Timeform Irish racing expert Billy Nash with an Irish horse for every day at the Cheltenham Festival

By Billy Nash

Horse Racing

Sat March 08, 2025 · 3M ago

Timeform's Irish racing expert Billy Nash has a horse for every day of the Cheltenham Festival - and he's not tempted to back any of the Brits.

It’s nearly here! Despite all the changes down through the years - some good some bad - the lead-in to Cheltenham still has me feeling like a kid at Christmas. I just can’t wait to see what we are going to get. Champions will be crowned; bubbles will be burst and, hopefully, winners will be found.

With that in mind here is one horse I fancy for each of the four days.

Tuesday

William Munny e/w - Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle

I fully expect Kopek des Bordes to win the Supreme, he is the best novice hurdler I have seen this winter, but, at the prices, William Munny is well worth an interest. A dual bumper winner last season, he finished second to Workahead on his hurdling debut at Leopardstown over Christmas but may well have improved past that one in the interim. Barry Connell’s charge bumped into another good one in Kawaboomga next time and that form got a timely boost when the well-beaten third, Koktail Divin, ran out an easy winner at Leopardstown last weekend. William Munny was stepped up to listed level next time and, ridden with more restraint than previously, he ran out a most convincing winner, readily seeing off a quartet that had all won at least once over hurdles. There should be plenty of pace on here, which will suit one who is bred to stay much further than two miles, and I think he may well be the one to give the favourite most to do.

Sky Bet Cheltenham Festival Offer

Claim Offer

Wednesday

Galvin - Glenfarclas Cross County Chase

I largely ignore cross-country races for most of the year, certainly from a punting point of view, yet almost always seem to have a strong fancy for this race. That is certainly the case again this year as I really think Galvin should be favourite. Yes, Stumptown has taken to this discipline like a duck to water but I’m not sure he is up to defying a career-high mark of 157. Galvin, on the other hand, is potentially well treated off 154, which is 1 lb lower than the mark he ran from when a staying-on fourth in last year’s Grand National. He has an excellent record at this meeting, winning the National Hunt Chase (when trained by Ian Ferguson), finishing fourth to A Plus Tard in the Gold Cup and second to Delta Work in the 2023 edition of this race. It is now well over two years since he last got his head in front, but he was just touched off in the American Grand National when last seen in October and his effort at Aintree last year shows he is still a very smart performer on his day. He has a good record when fresh, goes on any ground and is proven on this circuit.

Thursday

Sixandahalf - Dawn Run Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle

Gavin Cromwell has a tremendous record at the Cheltenham Festival (see John Ingles column for more details) and is set to send a very strong team this year. Inothewayurthinkin, is set to take his chance in the Gold Cup, the unbeaten Hello Neighbour should give a good in the Triumph, but I reckon his best chance of a winner is Sixandahalf. Unraced until this time last year, she has achieved a lot in a short space of time. Second to Familiar Dreams on debut, she proved much too good for subsequent Grade 2 bumper winner, Colcannon, at Punchestown in April before having her attention turned to the Flat. Again, it didn’t take her long to make her mark in that sphere, winning a mile-and-a-half maiden at Cork in April (Familiar Dreams back in fourth) and a fillies’ handicap at Newmarket (July course) in August. Stepped up to two miles on her next start she ran a cracker to finish third, beaten just over a length, behind The Euphrates in the Irish Cesarewitch. Her Timeform rating of 99+ on the Flat is the highest achieved by any of those in this field that have run on the level.

She took the switch to hurdling in her stride at Fairyhouse last time, jumping slickly and pulling well clear of Qualimita and the well-touted Kimi de Mai. The lack of hurding experience is a bit of a concern in this race - all previous winners of this had run at least twice over hurdles - but with just two hurdles in the final six furlongs on the new course it shouldn’t be a big problem. The experience gained in big-field handicaps on the Flat is sure to stand to her, she acts on almost any ground (unraced on firm) and is open to plenty of improvement.

"He's the bet of the week" | Racing Podcast: Cheltenham Festival special

Friday

Lark In The Mornin e/w – William Hill County Hurdle

Lark In The Mornin has been on my radar for this race for some time and it seems I’m not alone as his price has tumbled in recent days. Still, he is one that I would much rather have running for me than against. A maiden winner on the Flat as a two-year-old, he came good in the Fred Winter last year and this looks to have been the plan ever since. He seemed to find things happening a bit too quickly on good to firm ground when sent off favourite for the Swinton at Haydock in May and was given a long break afterwards, not seen again until Leopardstown at Christmas. I use seen in the loosest sense of the word, however, as that race was run in thick fog. Still in rear when the field went out of sight on the run to 2 out, he made significant late headway to finish a never-nearer seventh. That run should have left him spot on for this assignment and a mark ten pounds higher than the one he was successful from at last year’s Festival does not look excessive. A well-run race on a stiff track such as this one should be ideal for him, and I reckon he could easily be the one to end the Mullins/Skelton domination of the County.

Safer gambling

We are committed in our of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.

Like what you've read?