2025 Cheltenham Festival tips: Harry Allwood's four best bets

Race: Turners Novices' Hurdle (1.20pm, Wednesday).

Best odds: 7-4.

I was lucky enough to attend Dan Skelton’s Cheltenham Festival media day, hosted by The Jockey Club, a couple of weeks ago and you could not help but notice how well The New Lion looked. His coat was impeccable, and it was no surprise Skelton highlighted his potential star as his best chance of the week. 

Skelton’s confidence in The New Lion has been justified on the track this season, too, and the unbeaten six-year-old has improved with each outing, with his victory in the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle one of the most impressive performances from a novice in Britain and Ireland this season. 

The way he cruised through that race was incredibly impressive, and he made some useful rivals look very ordinary plus won with a huge amount to spare. The runner-up has bolted up since (and has been given a rating of 137) and the third won a Grade Two on his previous outing, which adds substance to the form. 

It has been well documented that Challow winners do not have a great record at the Cheltenham Festival, but Skelton made a good point that The New Lion is a speedier type compared to previous winners of that contest who were mainly three-mile plus chasers in the making. Skelton advised his charge is likely to come back in trip next season and could be a potential Unibet Champion Hurdle contender in 2026. 

His closest market rival, Final Demand, has certainly shaped like a stayer in the making and with the likelihood of decent ground at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, I think The New Lion will have too much speed for the Irish raider.

JP McManus certainly appears to share the same view, and it has to be a positive The New Lion will now wear the green and gold hoops. 

The ground will also be in his favour and providing he handles Cheltenham, this hugely exciting prospect could take some beating. He's my nap of the meeting.

Race: Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (2.00pm, Wednesday).

Best odds: 5-4.

This seven-year-old has always been held in the highest regard by the Willie Mullins team, and Ballyburn produced arguably the performance of the meeting at last year’s Cheltenham Festival when cruising to victory in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle. 

He is two from three over fences this season, and while his copybook was blotted when easily brushed aside by Sir Gino at Kempton in December, I don’t think he should be judged too harshly on that effort given the trip was too short for him, the track would not have suited, and he faced a true two-mile chaser. 

Ballyburn quickly made amends when stepped back up in trip on his next outing in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase where, despite racing a shade keenly, he found plenty under pressure to defeat dual Grade One winner Croke Park. 

A for that success suggests there is room for improvement in the jumping department but, visually, I thought he jumped well overall, and while his keenness is a minor concern, he was strong at the finish at Leopardstown. I therefore don't think three miles will be a hinderance to him, and he is certainly bred to stay this trip given he is closely related to numerous horses who won over three miles.

He should have too much class and speed for his rivals here, especially with the forecast ground.  

Race: Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (4.40pm, Wednesday).

Best odds: 14-1.

Carrying top weight to victory in a fiercely competitive handicap will be no easy feat, but has a touch of class when conditions suit, and he looks a decent each-way bet at the 14-1 on offer. 

Joe Tizzard had high hopes his two-mile chaser would go close in last year’s Arkle, and believed JPR One could develop into a Champion Chase contender this season. However, the ground went against him, and something may have been amiss considering he did not run again until November plus was also given a wind op over the summer. 

The selection returned to action with a comfortable success (off a rating of 149) to win the BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup where he travelled powerfully en route to victory and defeated Djelo, who has won twice at Grade Two level since and is now rated 166. 

That was a classy performance, and JPR One was only ten lengths adrift of Jonbon in the Betfair Tingle Creek next time out on soft ground. He may have needed the outing following a two-month break at Newbury last time out where the ground was also against him, and he wasn’t given the hardest time under pressure suggesting the outing may have been a stepping stone to Cheltenham. 

Although JPR One won last year's Lightning Novices' Chase on soft ground, the time of that victory suggested it was riding quicker than advertised, and he didn't need to be at his best for his other victories on soft and heavy ground.

Conditions should be ideal for him on Wednesday, and it is worth remembering he was in the process of recording an easy win in an Arkle trial over this course and distance two seasons ago when stumbling and unseating his rider at the last.

The likelihood of a fast pace will also suit this strong-traveller, and I think he's overpriced at the 14-1 on offer with Unibet (NRNB).

Race: William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (2.00pm, Friday).

Best odds: 6-1.

appeared to have just joined in when cruising from last to first to win last year’s County Hurdle, and his performance is worth upgrading considering the manner of that success. The ground was also against him, and he was weak in the market beforehand. 

Willie Mullins’ dual-purpose performer will race off an 8lb higher mark this year but was well on top at the finish 12 months ago, and the ground looks set to be in his favour this time. 

His victory at Chester, and his effort in the Melbourne Cup, last year suggests he has improved again on the Flat since his Cheltenham Festival heroics, and a rating of 146 on his return to hurdling could underestimate him still. 

A big-field scenario clearly suits and although a sprint finish helped his cause last year, I don’t think the likelihood of a a faster pace on better ground will hinder him. If anything, it may enhance his credentials.

Mullins, who has won five of the past ten renewals of the William Hill County Hurdle, has other potential contenders here, but this Absurde’s only entry, and he's proved in the past that he can score after a break, so arriving here fresh is not a negative.

The booking of Paul Townend would boost his chances, and he could be sent off the well-backed favourite, depending on which stablemates Mullins decides to run.