Ross Millar: Cheltenham Festival reflections and Monday tips

Did we witness a changing of the guard at the 2025 Festival? Obviously not in regards of the human personnel, with Paul Townend, JP McManus, and Willie Mullins dominating once again, although it is easy to argue that Gavin Cromwell has moved ahead of Gordon Elliott in the bid to chase down the Closutton maestro. 

Yet on the equine sphere, the hierarchal pyramid received a thorough shake up. On Tuesday, Constitution Hill’s exuberance cost him, meaning in 2026 he will need to emulate Hurricane Fly who also regained his Unibet Champion Hurdle crown as a nine-year old. Novice winner's Kopek Des Bordes and The New Lion, certainly look capable of making him work hard for that accolade. 

Galopin Des Champs looks to have found a worthy adversary in Iknowthewayurthinkin in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup picture, and that’s before you throw in the prospect of Fact To File – the most impressive winner of the week – moving back up in trip. The Jukebox Man, who bypassed Cheltenham due to injury, might also be capable of getting in the mix. 

Perhaps of the established brigade it will be Jonbon who has the best chance of going one better in the Champion Chase next year. Call in blind faith (my mother would call it obstinacy!) but I refuse to believe his performance on Wednesday confirms that Cheltenham is not his track. The two-mile novice division offered little in potential last week, so maybe it can be a case of fourth time lucky for Jonbon at next year's Cheltenham Festival! 

Onto Monday's action and I have three selections across Wexford, Fontwell and . Best of luck.

This son of Lucky Speed has progressed with each of his four runs over hurdles, culminating with a convincing win in maiden company on his latest start at Leopardstown. 

Racing over two miles, he showed maturity to regain his rhythm after some scrimmaging in the early stages of the race. He travelled nicely into contention around the home turn before staying on strongly once getting to the lead. 

That performance certainly suggested that stepping up in trip would see him improve again, yet a rating of 109 looks perfectly reasonable on the balance of form he’s shown in his four runs over obstacles, so starting out in handicaps over the minimum trip shouldn’t be beyond him.

Furthermore, if you judge him on his debut bumper form at Punchestown, where he was just five lengths behind Will The Wise and Jacob’s Ladder, who both hold ratings in the 130’s now, it could be that he is a very well handicapped performer. 

Charlie O’Dwyer guided him to victory last time out when only able to claim 2lb, and he retains the ride here where he is entitled to claim 5lb, for which he is undoubtedly good value. 

I tipped this Martin Keighley-trained four-year-old prior to his impressive win at Ludlow last time out where I reasoned the addition of Sean Bowen was a significant positive given that Continuance had run out under a conditional rider on his previous start. 

The selection looked thoroughly professional from the start at Ludlow and ran out a convincing winner. The form has already been boosted, with the third scoring by a wide margin on his next start. 

Freddie Keighley does lack experience, and that is a mild concern, but it’s reasonable to assume that he’ll have got to know his mount at home, and his 10lb allowance, coupled with the significant weight-for-age allowance, makes this four-year old too well handicapped to ignore. 

Jack Hyde won a maiden at this track two weeks ago at prohibitive odds of 2-7, and had to work harder than the market suggested he would need to. 

However, he was comfortably on top in the closing stages, with his last furlong the most impressive of the race. Stepping up in trip should allow him to travel more easily through the race and if he’s then able to show the same finishing burst as last time, he will produce a much-improved performance.  

Tom Broughton lightens his burden by a useful 5lb, and that should further simplify his task. With proven form on this ground, and at this track, he should take all the beating.