sporting a shiner on his proper eye, says The New Lion “has received all of it … you hope for [this] one time in your profession. Ever since I rode this horse, I assumed there was one thing completely different. This place is magic, it may give you all the pieces.”
Turners Novices Hurdles: The New Lion wins thrilling three-way battle
Cheltenham 1.20
1 The New Lion (Harry Skelton) 3-1
2 The Yellow Clay (J W Kennedy) 5-2
3 Closing Demand (P Townend) 6-4 Fav
11 ran
Additionally: 150-1 Forty Coats 4th
1.20 Turners Novices Hurdles The three favourites break clear and are virtually neck and neck over the ultimate fence … Closing Demand is out of fuel, can The Yellow Clay maintain on? No, The New Lion finds an additional burst down the within to win for the Skeltons!
1.20 Turners Novices Hurdles Potters Attraction takes on Sixmilebridge with The Yellow Clay additionally shifting up, and Closing Demand and The New Lion each staying with the main group …
1.20 Turners Novices Hurdles With six to go, Kel Histoire is pushed alongside and Supersundae is up alongside the main trio …
1.20 Turners Novices Hurdles Sixmilebridge is the early chief with Potters Attraction and the Yellow Clay in behind, the tempo first rate and each horse nonetheless in competition.
Turners Novices Hurdles kicks off the day’s motion
Will they get away first time? No, they’re shifting too quick for the starter – however somewhat than ship them on the flip, a standing begin is known as. We’re off …
The bookies see this opening race as a three-way battle between Willie Mullins’ Closing Demand, Dan Skelton’s The New Lion and Gordon Elliott’s The Yellow Clay. Let’s see …
After the opening day which noticed wins for English, Scottish and Welsh stables, Nice Britain leads Eire 4-3 within the Prestbury Cup. Paul Townend is presently the main jockey after securing two wins for Willie Mullins on Tuesday.
Market movers for the Turners Novices’ Hurdles by way of Oddspedia:
Greg Wooden
Preview: 4.00 Queen Mom Champion Chase, Grade One, 2M
What was already an intriguing renewal of the two-mile chasing championship is changing into extra attention-grabbing by the minute right this moment as Jonbon, a 5-6 likelihood in a single day, has drifted to even cash within the face of help for Energumene, the winner of this race in 2022 and 2023, who’s 6-1 (from 7-1). It would simply be punters getting chilly ft after a few odds-on reverses on Tuesday, however Jonbon’s nasty behavior of getting overwhelmed on the competition (and, in 20 profession begins, solely at Cheltenham) might also be taking part in on some backers’ minds. He did, in spite of everything, hand a convincing defeat to Energumene at Ascot in January, and his total type has reached a brand new excessive this time period.
Jonbon, in reality, arrives off the again of 5 straight wins, and 9 in his final 10 begins, together with seven at Grade One stage. He has made his personal operating in a majority of these races, nevertheless, and appears unlikely to be gifted a mushy lead right here with Solness, a front-running Grade One winner on his final two outings, additionally within the subject, whereas Marine Nationale, the Supreme winner two years in the past, is one other attention-grabbing runner for all that he has only one win over fences to his title, in a learners’ occasion in December 2023.
SELECTION: JONBON.
KEY FORM:
Clarence Home Chase, Ascot, 18 Jan 25 (Jonbon, Energumene).
Tingle Creek Chase, Sandown, 7 Dec 25 (Jonbon, Solness).
Dublin Chase, Leopardstown, 2 Feb 25 (Solness, Marine Nationale).
Queen Mom Champion Chase, Cheltenham 15 Mar 23 (Energumene).
The bottom was on the nice aspect of good-to-soft yesterday – however how will the in a single day snowfall have an effect on issues? ITV’s Mick Fitzgerald doesn’t anticipate a drastic change.
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Good afternoon, Niall right here selecting up the baton from Tony. Let’s check out the newest odds for the day’s opening race, by way of Oddschecker. The Yellow Clay has been an enormous market mover this morning, along with his odds minimize from 13/2 to three/1.
