Just whisper this if you’re in the Kopek Des Bordes camp, but Willie Mullins comes into the Supreme Novices Hurdle of 2025 with just two victories in the Cheltenham Festival opener during the last decade.
When your Closutton stable has half of the dozen-strong field, however, you do give yourself plenty of chances. The home team has all but surrendered supremacy in the Supreme with just two flying the British flag this year.
It’s fair to say that bookmakers and Cheltenham betting sites aren’t exactly warm on the UK runners either. No, the one who laid a major marker down was Kopek Des Bordes when running away with a Dublin Racing Festival Grade 1 success last month.
His jumping improved no end from his hurdling debut in the Leopardstown fog over Christmas. A 13-length demolition job at the DRF wasn’t just visually impressive, but hinted Kopek Des Bordes could be something special.
There is opposition to the first of many Cheltenham favourites at the Festival, much of it from within his own stable. Moscow Flyer winner Salvator Mundi and JP McManus dark horse Irancy are other Mullins mounts of interest in the sextet.
Kopek Des Bordes must also fend off other top Irish yards with Gordon Elliott aiming Romeo Coolio at the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2025. Henry De Bromhead, meanwhile, saddles Workahead seeking to follow in the hoofprints of last year’s victor Slade Steel.
This race carries the name of the late Michael O’Sullivan for this edition, so an emotional success for Barry Connell’s William Munny would prove popular. A 15-length Listed victory for him only served to frank the form of Workahead, though.
Quicker Conditions for Supreme Novices Hurdle in 2025 Than Recent Renewals
For just the third time since Altior’s triumph in 2016, forecast going is good to soft. Many runners encounter such conditions for the first time. Kopek Des Bordes has handled any going thrown at him so far.
Yielding conditions as they call them in Ireland hold no fears for Workahead either. Romeo Coolio doesn’t mind it either, so the market principals based on current Cheltenham odds don’t have an excuse.
If selective watering can’t keep it good to soft, then Irancy made all on an even sounder surface before his winter break. Leading British contender Tripoli Flyer should go on it too for Fergal O’Brien, provided the Supreme Novices Hurdle of 2025 doesn’t come too soon after Kempton.
Don’t read too much into the wide-margin victory of Salvator Mundi at Tipperary on good ground, because he was 1/12. He also needs to brush up his jumping from the Moscow Flyer and stable jockey Paul Townend naturally rides Kopek Des Bordes.
For the unexposed horses, conditions represent something of an unknown quantity. Karbau won a French AQPS bumper before joining Mullins on good to soft, so may be just fine despite subsequent exploits on testing ground.
Karniquet in the Gigginstown House Stud silks didn’t look in love with the going at Leopardstown over Christmas. He still came out of the pack during the DRF to chase home Kopek Des Bordes, albeit in a distant second.
There are very few Cheltenham horses previously exposed to Prestbury Park in the Supreme Novices Hurdle of 2025. That complicates things for punters, who must decide the value of form posted elsewhere and predominantly in Ireland.
On official figures, Kopek Des Bordes has 9lb and upwards in hand on those with an official rating. You can see why he’s favourite.
