Cheltenham Festival 2025 Results

Day 1 of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival kicked off in a very familiar fashion as it was the team of Willie Mullins and Paul Townend that took the contest, with their hotly fancied Kopek Des Bordes.

He came clear and wasn’t as impressive as some thought he would be, but he looks to have a very bright future and, sent off at odds on, got punters off to a great start.

But moving onto the Arkle next, and it wasn’t a dream follow-up for punters, as the Mullins odds on favourite here, Majborough, was beaten and could only finish third. It was one for Team GB as Jango Baie for Nicky Henderson, and Nice de Boinville would take the prize, swooping late after looking out of the race as they turned for home.

Lossiemouth landed the mares with ease after much contention about which festival race she should run in. She went for the easier option, and it was a penalty kick for her, she looked very well.

Day 1 is all about the Champion Hurdle, and there was plenty of drama and a big priced winner, as Golden Ace took the title for Jeremy Scott at 25/1. But that only tells half the story, Constitution Hill, odds on favourite, fell when going nicely halfway through the race, Brighterdaysahead was a huge disappointment, and then State Man fell at the last when clear and looking to follow up last year’s success.

After day 1, the results were 4-3 in favour of Team GB.

Day 2 kicked off with one of the big clashes, The New Lion for Team GB and Dan Skelton, going up against Mullins runner Final Demand. It was a win for the Skelton’s here, The New Lion toughing it out and getting the better of his rival, plus The New Clay, who ran really well.

Lecky Brown caused a big upset in the Brown Advisory, winning at 20/1 and beating odds on favourite Ballyburn in the process. He wasn’t the only odds on casualty on day 2 either, as Jonbon would finish second in the Champion Chase, beaten by Marine Nationale, a further blow for Nicky Henderson.

Stumptown would win the Cross Country, while Bambino Fever would land the concluding bumper, the day ended 6-1 to the Irish, as they really began to flex their muscles at the meeting.

Day 3 began with an upset as Air Of Entitlement won the Mares Novices’ Hurdle to give Rachel Blackmore her first win of the week. She would also go on to land the big race of the day as Bob Olinger won the Stayers Hurdle, beating out favourite Teahupoo, who is in the same ownership.

That was another favourite beaten in a big race, but one big race jolly that didn’t disappoint was Fact To File, who won the Ryanair Chase in good style 40 minutes earlier. Spoke of as a Gold Cup horse, that’s probably where he goes next season, and winning this by nine lengths certainly enhanced his claims for that.

In the closing handicaps, Jagwar landed a gamble to win the Festival Plate, while Johnnywho almost did the same in the Kim Muir but lost by a neck. The final note goes to Paul Nicholls, who landed his 50^th Cheltenham Festival winner with Caldwell Potter in the novice handicap after a great front-running ride from Harry Cobden.

It was a tight day of racing, with Ireland just edging it 4-3.

Day 4 and Gold Cup day, with plenty of excitement around Galopin Des Champs and his bid to land the Gold Cup hat trick. Never travelling, supporters were worried from the early stages, the horse just didn’t look like himself.

He did manage to get into contention, though and took up the lead two fences out. However, behind him was the strong travelling and strong staying Inothewayurthinkin, who would swoop by and go on to stay strongly up the hill, landing the Gold Cup by six lengths.

A week before the race, he wasn’t even entered, but after some persuasion from trainer Gavin Cromwell, he was entered into the race by owner JP McManus at a cost of £25,000. Favourite for the Grand National, he’s clearly got a big future ahead of him.

To start the card, two big British hopes clashed in the Triumph, East India Dock and Lulamba, but both were beaten. Poniros, who returned at 100/1, would swoop by them late, and to make this even more impressive, the Mullins runner was having his first-ever run over hurdles.

Mullins would win the first four races on the card, with Kargese in the County Hurdle, Dinoblue in the Mares’ Chase and Jasmin De Vaux in the Albert Bartlett, though the Gold Cup eluded him this time around.

Leading Irish trainer Gordon Elliott would take the last race of the day with Wodhooh, which was actually his first success of the festival, despite a number of hid horses running well during the week.

It was Irish domination on the final day of the meeting, they won all seven races, and that would leave them winning the meeting overall with a score of 20-8.  For more insight read our Cheltenham Festival 2025 review.

11th March 2025 – Day One (Champion Day)

12th March 2025 – Day Two (Style Wednesday)

13th March 2025 – Day Three (St. Patrick’s Day)

14th March 2025 – Day Four (Gold Cup Day)