The Cheltenham Roar will first be heard as the field for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle takes to the track at 1.30pm.
A quality field makes for the perfect race to get the Festival underway with 12 runners declared for the 2 mile challenge.
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The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle raises the curtain to the Cheltenham Festival. Traditionally accompanied by the famous “roar,” the Supreme often provides the first taste of Festival action for future superstars of the sport.
The race is run over a frantic 2m and is always amongst the most anticipated races of the week, and this year is run in memory of jockey Michael O’Sullivan, who sadly died after a fall at Thurlow’s in February. Here’s a rundown of the leading contenders for the 2025 renewal…
Our Selection: Workahead 6/1
An point winner, Workahead came on plenty for his hurdles debut to run out an impressive winner of a maiden hurdle at Leoparstown over Christmas. That form has worked out notably well and he looks an exciting prospect.
With that improvement, he looks a solid each-way contender for the Supreme.
Kopek Des Bordes
Kopek Des Bordes has looked a special talent when winning both starts over hurdles this season, beating Kawaboomga (who misses Cheltenham due to injury) in a Fairyhouse maiden before maintaining his undefeated record with an impressive 13-length victory upped to Grade 1 level at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Trained by the legendary Willie Mullins, Kopek Des Bordes is generally odds-on to notch another Grade 1 victory at Cheltenham and there’ll surely be plenty of celebrations if he gets favourite backers off to the perfect start.
Salvator Mundi
Also trained by Willie Mullins, Salvator Mundi headed the betting for the Supreme until usurped by his stablemate in February. He’s already had a taste of Grade 1 hurdles competition at the Festival, finishing sixth in last year’s Triumph. He began this season with a 62-length win in a maiden hurdle at Tipperary before landing one of the key trails for the Supreme, the Moscow Flyer Novices Hurdle.
He was still a shade keen there and his jumping lacked fluency, which does temper enthusiasm, but he clearly possesses bundles of raw ability.
Romeo Coolio
A leading contender from the Gordon Elliott stable is Romeo Coolio. He was runner-up in the Champion Bumper here last season before making a seamless transition to hurdling at Down Royal in November. After a shock defeat next time in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, he quickly got back on track to win the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown in December.
He looks a straightforward sort that should give his running.
The New Lion
The New Lion created a fine impression when winning his first two starts over hurdles, but really stamped himself as a horse of immense potentially when not needing to come out of first gear to win the Grade 1 Challow over 2m5f at Newbury in late December.
The Supreme is back over 2m, but he looks to have enough pace to prove as effective over the trip, though backer should also be aware that he also holds the option of the Gallaghers Novices Hurdle over the longer distance on Wednesday, so any bets at this stage would be advised to be with the non runner no bet concession.
Other Contenders
William Munny looked a smart prospect in bumpers and though beaten by Workahead on hurdles debut, has progressed well and recorded a 15-length win in Listed company last time.
Willie Mullins could also saddle Karbau and Funiculi Funicula, whilst Tripoli Flyer has been amongst the leading British novices this season and will head to Cheltenham after winning the Grade 2 Dovecote at Kempton.
Day 1 Cheltenham featured races quick links:
- 13:30 Supreme Novices Hurdle Tips
- 14:10 Arkle Challenge Trophy Tips
- 14:50 Ultima Handicap Tips
- 15:30 Champion Hurdle Tips
- 16:10 Mares Hurdle Tips
- 16:50 Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Tips
- 17:30 National Hunt Chase
Previous Supreme Novices Previews
In many years of this race there has been a clear standout for the first race at the Cheltenham Festival but this year seems to have a different feel to it.
Read more about Cheltenham tips at the 2024 Festival here.
The somewhat untouchable nature of Facile Vega now feels slightly vacant after his colours were lowered last month at the DRF when a disappointing fifth.
Being a son of the four time Cheltenham festival winner Quevega he was always going to have a high reputation from race to race and he tasted his first festival success in the Champion Bumper. His jumping this season for me has been okay with the tendencies to jump out to his right.
They clearly went a ridiculous gallop the time that saw High Definition fall down the back (he reoposes here). I don’t think we saw him to best effect last time and I respect him at the head of the market but 2/1 is far too short for me.
Marine Nationale has only had two starts over hurdles for Barry Connell and one of them has resulted in a last gasp Grade One victory when winning the Royal Bond. He was coming into contention at the last when making a howler of it before rallying on the short run in to nab Irish Point.
The form also looks good with the fourth place winning a Grade One & the third winning a Grade Two. I believe this fella should be favourite after that performance however the stat that no Supreme winner who hasn’t ran before the turn of the year has gone on to tatste success in this race could be a worry.
However stats are there to be broken and the ground on the first day is more than likely going to good to soft which would do this lad perfectly and the quicker the ground the better. I think he’s got a serious chance.
At bigger prices I think Olly Murphy has two nice chances of getting his first Festival winner with Chasing Fire & Strong Leader. Very similarly to 2019 he has two runners in the Supreme who finished second and third and I’m thinking he might go one better with one this year.
Chasing Fire is a horse that has been unbeaten in both his hurdles and his bumper starts and has been impressive in the meantime.
He seems to just do enough infront and doesn’t go and demolish his rivals. I like that in a novice as he’s almost toying with rivals, I think he could run a nice race at 16’s.
His stable companion Strong Leader was beaten by Champion Bumper fancy Encanto Bruno on his first start this season at Cheltenham and has gone on to win under the double penalty since.
His jumping is good and relative to Strong Glance I think he may outrun his odds of 33/1.
Overall, I think Marine Nationale will have a leading chance to win the opening race to give Barry Connell his first victory festival victory.