Surprise Japanese runner joins Constitution Hill in Champion Hurdle as more star-studded Cheltenham Festival entries revealed

Constitution Hill, Sir Gino and Brighterdaysahead featured among 16 put forward for the Unibet Champion Hurdle as the next batch of Cheltenham Festival entries were revealed on Tuesday.

There was also a surprise Japanese entry with All The World entered by trainer Kazuya Nakatake. The eight-year-old finished third in the Tokyo High Jump, one of the country's leading jump races, in October.

• Watch Champion Hurdle entry All The World (no.9) finish third in the Tokyo High Jump on his last start

Constitution Hill is one of six British-trained runners in the race as Nicky Henderson also kept the option open Sir Gino. He was a brilliant winner on his chase debut in December but also won the Fighting Fifth in the absence of his star stablemate. Greatwood winner Burdett Road, Brentford Hope and Golden Ace are also among the home challenge.

Willie Mullins has six entered in the feature race of the festival's opening day on March 11 including defending champion State Man as well as Lossiemouth and Kargese, who both also have entries in the Mares' Hurdle.

Brighterdaysahead, a 30-length Grade 1 winner over Christmas, was also given entries in the Champion and Mares' Hurdle by Gordon Elliott. 

Constitution Hill could bid to regain his Champion Hurdle crown after missing last year's raceCredit: Edward Whitaker

Defending champion Teahupoo is one of 35 on course for the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle although leading fancy Ballyburn was not among the entries.

He was cut to 8-1 for the Stayers' after defeat to Sir Gino in a novice chase over Christmas, but he is poised to remain over fences with the Brown Advisory or Arkle among likely options.

Established stayers Home By The Lee, Crambo and The Wallpark were also entered along with Relkeel Hurdle winner Lucky Place.

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2025 Cheltenham Festival: big-race betting for the Champion Hurdle, Stayers' Hurdle and Mares' Hurdle

Unibet Champion Hurdle (4.00, March 11)

Entries: 16

Full betting (Unibet): 4-6 Constitution Hill, 4 Lossiemouth, Brighterdaysahead, 10 State Man, 11 Anzadam, 20 Sir Gino, 25 Burdett Road, 40 Brentford Hope, 50 King Of Kingsfield, Kitzbuhel, 66 Kargese, Winter Fog, 80 Golden Ace, 100 All The World, Nemean Lion, Senecia 

After missing last year's race, Constitution Hill is odds-on across the board to regain the title he first won in sensational style in 2023. He returned from a year of illness and injury with victory over Lossiemouth in the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day. Whether that mare and Brighterdaysahead, another star of the festive period after her 30-length demolition job in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Hurdle, run here or in the Mare;' remains to be seen.

Sponsors Unibet have priced Japanese entry All The World, who is still an entire horse and raced on the Flat in his younger years before switching to jumps in 2023, at 100-1. He has won three of his six jump races in Japan.

*All entries listed below

Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (4.00, March 13)

Entries: 36

Full betting (Paddy Power): 6-4 Teahupoo, 8 Home By The Lee, 14 Lucky Place, 16 Crambo, Hiddenvalley Lake, Langer Dan, The Wallpark, 20 Strong Leader, Kateira, 25 Mystical Power, Gowel Road, 33 Buddy One, Stellar Story, Gala Marceau, Ballyadam, Gold Tweet, 40 Monmiral, Asterion Forlonge, Winter Fog, 50 Hewick, Rocky's Diamond, Franciscan Rock, Beacon Edge, Ga Law, 66 Bob Olinger, Jetara, Sandor Clegane, Minella Missile, July Flower, Maxxum, Nemean Lion, Kerryhill, Goshen, Maximilian, Botox Has, Staffordshire Knot

2024 winner Teahupoo dominates the Stayers' Hurdle market and like last year he is poised to go straight to Cheltenham off the back of one run in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle. He was beaten by Lossiemouth on that occasion but his potential rivals here do not look to have the class of last season's Mares' Hurdle ace.

