Ante-post tips: 2027 Cheltenham Festival selections from our experts

Race: Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase. 

Tipster: Alex Scott.

Ante-post odds: 12-1.

Read more ➡️ 2027 Cheltenham Festival ante-post tips: 20-1 chance overpriced for Gold Cup

If there was a prize for surprise star of the season in the National Hunt stallion ranks last term, then little-known Haras de Cercy sire Chanducoq would surely have been a short price to scoop the award.

The half-brother to fellow sire Cokoriko burst into the bloodstock spotlight this side of the Channel courtesy of victories by Tutti Quanti and Apolon De Charnie, plus He’s On Fire.

The latter, out of a Kapgarde mare (another positive) was one of a number of French recruits sent to Willie Mullins last season, but did not join Closutton until late, having finished second at Auteuil for Lossiemouth’s former trainer Yannick Fouin as late as mid-November.

Despite that, he got off the mark by 20 lengths at Carlisle on his first start for his new team in the colours of Rich and Susannah Ricci in February, and he followed that up with a 12-length Grade Two Novice Hurdle success at Fairyhouse in April despite being plenty keen enough.

He is yet to race beyond two and a half miles, but looks a ready-made chaser and a powerful galloper who should stay further judged by his finishing effort last time, as long as connections can harness his free-going nature.

The three-mile novice chase looks the most likely Festival target should he be good enough, and he looks hugely talented for his powerful connections.

Race: BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Tipster: Alex Scott. 

Ante-post odds:40-1.

It goes without saying that Il Etait Temps is the standard setter in this division and I put him up at 9-2 to retain his Queen Mother Champion Chase crown after this year’s hugely impressive victory. He is though, now as short as 2-1 with a couple of firms which represents little value with nine months to go.

Since then, a Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm-trained horse named Metronomique has won two Graded chases in France in super impressive fashion, most recently landing the Grade One Prix Ferdinand Dufaure Chase by 14 lengths on French Gold Cup day - a race in which Champion Chase winner Master Minded was beaten in before joining Paul Nicholls.

This horse has a long way to go to reach those heights and he is only four, but he is vastly experienced for his age over the bigger obstacles. He has won five of his six starts over fences, with his only blip coming when falling in March. His six career victories have been won by a cumulative 67 lengths.

Both George and jockey James Reveley were effusive in their praise for him after his most recent victory, with the former calling him “very exciting”. And though that latest success came over 2m6f, the son of Cloth Of Stars also boasts dominant victories around the more speed-favouring left-handed track at Compiegne over 2m1f.

Reveley also said after his recent win at Auteuil that he saw him as more of a two-miler going forwards, with a trip to Britain very much in the equation given the lack of suitable options for chasers in open company in France over the shorter distances. A tilt at November’s big Grade One chase for four-year-olds is next on the agenda, which I expect him to win before connections look at options the other side of the Channel in the spring.

He carries the colours of Philip and Sharon Nelson, who are already associated with Festival glory, having won the Grade One Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle with Galileo in 2002 for Tom George. 

Race: Ryanair Chase.

Tipster: Nic Doggett.

Ante-post odds: 10-1.

Those were the words of Dan Skelton following Grey Dawning’s Melling Chase win at Aintree in April, a gritty success that came a month after the horse’s gallant fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup where his ebbing stamina – as much as class – appeared to be the difference. 

It might be that Skelton decides to swerve Cheltenham altogether in favour of Grey Dawning concentrating on his Melling crown, but history shows us that the trainer isn’t one to shy away from the challenge – especially if the trainers’ title is close - and the grey has run well at both festivals in two of the last three seasons; the three-week gap this season should be long enough. 

The two-and-a-half-mile division is usually less competitive than that of the Gold Cup, so whilst Lulamba, Fact To File and Heart Wood all turning up would make it a difficult race to win, the suspicion is that at least one of those will head elsewhere (time is running out if connections want to make Fact To File into a Gold Cup horse). That could leave the door open for another Skelton success in a race he won in 2024 with Protektorat. 

Race: Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle.

Tipster: Andy Stephens.

Ante-post odds: 33-1.

The first three home in the Turners Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree had all been support players in the Turners at Cheltenham, giving a second boost to King Rasko Grey in the space of 24 hours. 

Bossman Jack was sixth at The Festival but would have been closer but for blundering at the last. Others jumped sharper than him here, too, but slick leaps at the final two flights helped him win with authority. He ran the final four furlongs in 58.26sec, about a second quicker than the next pair home. 

With regard to his jumping, his Career Jump Index score is 7.7. His past three scores have been a very healthy 8.5, 8.6 and 7.7 but he has a mistake in him. 

His stablemate, Soldier Reeves, bided his time in rear before coming home well to nab second off Ballyfad. He had also kept on well when fourth in the Turners and is an interesting prospect for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle, being quoted at 33-1. He's my first ante-post bet for 2027.

Race: Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle.

Tipster: Harry Allwood

Ante-post odds: 8-1.

The regard in which Dan Skelton holds The New Lion has been well documented, and he looked set for a productive 2025-26 season following his victory in last year's Turners Novices' Hurdle. 

However, it is probably fair to say he didn't quite meet expectations, despite finishing third in the Unibet Champion Hurdle, and second in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle.

In hindsight, maybe the Stayers' Hurdle route would have been the more suitable option, rather than the Champion Hurdle, as the way The New Lion shaped over two miles suggests stepping up in trip is going to prove beneficial.

Skelton's star hurdler only got up close home when winning the Turners Novices' Hurdle (over 2m5f) and has appeared to lack the required speed to win a Grade One over two miles. The RaceiQ data also shows his jumping was much slicker at Aintree (2m4f) where he gained over four lengths in the air, and achieved a Jump Index Score of 9.5/10, with his only blip being his mistake at the final hurdle.

It's also worth remembering he has only had nine starts, and the Stayers' Hurdle division remains wide-open. Providing he stays three miles, The New Lion wouldn't need to improve to go close in a Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle, and will surely line-up as a leading player should things go to plan ahead of March.