- 1. Bob Olinger – 20/1 with BetVictor
- 2. Buddy One – 40/1 with BetVictor
- 3. Crambo – 28/1 with BetVictor
- 4. Franciscan Rock – 40/1 with BetVictor
- 5. Ga Law – 40/1 with BetVictor
- 6. Gowel Road – 22/1 with BetVictor
- 7. Home By The Lee – 6/1 with BetVictor
- 8. Langer Dan – 12/1 with BetVictor
- 9. Lucky Place – 13/2 with BetVictor
- 10. Monmiral – Non-runner
- 11. Mystical Power – 16/1 with BetVictor
- 12. Nemean Lion – 28/1 with BetVictor
- 13. Rocky’s Diamond – 18/1 with BetVictor
- 14. Teahupoo – 6/4 with BetVictor
- 15. The Wallpark – 11/2 with BetVictor
- The Verdict
Thanks to the Champion Hurdle and Queen Mother Champion Chase, the two-milers take centre stage on Days 1 and 2 at the Cheltenham Festival. However, the second half of the week sees the more stamina-laden performers given their chance to shine in the Stayers Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The Thursday feature sees a field of the most talented staying hurdlers in the game lock horns over 12 hurdles and 3m of the New Course, with £325,000 in total prize money up for grabs. As with so many events at the meeting, this contest represents the pinnacle of the division, with the illustrious roll of honour featuring the names of multiple winners Baracouda, Inglis Drever, Big Buck’s, and Flooring Porter.
With the final field for the 2025 edition confirmed, 14 contenders will bid to add their names to the trophy, including the impressive 2024 champ. Will Teahupoo join the list of multiple heroes? Or will one of his rivals have his measure? Here, we present our take on the final field and pick out our best bets for what promises to be a thrilling edition of the great race.
1. Bob Olinger – 20/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
3m Hurdle Form Figures: 65
Grade 1 Form Figures: 111P5222
Good to Soft Form Figures: 12221
Cheltenham Festival Record: Won 2021 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, Won 2022 Turners Novices’ Chase
Three-time Grade 1 winner with a perfect two-from-two record at the Cheltenham Festival. Classy but has a question to answer at this trip. Solid in two outings this season but 3½l behind Home By The Lee over 2m4f at Navan and 6l adrift of that rival over just short of this trip at Leopardstown last time out.
2. Buddy One – 40/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Paul John Gilligan
3m Hurdle Form Figures: 1P424P
Grade 1 Form Figures: 5P4243
Good to Soft Form Figures: 7422
Cheltenham Festival Record: 3rd 2023 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle,4th 2024 Stayers Hurdle
Course winner, but that came in a Class 2 handicap off a mark of 147, and the evidence is stacking up that this tough sort is just short of this level. He has a decent record at the track, so not totally out of it from a place perspective, but he would rate a surprise winner.
3. Crambo – 28/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Fergal O’Brien
3m Hurdle Form Figures: 319815
Grade 1 Form Figures: P71981
Good to Soft Form Figures: 1171381
Cheltenham Festival Record: 9th 2024 Stayers Hurdle
Back-to-back wins in the Long Walk Hurdle show he is up to this class when on song. However, a 46l defeat at Aintree preceded that most recent success, whilst his latest effort saw him beat only one home in the Cleeve Hurdle over this course and distance. The ground should be more suitable here, but we would like to have seen more on his two previous Cheltenham appearances.
4. Franciscan Rock – 40/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Mouse Morris
3m Hurdle Form Figures: P133763113
Grade 1 Form Figures: 36
Good to Soft Form Figures: 442361
Cheltenham Festival Record: 5th 2024 Coral Cup
No concerns regarding the trip, but has come up short in two previous outings in Grade 1 company and was beaten in a handicap on his only previous Cheltenham Festival appearance. The ground should be fine but needs to find a jolt of improvement.
5. Ga Law – 40/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Jamie Snowden
3m Hurdle Form Figures: 6
Grade 1 Form Figures: 35PP
Good to Soft Form Figures: 3P719
Cheltenham Festival Record: 5th 2023 Ryanair Chase, Pulled Up 2024 Ryanair Chase
A winner on both the Old and New Courses here, but both wins came in handicap chase contests at around 2m4f. This represents an altogether different test, and his form figures in Grade 1 company and at this trip don’t offer much encouragement.
6. Gowel Road – 22/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies
3m Hurdle Form Figures: 4762221
Grade 1 Form Figures: 7
Good to Soft Form Figures: 10342
Cheltenham Festival Record: 7th 2022 Coral Cup, 6th 2024 Pertemps Network Final
Booked his ticket for this with a solid success in the Cleeve Hurdle over track and trip last time out. However, with market rivals Strong Leader and Crambo performing way below expectation, that didn’t look like a particularly strong Grade 2. Beaten in handicap company on his two previous Festival appearances and is likely set for a minor role at best.
