Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Predictions, Betting Tips & Odds (Cheltenham 2025 - DAY 4)
- Written by David Bet
The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle is the Cheltenham Festival’s feature race for conditional jockeys. It means that the riders need to have ridden less than 75 winners. The race is run over a distance of 2 miles 4½ furlongs over Cheltenham New Course on the final day of the festival. Gordon Elliott claimed the final race of last year's festival, as Better Days Ahead got the better of a strong field at odds of 5/1 (as we predicted!). This article contains a complete 2025 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle race preview, our free predictions and tips, key trends, best odds, free bets, no deposit bonuses and bookie promotions.
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MARTIN PIPE HANDICAP HURDLE BETTING PREVIEW
The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle is the newest Cheltenham Race at the Festival and is considered the championship race for conditional (apprentice) jockeys in the United Kingdom. It's a National Hunt hurdle for conditional jockeys, run over two miles and four-and-a-half furlongs, for horses aged four years and upwards. Surprisingly for an unrated race, the Martin Pipe Hurdle has produced some top quality winners in its short history, including Sir Des Champs, Galopin Des Champs, and Don Poli.
The Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle is an extremely tough race to solve for punters as, like any other Cheltenham handicap, many horses will come into the race and look well handicapped on paper.
And now we take a closer look at this year's Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle in the coming days and try to determine which horse is likely to prevail a couple of weeks ahead of the race.
Who will win the Martin Pipe 2025?
KOPEK DE MEE makes his debut for Willie Mullins and JP McManus having been bought from France. He won on the Flat before sent jumping. Successful in three of his five races over hurdles, including a Listed contest at Auteuil, the form that day has subsequently been franked with a top performance from the third in a Grade One contest.
WODHOOH has done nothing wrong over hurdles as she is six from six, including a pair of Listed victories in juvenile races last term. She ran only once this season and the Gordon Elliott's mare recorded an impressive handicap win here at Cheltenham beating Joyeuse, Take No Chances and Royal Margeaux.
TAPONTHEGO finished runner-up to William Munny in the Listed Sheila Bourke Novice Hurdle at Punchestown. That form received a boost as the Barry Connell-trained gelding finished second in the Supreme Novices Hurdle. Prior to that he thrashed McLaurey in a two-and-a-half mile maiden hurdle earlier in the season and his two most recent defeats have come over two miles.
Gordon Elliott’s THE ENABLER was an impressive winner over 2m 4f two starts ago, but failed to fire over two miles at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival
2023 runner-up NO ORDINARY JOE warmed up for this with an eye-catching fourth at Warwick while EAST INDIA EXPRESS is seeking a hat-trick of victories following a quick-fire double at Ascot and Kempton in December.
Other horses with winning potential are MINELLA SIXO, KARAFON and NURSE SUSAN.
Dark horses?
PARK OF KINGS has some top handicap form in the book and has the help of top conditional Connor Stone-Walsh. A shade unlucky last time out, his trainer Paul Nolan will undoubtedly have him ready to peak here.
ELECTRIC MASON beat Laurens Bay in a Fontwell maiden hurdle and then was beaten four lengths by the 2025 Turners Novices' Hurdle winner The New Lion at Newbury. He was far from disgraced when beaten nine lengths in the Challow with the overall form of that race now working out quite well
NO QUESTIONS ASKED warmed up for the Festival with an easy victory at Ludlow. Ben Pauling's runner finished sixth in the Grade Two bumper at Aintree last season and won two of his first three starts over hurdles, before running a cracker to finish a close second behind Califet En Vol in the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon.
HARSH finished fourth in the Juvenile Handicap here last year at odds of 40/1. He finished behind Al Gasparo in a Listed handicap at Leopardstown and ran quite well in a subsequent effort at Fairyhouse.
Latest Odds
The section below contains the most backed entries at the moment:
All the bookmakers we recommend are offering No Runner No Bet on every Cheltenham Festival race.
MARTIN PIPE HANDICAP HURDLE TRENDS
- Just 1 of the 16 winners was favourite
- 5 of the 16 winners were in the top 3 in the betting
- 12 of the last 14 winners placed in the top 3 last time
- Only 4 winners have previous Festival experience
- All of the last 16 winners carried 11-1 or more
- Irish have won 9 of the last 14
- All 16 winners were aged 7 or younger
- 9 or the last 13 winners rated 139+
MARTIN PIPE HANDICAP HURDLE PREDICTIONS
Don't miss our recommended bets on the Conditional Jockeys Hurdle 2025. Feel free to copy our Cheltenham Festival expert picks and get the highest odds available on the market by clicking the 'Bet' button! Plus, we invite you to take a look at our Price Boost section to claim enhanced odds on today's races.
Ruby Walsh's Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Tips
Cheltenham Festival’s winning-most jockey turned TV pundit Ruby Walsh have shared his tips:
"Kopeck De Mee is better than a 136 horse but it’s hard to know how good he actually is! All of his form in France has been on soft ground though. The question is how much better than a mark of 136 does he need to be to win this race. He has a great mentality and he’ll be an easy ride. I’m not going to go against him."
2025 MARTIN PIPE HANDICAP HURDLE FREE BETS
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2025 CHELTENHAM DAY 4 TIPS AND PREDICTIONS
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2025 MARTIN PIPE HANDICAP HURDLE FAQs
What time is the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle?
The Martin Pipe Handicap Conditional Jockeys' Hurdle is the 7th and last race run on Day 4 of the Cheltenham Festival. That falls on Friday March 14, 2025 and the official starting time is 5:20pm.
How many obstacles are jumped in the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle?
There are 9 obstacles to jump for the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle runners
What is the distance of the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle?
The Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle is run on a distance of 2 miles and 4 and a half furlongs
What is the prize money for the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle?
The total prize money on offer for the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival will be £75,000.
Who won the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle last year?
Last year's renewal was won by Better Days Ahead at SP of 5/1, trained by Gordon Elliott and Josh Gue, and ridden by Danny Gilligan.
What weights are carried for the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle?
As it is a traditional National Hunt handicap hurdle, weights range from 11 st 12 lb for the top weight, to 10 st for the bottom weight.
Who is the leading jockey in the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle?
The last 12 winners were ridden by jockeys that had never previously ridden a Cheltenham Festival winner.
Who is the leading trainer in the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle?
Willie Mullins has won the race four times (including the 2021 winner Galopin Des Champs) more than any other trainer. Gordon Elliott has struck three time while Joseph O'Brien and Paul Nicholls both have won it twice.
