Supreme Novices Predictions, Betting Tips & Odds (Cheltenham 2025 - DAY 1)
- Written by David Bet
The Supreme Novices' Hurdle traditionally gets the Cheltenham Festival underway. The race is for four year olds and upwards and is run over two miles and half a furlong on the old course. The race is considered to be the most prestigious 2 mile hurdle race for Novices of the season and Slade Steel won last year's race. Find below our Cheltenham 2025 Supreme Novices' race preview, with odds, tips, predictions, trends, free bets and betting promotions.
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SUPREME NOVICES BETTING PREVIEW
The Supreme Novices' Hurdle is a popular race amongst punters as they try and get off to a winning start at the Cheltenham Festival. It’s a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle contest, run over two miles and half-a-furlong, for horses aged four years and upwards. Slade Steel from Henry De Bromhead won the 2024 edition under the guidance of the Michael O’Sullivan, at a starting price of 7/2.
And now we take a closer look at this year's Skybet Supreme Novices' Hurdle and try to determine which horse is likely to prevail...
Who will win the Supreme Novices' 2025? Our racing experts are analysing the entries and the odds and will share their thoughts very soon.
KOPEK DES BORDES is red hot favorite of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival curtain-raiser. He's still unbeaten after making a winning start over hurdles on Boxing Day, followed up by a devastating 13 lengths at the Dublin Racing Festival.
SALVATOR MUNDI finished sixth in last season's Triumph Hurdle at the Cotswolds showpiece and is unbeaten in his two starts over timber this season. He has won both starts in Ireland, most recently the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novices' Hurdle at Punchestown in January under Paul Townend. Anyway, he was none too impressive in beating 136-rated KEL HISTOIRE by three lengths in a Grade 1 at Punchestown in January.
Gordon Elliott’s ROMEO COOLIO was runner-up to Jasmin De Vaux in the Champion Bumper last season and has since blossomed since switching to hurdles. He was last seen at Leopdardstown around Christmas when winning the Future Champions Novices' Hurdle, beating his stable companion Bleu De Vassy that day.
Henry De Bromhead’s WORKAHEAD appears to have been underestimated. He beat William Munny by 7 lengths when the pair clashed on Boxing Day at Leopardstown. William Munny and fourth Redemption Day were among the best of their generation in bumpers last term, while third Spring De La Mare and fifth Jacob's Ladder have won maiden hurdles since.
TRIPOLI FLYER was runner-up to this weekend's Morebattle Hurdle contender Jurancon on debut over obstacles at Chepstow in November and proved his worth when running out a ready winner of the Ladbrokes Dovecote Novices' Hurdle at Kempton last month.
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Dark Horses?
Willie Mullins' runner KARNIQUET’s odds for the Supreme Novices’ were cut from 33/1 to 14/1 after a good showing in coming second, 13 lenghts behind Kopek Des Bordes, at Leopardstown.WILLIAM MUNNY will bid to provide Barry Connell with a second victory in Supreme Novices’ Hurdle following a poignant success at Punchestown on Febraury. He had two bumpers in his locker in addition to a third place in a Grade 1 bumper at the Punchestown Festival, before finishing runner-up in his first two cracks at hurdling at Leopardstown and Fairyhouse. He is clearly improving with every run.
IRANCY returned to action after 349 days since a promising hurdling debut third behind Ballyburn and Firefox. He floated over the good ground and jumped well in the main en route to a nine-length victory from Gavin Cromwell’s Will The Wise, who won a Punchestown maiden few weeks ago. Decent ground might be important to him.
Latest Odds
At the moment, the most backed horses are the following:
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SUPREME NOVICES TRENDS
- Only 4 favourites have won in the last 20 renewals
- 11 of the last 12 winners were sent off at single figure odds
- 6 of the last 12 winners have had an official rating of 153 or higher
- 19 of the last 21 winners have been aged either five or six.
- 24 of the last 28 winners have won last time out
- 8 of the last 12 winners were trained in Ireland (15 of the 25 renewals this century)
SUPREME NOVICES PREDICTIONS
Find below our recommended bets on the Supreme Novices Hurdle 2025. Feel free to copy our Cheltenham tips and get the best odds available on the market by clicking the 'Bet' button!
Ruby Walsh's Supreme Novices' Tips
Cheltenham Festival’s winning-most jockey turned TV pundit Ruby Walsh have shared his tips:"Kopek Des Bordes has been doing everything really well at home since winning at the Dublin Racing Festival. I thought there’d be more runners in the Festival opener, but with Workahead and Romeo Coolio in here, there should be a strong pace from the start. It’s hard to get away from Kopek des Bordes as the likely winner.
Kappa Jy Pyke (wide-margin maiden hurdle winner at Punchestown) and Karbau (easy maiden hurdle winner at Punchestown) should run in the Supreme but Kiss Will (impressive winner at Fairyhouse) is a more laid-back type and could step up to 2m 5f in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle on the Wednesday.
As Kappa Jy Pyke and Karbau are more likely to head to the Supreme Novices Hurdle they could be a bit of each-way value against their stablemate Kopek Des Bordes in the non-runner no bet market."
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2025 CHELTENHAM DAY 1 TIPS AND PREDICTIONS
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SUPREME NOVICES FAQs
What time is the Supreme Novices' Hurdle?
The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is the opening race run on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival. That falls on Tuesday March 11, 2025 and the official starting time is 1:20pm.
How many obstacles are jumped in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle?
There are eight hurdles to jump for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle runners
What is the distance of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle?
The Supreme Novices' Hurdle is run on a distance of 2 miles and 87 yards
What is the prize money for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle?
The total prize money on offer for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival will be £150,000.
Who won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle last year?
Last year's renewal was won by Slade Steel at SP of 7/2, trained by Henry De Bromhead and ridden by Rachael Blackmore.
What weights are carried for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle?
10 st 13 lb (4-year-olds). 11 st 7 lb (5-year-olds +). 7 lb allowance for fillies and mares.
Who is the leading jockey in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle?
The most successful jockey in the history of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is Ruby Walsh, who has six wins. His replacement Paul Townend has won three years ago. Nico de Boinville has the best recent record in the race with three wins, all on Nicky Henderson-trained horses, in the last nine years. Jack Kennedy also has a good recent record in the race with a winner and three places from four rides.
Who is the leading trainer in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle?
Five of the last 13 winners have been trained by Willie Mullins, most recently with 2021 victor Appreciate It. Nicky Henderson is another trainer to note with three winners in the last 12 years.
