Lucky Leon’s Cheltenham Festival Tips: Day 1
Your No-Nonsense Guide to Champion Day
Cheltenham. Four days. Twenty-eight races. The greatest jump racing festival on the planet, and I'll be your guide to every single day of it right here at MyWinners.
If you've never watched Cheltenham before, here's what you need to know: it's held at a gorgeous old racecourse in Gloucestershire, England. The horses jump over fences at full speed, and the atmosphere is unlike anything in sport. We're talking 65,000 people packed in, mud everywhere, Guinness flowing, and some of the most dramatic finishes you'll ever see.
Day 1 - Tuesday - is called Champion Day, and it's stacked with three Grade 1 races — the highest level of competition in jump racing. I've been watching this race-meet for years and I'm giving you my three best bets for tomorrow.
Lock them in. Let's go.
🏆 Talk The Talk (# 11) WIN — Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Race 1 / 8:20 AM ET)
What is this race?
The Supreme Novices' Hurdle is the very first race of the entire Festival — the one that triggers the famous "Cheltenham Roar," where 65,000 people lose their minds the second they are released. It's a two-mile sprint over hurdles for horses in their first season of competitive jumping. Think of it as the rookie showcase.
Why Talk The Talk?
Because this horse has had to earn it the hard way — and that tells me something. Earlier in the season, Talk The Talk fell at the last jump at Leopardstown when he was about to hit the front. He could have gone to pieces after that. Instead, he came back at the Dublin Racing Festival and absolutely bolted up to win a Grade 1 race. That right there is the kind of bounce-back mentality that wins at Cheltenham.
The market favorite going into this is Old Park Star, trained by the legendary Nicky Henderson. He's classy, he's got course form, and he's unbeaten over hurdles. I get it. But Talk The Talk — trained by Joseph O'Brien, one of the sharpest operators in the game — is sitting around 4/1 to 5/1 in the market. Those are odds I'll happily bet on a Grade 1 winner who's already proven he can handle the big occasion.
Lucky Leon says: The Festival rewards horses that have been tested and come back stronger. Talk The Talk's been tested. Bet him to WIN.
🏆 The New Lion (# 4) WIN — Champion Hurdle (Race 5 / 11:00 AM ET)
What is this race?
The Champion Hurdle is THE race of Day 1. The flagship event. Two miles, eight hurdles, the best hurdlers in the world going head-to-head. Past winners have become legends. This year's race is wide open because the horse that had dominated the division — Constitution Hill — isn't running, having been switched to flat racing. That changes everything.
Why The New Lion?
Five wins from six starts over hurdles. Trained by Dan Skelton — one of the best British trainers going right now — and ridden by his brother Harry Skelton, who knows this horse inside out. The New Lion won the Novices' Hurdle here at Cheltenham last year and is stepping up to Champion company.
His main rivals? Brighterdaysahead from Gordon Elliott's Irish yard and last year's winner Golden Ace. And with Lossiemouth now confirmed for the race — trained by Willie Mullins — the market has shifted. The New Lion has eased to around 3/1 with Lossiemouth taking up the favorite’s mantle. But The New Lion has the course form, the winning habit, and a trainer in white-hot form this season. At 3/1, that's still a price worth taking.
Lucky Leon says: Clear the decks and back this horse. He's been built for this moment.
🏆 Quebecois (# 16) Win & Show bet — Ultima Handicap Chase (Race 4 / 10:20 AM ET)
What is this race?
Now we're getting into handicap territory, which is where the handicapping judges either make real money or kick themselves. In a handicap, the race officials assign every horse extra weight to carry based on how good they think it is — the idea being to level the playing field. So a horse that looks like a long shot might actually be running on better terms than you think.
The Ultima Handicap Chase is three miles and one furlong over fences — a serious stamina test. And here's a fun stat: only three of the last twelve winners were the outright favorites. The mid-market runners win this race all the time.
Why Quebecois?
This is my value play for the day, sitting around 12/1. Here's why I like it: Cheltenham history shows you want course form in this race — nearly all recent winners had previously run here. Quebecois fits the bill as a progressive staying chaser who handles this kind of trip. The favorite, Jagwar, has been dropping fast and is now around 4/1. I'm not against Jagwar, but in a 22-runner field at those odds? I want more value, and Quebecois gives me that.
Big-field handicap chases at Cheltenham are chaotic and beautiful. Horses fall, favorites get caught in traffic, and something mid-market comes storming home on the run-in. That's been the pattern for years. Quebecois at a double-figure price in that kind of race? Sure thing.
Lucky Leon says: Back him Win and Show
Leon's Day 1 Top Tips
Race 1 (8:20 AM ET) — Talk The Talk (approx. 4/1–5/1) - Win Bet
Race 5 (11:00 AM ET) — The New Lion (approx. 3/1) - Win Bet
Race 4 (10:20 AM ET) — Quebecois (approx. 12/1) — Win and Show Bet
Cheltenham is one of a kind. Wonderful as US racing is, there’s nothing in American sports that quite compares — the atmosphere, the history, the heartbreak, and the celebrations all rolled into four incredible days. We'll be tracking every race right here at MyWinners all week long.
Bet smart, back your picks with confidence, and enjoy the ride. See you on the other side.
— Lucky Leon
MyWinners | Man on the Turf
Place bets at app.mywinners.com, download the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS here or Android here, or find your nearest Winners venue in CT.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cheltenham Festival?
The Cheltenham Festival is a four-day jump racing meeting held every March at Cheltenham Racecourse in England. It's the biggest National Hunt racing event in the world, featuring 28 races including some of the most prestigious Grade 1 contests in the sport.
What is Champion Day at Cheltenham?
Champion Day is the name given to the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. It features three Grade 1 races including the Champion Hurdle, the headline event of the day, and is widely considered one of the best single days of jump racing anywhere in the world.
What does a win, place, and show bet mean in horse racing?
A win, place, and show bet is three bets in one — one bet on your horse to win, one bet on it to finish second or better, and one bet on it to finish third or better. If your horse wins, all three bets pay out. If it finishes second, you collect on the place and show portions. Finish third, and you still get the show payout. It's a popular way to cover multiple outcomes and get value from longer-priced horses.
What is a handicap horse race?
In a handicap race, each horse is assigned extra weight to carry based on its ability — the better the horse, the more weight it carries. The idea is to level the playing field and give every runner a fair chance. Handicaps tend to be competitive, open races where big-priced winners are common.
Can I bet on the Cheltenham Festival at MyWinners?
Yes. MyWinners offers pari-mutuel betting on top international racing including the Cheltenham Festival. All bets are pooled, meaning your returns are determined by the final pool rather than fixed odds — and every dollar bet stays in the game.
