*Paddy Power is now Non Runner Money Back for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. That means that if your selection does not line up in the race you back it in for any reason – you will now get your stake back. TC’s apply.

*Paddy also has the more traditional ante-post market where you will lose your stake if your selection doesn’t run in the race for whatever reason.

Paddy Power Media’s ‘From The Horse’s Mouth’ podcast ‘Cheltenham Countdown’ is back as host Tom Nugent picks the brains of the Festival’s winning-most jockey turned TV pundit Ruby Walsh and well-known journalist and broadcaster Rory Delargy for their Cheltenham betting tips.

In the fourth episode of this year’s series, the gang have looked at the Arkle Chase ahead of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.

RORY DELARGY

It looks a cracking match between Majborough and Sir Gino. The latter was frighteningly good at Kempton over Christmas and I expect him to win the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury this weekend. I know it’s a match and I’d side with Sir Gino out of the two but if something goes wrong with either there could be one to pick up the pieces.

Touch Me Not is a really good yardstick. I’d be interested to know what he’s going to do later in the season because he’s almost blown a potentially good handicap mark by running so well at the Dublin Racing Festival when a nine-length second to Majborough. He travelled as well as Willie Mullins’ runner for a long way and he looked like a nice horse.

L’Eau du Sud beat him three and a half lengths at Sandown earlier so there’s a form line that shows you that Majborough is a better horse at the moment than L’Eau du Sud.

Majborough and Sir Gino quite likely to dominate because they are so straightforward – and it’s easy to do that in a smallish field. It’s harder to do in a big field. There’s a chance one could tip up and all of a sudden the race changes. Touch Me Not would cope with the big field really well. And the bigger the field, the more likely we are to get a bit of a shock result.

On the flip side though, when you’ve got such classy horses in the race, the chances of there being a big field lessen as well.

Pick up the pieces

L’Eau du Sud has been impressive over fences. People will say, he actually jumped better when winning the Arkle Trial at Cheltenham but I’ve a problem with that as it’s way too early in the season for an Arkle Trial.

The British season is set up to try and determine the top novices at Christmas time. L’Eau du Sud reminds me of Third Time Lucki who was doing the same thing a few seasons ago when looking absolutely spectacular in October and November. L’Eau du Sud has probably achieved his maximum over fences already.

I don’t know if Gordon Elliott wants to send Touch Me Not to the Arkle Chase at the Festival, but I’d be keen on him as one who could pick up the pieces behind the big two of Sir Gino and Majborough.

*Paddy Power is now Non Runner Money Back for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. That means that if your selection does not line up in the race you back it in for any reason – you will now get your stake back. TC’s apply. 

*Paddy also has the more traditional ante-post market where you will lose your stake if your selection doesn’t run in the race for whatever reason. 

Read More

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• Cheltenham Festival: I’m not convinced by Maughreen yet – 10/1 shot appeals more for Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
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• Cheltenham Festival race times and schedule for 2025 meeting
• Pertemps Final qualification races and eligible horses for Cheltenham Festival 2025

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