
Cheltenham Day 1 Tips - @RoadCheltenham's Selections for Tuesday March 12th

HorseRacing.net has enjoyed having @RoadCheltenham on board to build up to the greatest show on turf, but it's now crunch time and the week we've all been waiting for! Check out his Cheltenham Day 1 Tips below...
The wait is over, the Irish are heading over in their masses and we’re just a matter of hours away from the Cheltenham roar. Excited yet? I know I am!
Who will come out on top and who will flop on Day 1? I’ll be looking at EVERY race across the meeting, starting of course with the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Here are my tips for Cheltenham on day 1.
13:30 - Supreme Novices Hurdle
FIREFOX (NAP) is the one that’s overpriced for me and he could get Gordon Elliott off to a flyer with victory in the opener. There was a legitimate reason for his sub-par at Naas and I’d prefer to judge him on his success over Ballyburn at Fairyhouse.
I’m not doubting that the Willie Mullins runner has improved significantly since then but Firefox beat him comfortably and a repeat of that performance could be enough in what looks a wide open Supreme.
There have been positive reports on MISTERGIF in recent days and he’d be the one I’d be looking at from an each way perspective. He was very impressive the last day and is overpriced at 14/1.
14:10 - Arkle Challenge Trophy
Just like the Supreme, the Arkle looks there for the taking and it is a competitive enough field. GAELIC WARRIOR is the potential superstar in the field, though it’d require a fair bit of faith to trust him after disappointing at the Dublin Racing Festival.
He’s been beaten twice on the Old Course at Cheltenham as well, which is an obvious concern. He’s one of a few Willie Mullins horses donning a first time hood on Tuesday and he will certainly play a key role in the race.
I’ve been a fan of QUILIXIOS since his juvenile season and the 2021 Triumph Hurdle winner can add a second Cheltenham Festival success to his CV on Tuesday. He’s got to improve, but I think he can run into the places.
14:50 - Ultima Handicap Chase
I’ve been banging the drum for CHIANTI CLASSICO all season and I’m not going to stop now! Kim Bailey has two of the top five in the betting and I hope I’ve sided with the right one – I just think he’s got a bit in hand off his current mark of 143.
The Irish have a poor record in this race but you could make a strong enough case for THE GOFFER. It looked like he was coming to win last year but he bumped into a few – I’m pretty convinced revenge has been on Gordon Elliott’s mind since.
At a bigger price, top weight ELDORADO ALLEN is worth considering. Freddie Gingell is enjoying a super campaign and his 5lb claim could be a very useful tool for the Tizzard team. He’s a solid each way play.
15:30 - Champion Hurdle
STATE MAN is a short price to go one better than last year and he is undoubtedly the one to beat on all known form. As a spectacle, this race isn’t massively appealing and it must be mentioned how disappointing it was to see Constitution Hill ruled out.
Having said that, there is value in the without State Man market. I wouldn’t write ZARAK THE BRAVE off myself – he’s got plenty to do on ratings but he’s a huge price to finish ‘best of the rest’ behind his stablemate.
I wasn’t surprised to see Gordon Elliott switch IRISH POINT from the Stayers' Hurdle but I’m not entirely convinced it was the right move. The ground looks set to dry out as the week goes on and three of his four best runs have been over 2m4f or further.
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16:10 - Mares Hurdle
She’s the most likely winner, but LOSSIEMOUTH wouldn’t be for me at her current price and I’m happy to let her go and win at odds on. She’s a top class mare and this is a race that Willie Mullins has farmed thus far – winning nine of the 16 renewals.
I prefer ASHROE DIAMOND at the prices and I genuinely believe she is one of the most underrated mares in training. Her form ties in with some of the top geldings and I’d say she remains on the up. Patrick Mullins will likely play his hand late in the day.
LANTRY LADY deserves a mention at a huge price. Connections have managed to book Jack Kennedy for the ride and she’s a bit of an unknown quantity. She has to improve on ratings but I like her profile and I’d say she could run into the places with a bit of luck.
16:50 - Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
The BHA handicapper could easily be left with egg on his face after dropping MILAN TINO to a mark of 126 and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t go off favourite. While the trip is admittedly on the short side for him, he’s got some solid form in the book.
He might be a bit of a wise guy’s horse but PALAMON is an interesting one – he caught the eye when finishing third behind Ndaawi and the fourth has won since. He has a 13lb swing with the Gordon Elliott horse here...
And at an even bigger price, BRIGHT LEGEND is worth consideration. He was given cold rides on his first two outings while he was ridden aggressively the last day and a return to hold up tactics could reap rewards, albeit he may encounter trouble in-running.
17:30 - National Hunt Chase
SALVADOR ZIGGY (NB) is Gordon Elliott’s sole runner in the race and he’s received plenty of support in the betting in recent days. He flopped in the American Grand National but it might have been a case of ‘one run too many’ and he goes here fresh.
He’s the highest rated horse in the race, with EMBASSY GARDENS and CORBETTS CROSS both given a BHA figure of 150. The rest of the field have it all to do on official ratings and according to the betting too – though Salvador Ziggy is my pick at the prices.
Embassy Gardens disappointed in last year’s Albert Bartlett while Corbetts Cross has a mistake or two (or three) in him. Both wear a hood and I wouldn’t be convinced that that is a positive in a four-mile race. Ziggy gets my vote and concludes my Cheltenham Festival day 1 tips.
Day 1 NAP
The best bet of the day:
Day 1 NB
The next best bet of the day:
Day 1 LONGSHOT
The best bet at long odds:
How To Watch The Cheltenham Festival Races on Day 1
There are a few different ways to watch the Cheltenham action when the Festival gets under way on Tuesday. You can watch the first five races of the day free on ITV1 or stream on ITVX. Alternatively subscribers to Racing TV can watch all 28 races live on TV and on their website.
Otherwise, you can stream the action on a number of online bookmaker websites - including BetUK - provided you have a funded account or have bet on the race. Our Cheltenham day one tips above will hopefully help you choose who to side with.