Closing Demand 13/8
The New Lion 3/1
The Yellow Clay 3/1
Potters Attraction 14/1
Sixmilebridge 22/1
Kel Histoire 33/1
Kiss Will 40/1
Supersundae 50/1
Kaid D’Authie 50/1
Kappa Jy Pyke 100/1
Forty Coats 125/1
Greg Wooden
Preview: 2.40 The Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle, 2m 5f
That is all the time one of many fiercest betting heats of the week, and likewise one of many trickiest of all of the races to unravel, with simply two profitable favourites this century and winners at 50-1, 33-1 (twice) and 28-1 within the final dozen years alone. Dan Skelton fields the seemingly favorite in Be Conscious as he makes an attempt to finish a three-timer on this race, following victories for Langer Dan in every of the final two runnings, and whereas the outdated warrior in not within the subject this time round, Henry de Bromhead’s Ballyadam, the three-and-a-half size runner-up 12 months in the past, is again for an additional crack. Be Conscious, a hold-up horse who is definite to get a powerful tempo to intention at, has run nicely in handicaps at Cheltenham and Ascot on his two earlier begins this season, however his run-style means he’ll want some luck in operating and punters are, frankly, spoiled for selection if they’re searching for another. JP McManus’s colors can be aboard a few very stay runners in Impose Toi and Consolation Zone, whereas Tony Bloom, one other proprietor who likes a punt, could have excessive hopes of Bunting, seventh dwelling behind Majborough in final 12 months’s Triumph Hurdle. Harry Fry’s Beat The Bat additionally appears certain to understand a return to this journey after an attention-grabbing run within the William Hill Handicap Hurdle final time and is probably the choose of the costs at round 12-1.
SELECTION: BEAT THE BAT
Scratch this off your checklist of runners. No 16, Highland Haven, doesn’t go within the Weatherbys Champion Bumper (5.20pm), the final race of the day.
Greg Wooden
Preview: 2.00 Brown Advisory Novice Chase, Grade One, 3m 110yds
The ninth race at this 12 months’s competition and, in all probability, the fifth odds-on favorite, as Ballyburn has appeared like a banker for this since a strong-staying win over an prolonged two-miles-and-five at Leopardstown final month. Willie Mullins’s runner was a convincing winner of the previous race 12 months in the past, suffered his solely defeat over fences when making an attempt to offer 6lb to Sir Gino over two miles at Kempton’s Christmas assembly, and is all however sure to enhance for the step as much as three miles on the premise of his efficiency final outing. He took off simply behind the helpful Croke Park at Leopardstown however was powering away on the line and can take all of the beating right this moment if his stamina kicks in once more on the backside of the hill. His six rivals embrace three steady companions – Dancing Metropolis, the second-favourite, Lecky Watson and Quai De Bourbon – who all boast helpful type, and Quai De Bourbon specifically makes some each-way enchantment with Patrick Mullins taking the reins with important enchancment seemingly from his newest begin in a learners’ occasion. For win functions, although, it is extremely arduous to see past the market chief.
SELECTION: BALLYBURN
KEY FORM:
Ladbrokes Novice Chase, Leopardstown, 2 Feb 25 (Ballyburn).
Daly Farrell Accountants Novices’ Chase, Gowran Park, 23 Jan 25 (Quai De Bourbon).
Finlay Ford at Naas Novice Chase, Naas, 25 Jan 25 (Dancing Metropolis).
Our buddies at Oddschecker have weighed in with some market movers ahad of the day’s racing:
Turners’ Novices Hurdle The Yellow Clay: 13/2 > 4/1
Brown Advisory Chase Quai De Bourbon 25/1 > 16/1
Coral Cup Impose Toi: 9/1 > 6/1; Samui: 40/1 > 25/1
Cross Nation Chase The Goffer: 16/1 > 10/1
Champion Chase Energumene: 15/2 > 6/1
Grand Annual JPR One: 10/1 > 8/1; Primoz: 20/1 > 9/1
Champion Bumper Copacabana: 11/4 > 4/1
The snow has spoilt one extremely popular side of Wednesday’s racing, the journey to the centre of the observe to observe the motion within the Cross Nation Chase.
Greg Wooden
Preview: 1.20 Turners Novice Hurdle, Grade One, 2m 5f
Day two at Cheltenham 2025 kicks off in a lot the identical method as day one: a heat favorite from the Willie Mullins yard and an enormous likelihood for the punters to get one step in entrance of the layers forward of two even shorter-priced favourites within the afternoon’s two remaining Grade Ones.
Closing Demand, in contrast to Kopek Des Bordes in Tuesday’s Supreme Novice Hurdle, will not be anticipated to go off at odds-on and is presently buying and selling at round 13-8, however he has the same profile, having surged to the highest of the betting after a thumping success on the Dublin Racing Competition. He gained over two-and-three-quarter miles there and there was some hypothesis that he would possibly step as much as three for the Albert Bartlett on Friday, however he confirmed a lot pace as he zipped clear within the straight at Leopardstown that dropping again a furlong will certainly not trigger him any points. He’s odds-against for a motive, although, and faces a minimum of two very credible rivals in The New Lion and The Yellow Clay, who’re each inside 5lb of the favorite on Timeform scores and likewise arrive with unbeaten information over hurdles to defend. The New Lion was a massively fashionable winner of the Grade One Challow Hurdle in December, whereas The Yellow Clay additionally has a Grade One already within the bag, having taken the Lawlor’s Of Naas Hurdle in early January. A slight doubt over The Yellow Clay is his skill to behave on good-to-soft floor, though that has not deterred punters from wading on this morning and he’s right down to round 4-1 (from 7-1). Different stay potentialities value contemplating embrace Sixmilebridge and Potters Attraction, first and second within the Basic Novice Hurdle right here in January, however personally I’ll be sticking with Closing Demand to again up his large run at Leopardstown final month.
