Day One - Cheltenham Festival 2024 - Preview & Betting Tips

Day One of the Cheltenham Festival is finally here. Four Grade One events including the Supreme and the Champion Hurdle. In collaboration with The Winners Enclosure, We’ve gone through Day One of the Festival and picked out some selections for the afternoon.

Our Main fancies for Day One of the Cheltenham Festival:

NAP: Corbetts Cross (17.30 Cheltenham) 2/1

Next Best: Mystical Power (13.30 Cheltenham) 3/1

Dark Horse: Nara (16.50 Cheltenham) 16/1

Odds correct at time of publishing and may be subject to change, please gamble responsibly.

Mystical Power will be the ride of Mark Walsh in the opening race of the Festival. The five-year-old comes to Cheltenham in excellent form after winning each of his previous starts. He was extremely stylish on his previous outing, breezing through the field to win by seven lengths from Jigoro over two miles at Punchestown.

Quilixios will be the mount of Rachel Blackmore in a wide-open renewal of the Arkle. There's a lot of value in siding with the former Festival winner after winning twice from three starts over fences.

Jack Kennady will take the ride on The Goffer for Gordon Elliott in the Ultima Handicap Chase. He is well handicapped for the race, and has recorded two wins from eleven starts over fences.

State Man looks very hard to oppose in the Champion Hurdle this year in the absence of Constitution Hill. He has won well on all three starts this season, dominating a high class field at the Dublin Racing Festival on his latest start.

A dominant hour for the Mullins yard could continue in the Mares' Hurdle, with Lossiemouth widely expected to make a winning step up in trip.

Mark Walsh could have a leading chance in the Boodles on Tuesday aboard Nara. This runner was fourth on her previous start, but has high-class form from her time in France that could make her appealing.

Mark Walsh takes the ride on Corbetts Cross in the National Hunt Chase. He has been in solid form throughout this season over fences, finishing a strong second at Leopardstown in December.