Second favourite Home By The Lee is admirably consistent and has twice defeated Bob Olinger this season, including a six-length triumph in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas. Nicky Henderson's Lucky Place is on an upward trajectory and heads the British challenge along with Long Walk Hurdle winner Crambo.

*All entries listed below

Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (3.20, March 11)

Entries: 24

Full betting (Paddy Power): 13-8 Brighterdaysahead, 3 Lossiemouth, 4 Kargese, 7 July Flower, 10 Jade De Grugy, 12 Kateira, 20 Golden Ace, Kala Conti, 25 Queens Gamble, 33 Dysart Enos, Gala Marceau, Got Glory, Jetara, Lantry Lady, Take No Chances, West Balboa, 40 Casa No Mento, Feet Of A Dancer, Lot Of Joy, 50 All The Glory, Nurse Susan, Wyenot, 100 Hollygrove Cha Cha, Pinot Rouge 

The market is dominated by three mares who all also hold entries in the Champion. Kargese, twice a Grade 1 winner last season whose only defeats came to top talents Majborough and Sir Gino, is following a similar route to the festival as stablemate Lossiemouth did last year. 

*All entries listed below

2025 Cheltenham Festival: full list of entries for the Champion Hurdle, Stayers' Hurdle and Mares' Hurdle

Champion Hurdle (16 entered)

All The World
Anzadam
Brentford Hope
Brighterdaysahead
Burdett Road
Constitution Hill
Golden Ace
Kargese
King of Kingsfield
Kitzbuhel
Lossiemouth
Nemean Lion
Senecia
Sir Gino
State Man
Winter Fog

Stayers' Hurdle (36)

Asterion Forlonge
Ballyadam
Beacon Edge
Bob Olinger
Botox Has
Buddy One
Crambo
Franciscan Rock
Ga Law
Gala Marceau
Gold Tweet
Goshen
Gowel Road
Hewick
Hiddenvalley Lake
Home By The Lee
Jetara
July Flower
Kateira
Kerryhill
Langer Dan
Lucky Place
Maximilian
Maxxum
Minella Missile
Monmiral
Mystical Power
Nemean Lion
Rocky’s Diamond
Sandor Clegane
Staffordshire Knot
Stellar Story
Strong Leader
Teahupoo
The Wallpark
Winter Fog

Mares' Hurdle (24)

All The Glory
Brighterdaysahead
Casa No Mento
Dysart Enos
Feet Of A Dancer
Gala Marceau
Golden Ace
Got Glory
Hollygrove Cha Cha
Jade de Grugy
Jetara
July Flower
Kala Conti
Kargese
Kateira
Langtry Lady
Lossiemouth
Lot Of Joy
Nurse Susan
Pinot Rouge
Queens Gamble
Take No Chances
West Balboa
Wyenot

Cheltenham Festival ante-post tip

Kargese

Mares' Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 11)

By Tom Park

I think Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth will both take their chance in the Champion Hurdle and their absence leaves a big hole to fill in the Mares' Hurdle. 

Last season's juveniles are looking a really hot bunch, with Sir Gino looking an absolute superstar, Majborough his closest rival in the Arkle and Burdett Road winning the Greatwood Hurdle. 

Kargese ran Majborough and Sir Gino close at Cheltenham and Aintree and looks to have been kept fresh for a tilt at the Mares' Hurdle, a tactic deployed with stablemate Lossiemouth last season. 

Like Lossiemouth, Kargese can be free going, but if she has learned to settle since we last saw her, 5-1 looks a massive price. 

Kargese15:20 Cheltenham

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: W P Mullins

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The rocky road to the Supreme: the state of play, key races to come plus Harry Wilson's ante-post tip 

Irish sensation Sam Ewing blown away by Brighterdaysahead with jockey confident mare has the speed for Champion Hurdle 

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