SELECTION: FINAL DEMAND.
KEY FORM:
Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle, Leopardstown, 1 Feb 25 (Closing Demand)
Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle, Naas, 5 Jan 25 (The Yellow Clay, Supersundae).
Challow Novice Hurdle, Newbury 28 Dec 24 (The New Lion).
Basic Novice Hurdle, Cheltenham 25 Jan 25 (Sixmilebridge, Potters Attraction)
Right here’s the rundown of right this moment’s motion and we’ll be placing Greg Wooden’s in-depth previews for all of the races up right here quickly
1.20 The Turners Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1)
2.00 The Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase
2.40 The Coral Cup Hurdle (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Premier Handicap)
3.20 The Glenfarclas Cross Nation Steeple Chase
4.00 The BetMGM Queen Mom Champion Steeple Chase (Grade 1)
4.40 The Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase Problem Cup (Premier Handicap)
5.20 The Weatherbys Champion Bumper (A Normal Open NH Flat Race) (Grade 1)
Do you know right this moment was ‘Fashion Wednesday’? No neither did I. Anyway I’ve my blue John Smedley long-sleeved polo shirt on and a pair of classic Levi’s so I hope that passes muster. I found that title for right this moment within the particulars in regards to the all-important going underfoot from the observe which many had been saying was bordering on good (ie sooner floor than the final description) yesterday. The snow could have softened it up a bit and Jon Pullin, Cheltenham’s clerk of the course, mentioned simply now: “We had a masking of snow this morning nevertheless it turned to sleet as forecast and that ought to quickly disappear. The going for right this moment stays Good to Comfortable on the [main] Previous Course and is Good to Comfortable, Good in locations and Comfortable on the highest loop on the Cross Nation Course.”
Hi there, and welcome to day two of the competition. And, as Cheltenham themselves level out, what a distinction a day makes. When my son received in contact with me nervous about whether or not the racing was going to be on I reminded him that I used to be there in 1987 when the delayed Gold Cup, gained by The Thinker, occurred after a sustained snowstorm in the course of racing. The Sporting Life, the place I labored within the Nineties, was nonetheless being offered again then and it was a pleasing shock to see a printed version of the paper, which closed in 1997, being handed out yesterday by Mike Tindall at Paddington station.
Preamble
Greg Wooden
Good morning from Cheltenham, the place the – considerably shocking – climate information is that the racecourse obtained a light-weight masking of snow earlier right this moment. Low-ish temperatures had been predicted after a (comparatively) gentle day on Tuesday, however precise white stuff dropping out of the sky was not in lots of punters’ plans, and introduced again recollections of the competition in 2013 when frost covers had been wanted to avoid wasting the assembly and the daytime thermometer hovered round zero all week.
There isn’t any hazard to right this moment’s card, nevertheless, because the snow become sleet at round 8.30am, and temperatures are forecast to rise to round 7C by the point the sector set off for the opener, the Turners Novice Hurdle, at 1.20pm.
There’s a slight sense of déjà vu in regards to the first two contests on the cardboard, as each are novice occasions with a Willie Mullins-trained favorite. Mullins didn’t have issues all his personal method on Tuesday, nevertheless, as Majborough didn’t stay as much as expectations within the Arkle Trophy, and Closing Demand (Turners) specifically faces some very credible opposition in The New Lion – seen as an additional Champion Hurdle contender by Dan Skelton, his coach – and Gordon Elliott’s The Yellow Clay.
Ballyburn, within the Broadway Novice Chase, is the primary of two seemingly odds-on photographs on the day, though Jonbon, the market chief for the featured Queen Mom Champion Chase at 4.00pm, is somewhat uneasy within the betting this morning and is now 10-11 in locations, with Marine Nationale, the second-favourite, edging nearer at round 5-1.
Elsewhere on the cardboard (all the information for that are right here), it’s all about large fields and favourites somewhat nearer to double-figure odds, with the Coral Cup Handicap specifically dangling a really attractive carrot for punters as they appear to restore a few of the injury from a collection of sudden outcomes on Tuesday’s card. And all of it wraps up with the Bumper, during which greater than half the sector is presently unbeaten and it’s anybody’s guess during which order the five-strong Willie Mullins contingent will go the put up, by no means thoughts the remainder of the sector.
As ever, you possibly can comply with all of the buildup and the motion from the primary flagfall to the final right here on the weblog, and there’s no want to succeed in for the winter woollies.
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