7. Home By The Lee – 6/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
3m Hurdle Form Figures: 26R15P53361
Grade 1 Form Figures: 83615P42251
Good to Soft Form Figures: 181P311
Cheltenham Festival Record: 6th 2022 Stayers Hurdle, 5th 2023 Stayers’ Hurdle, 3rd 2024 Stayers’ Hurdle
Dual Grade 1 winner and a rock-solid yardstick in this type of race. Arrives on a high, following back-to-back wins at Navan and Leopardstown. Has his fourth crack at this prize and has been edging closer but makes only minimal appeal at the current odds.
8. Langer Dan – 12/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Dan Skelton
3m Hurdle Form Figures: 3
Grade 1 Form Figures: 3
Good to Soft Form Figures: 26B1790
Cheltenham Festival Record: 6th 2020 Fred Winter, 2nd 2021 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, Brough Down 2022 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, Won 2023 Coral Cup, Won 2024 Coral Cup.
No chance on this season’s form, but we have seen this pattern before with Langer Dan. Woeful efforts before the 2023 and 2024 editions of the festival didn’t stop him from roaring to life in the Coral Cup. Relatively untested in this type of race, but his short neck third to Impair Et Passe in his only previous Grade 1 outing reads well.
9. Lucky Place – 13/2 with BetVictor
Trainer: Nicky Henderson
3m Hurdle Form Figures: Unraced at 3m
Grade 1 Form Figures: Unraced in Grade 1 company
Good to Soft Form Figures: 12
Cheltenham Festival Record: 4th 2024 Coral Cup
Well fancied by many a shrewd judge but a few too many questions to answer for one at a relatively short price. In form, following back-to-back Grade 2 wins at Ascot and over 2m4½f around here. Trip and Grade unknowns and 4lb worse off with Langer Dan, having finished behind that rival in the 2024 Coral Cup.
10. Monmiral – Non-runner
11. Mystical Power – 16/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Willie Mullins
3m Hurdle Form Figures: Unraced at 3m
Grade 1 Form Figures: 21166
Good to Soft Form Figures: 1
Cheltenham Festival Record: 2nd 2024 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
Having backed up a fine second in the Supreme with successive Grade 1 wins at Aintree and Punchestown, this Willie Mullins runner looked like a star on the rise in 2023/24. Fast forward to 2024/25, and the son of Galileo appears to have lost the plot. Beaten by a combined 111 lengths in two outings this term and unraced beyond 2m, he will have his supporters given his powerful connections, but looks very risky at present.
12. Nemean Lion – 28/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Kerry Lee
3m Hurdle Form Figures: Unraced at 3m
Grade 1 Form Figures: 367
Good to Soft Form Figures: 11121
Cheltenham Festival Record: 6th 2024 Champion Hurdle
Arrives seeking a four-timer, with his recent success in the Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle arguably representing a career-best effort. Ground also looks to be firmly in his favour. On the downside, he’s unproven at this trip and has looked short of this level in the past.
13. Rocky’s Diamond – 18/1 with BetVictor
Trainer: Declan Queally
3m Hurdle Form Figures: 5131
Grade 1 Form Figures: 3
Good to Soft Form Figures: 3
Cheltenham Festival Record: Unraced at the Cheltenham Festival
Lightly raced Irish challenger who earned his place in this lineup with an impressive win in the Galmoy Hurdle. His only previous Grade 1 effort saw him finish a 9¼l third to Home By The Lee in the Savills Hurdle. That leaves him with work to do, but he shaped a bit better than that losing distance implied and one of the runners most open to improvement.
14. Teahupoo – 6/4 with BetVictor
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
3m Hurdle Form Figures: 13411
Grade 1 Form Figures: 6134111
Good to Soft Form Figures: 21912
Cheltenham Festival Record: 9th 2022 Champion Hurdle, 3rd 2023 Stayers Hurdle, Won 2024 Stayers Hurdle
Defending champ who boasts rock-solid numbers over this trip and in the grade. Ground may not be quite perfect for him, but he posted a rock-solid prep when second to Lossiemouth over an inadequate trip in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle and deserves his place at the head of the market.
15. The Wallpark – 11/2 with BetVictor
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
3m Hurdle Form Figures: 14
Grade 1 Form Figures: 1
Good to Soft Form Figures: 3114
Cheltenham Festival Record: 4
Improving seven-year-old who sports the green and gold of JP McManus. Two efforts at this trip have produced a verdict over Gowel Road at this track in October and a fourth in the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle. Caught the eye when staying on late in the latest of those efforts and appeared to relish the hill in that October success. Ground fine and easy to understand the market support.
The Verdict
No doubt Teahupoo has a solid chance in a race which tends to throw up repeat winners. It’s tough to see those who finished behind him last season turning the tables. However, 6/4 is a short enough price, and we prefer to take an each-way chance on a couple who will have their first crack at the champ.
Ignore Langer Dan’s recent efforts, as the Dan Skelton runner is the definition of a horse who comes alive at the Cheltenham Festival. At the prices, he’s the best value bet in the race, but we also want The Wallpark on side, with the Gordon Elliott contender looking like the sort who should be ideally suited by this test.
Recommended Bet: Langer Dan each way @ 12/1 with BetVictor
Recommended Bet: The Wallpark each way @ 11/2 with BetVictor
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
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