Key Points
- I have selected one horse for each day of the Cheltenham Festival to combine in an each way Lucky 15
- Four wins across the Lucky 15, with a £1 each way bet would return £26,908.62!
- Even four places at the advised prices would return £298.52
Instead of an individual betting tip, for today I have put together an each way Lucky 15 for you, covering the four days of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. A Lucky 15 is a multiple bet with four selections consisting of 15 bets in total - 4 singles, 6 doubles, 4 trebles and one fourfold. This type of bet is fantastic, as just one place will generate a return, but the more places or wins, the better of course. It’s a great way to cover a lot of bases without staking a massive amount, making it a great way for more casual punters to get involved at the Cheltenham Festival.
This is my fourth article since joining Betting.co.uk now. Two of my earlier articles included ante post picks for the Cheltenham Festival. Unfortunately, the first of those is now off the menu, as L’Homme Presse has suffered a setback and won’t be running in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. However, it is not too late to check out the other one, which looks at this year’s Coral Cup. Don’t forget to keep checking back, as I’ll be bringing you articles and betting tips every single day of the Cheltenham Festival.
Betting advice
Four wins across my Lucky 15, with a £1 each way bet (£30 total) at the advised bet365 prices would return £26,908.62.
- Day 1 – National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase (17:20 Tuesday) – Gericault Roque @ 10/1 (5 places)
- Day 2 – Queen Mother Champion Chase (16:00 Wednesday) – Marine Nationale @ 5/1 (3 places)
- Day 3 - Trustatrader Plate Handicap Chase (16:40 Thursday) – Fugitif @ 16/1 (5 places)
- Day 4 - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (17:20 Friday) - No Ordinary Joe @ 14/1 (5 places)
bet365 is my choice of bookie for this Lucky 15!
As well as great prices and place terms for each of the four horses contained in the Lucky 15, bet365 have an awesome sign up offer that is currently available to new customers. When you deposit and
bet £10, you’ll get £30 in free bets. Make sure you take advantage of this exceptional offer if you do not already use bet365.
These four should at least be hitting the places for our multiple!
With an each way Lucky 15, or any each way multiple for that matter, the key is to pick horses out that you can trust to deliver for you. A big priced winner is great as a single, but not ideal for multiples, as you are looking for as many of your picks to hit the frame as possible, ideally, all of them. Another way to look at it is to consider that three places would provide a better return than just one of them winning.
The four horses I have chosen have every chance of being in the places, and I actually think they can win their respective races. While most Cheltenham multiples will consist of all of the usual names at extremely short prices, I have found horses at value prices for you that should give you a run for your money and are likely to outperform their odds.
Gericault Roque has plenty of class and can stay on strongest over 3m 6f
First up is Gericault Roque, who runs in the Day 1 finale - the National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase. Gericault Roque was second in a Bumper, and had form figures of 1-3-1 over Hurdles, but he was always a staying Chaser in the making. During the 2021/22 season, he made rapid progress over fences finishing in the frame in his first four starts. as he tackled better company and longer trips. He ran a cracker in the Warwick Chase over 3m 5f and proved that he had the stamina for that sort of test.
On his next start, they ran him in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival and he was only beaten by Corach Rambler. That one went on to win the race again the following year, off a much higher mark. Corach Rambler also won the Grand National and placed in the Gold Cup the year after, where he was outrun by the force that is Galopin Des Champs.
After wind surgery and a 235-day break, Gericault Roque returned at Aintree for a pipe opener, before heading to Newbury for the Coral Gold Cup (formerly known as the Hennessy). He ran an incredible race to finish third that day, which can be marked up considering he didn’t get his favoured softer ground and he didn’t have an ideal preparation for the race either. Interestingly, his owner commented that he comes alive in the big races, and he also wants extreme trips in the future. Sadly he never got a chance to fulfill that potential, as he was then off the track for 783 days with various setbacks.
He finally returned at Windsor in January of this year, showing he retained both his ability and his enthusiasm. He did gradually weaken from the second last fence but you cannot blame him for needing the run after such a long absence. Off the back of that run, he now comes for this race at the Cheltenham Festival. A race of this length should suit him perfectly as a nine-year-old with an abundance of stamina.
His second places in the Ultima and Coral Gold Cup came off marks of 138 and 139, producing RPRs of 145 on both occasions. He comes for this race off just 131, so he looks incredibly well handicapped, and if he can rediscover his best form now that he is race fit, I think he could win this. With the dry weather conditions, you would fear quick ground for him, but the clerk of the course at Cheltenham will water if need be, so there should be some give in the ground on Day 1. At a double figure price, he looks underestimated to me, and I think he’ll run a massive race.
Marine Nationale could cause an upset in the Queen Mother Champion Chase
Next we have Marine Nationale in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Now I am under no illusion that Jonbon won’t be a tough nut to crack, but I don’t think he is unbeatable. Interestingly he has only ever been defeated three times in his career from 20 starts but on each occasion it happened at Cheltenham. So while he has won his other two starts here, the track does present a question mark for him and it could be his downfall.
The one I fancy to serve it up to him is Marine Nationale for Barry Connell. Marine Nationale won the 2023 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle under the late Michael O’Sullivan. He was well fancied for the Arkle last season, but sadly suffered a setback which ruled him out of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival. He’s come back this year in open company over fences and he has really impressed me. In each run he has looked to improve, with RPRs reading 145, 156 and 163. With an improving horse like Marine Nationale, you just never know when that improvement will stop and he could have plenty more to come.
Realistically, if Barry is going to have him at his peak for any race, it will be this Champion Chase, so I think there is more to come. We also know he acts around the Old course at Cheltenham, as he won his Supreme on that track. The drier weather conditions this year also play into his hands, as he is a far better horse on decent ground. The other main contenders are Energumene and Solness. Energumene wants much more testing conditions and he is 11 years of age now. Solness will enjoy the drier conditions, but he has benefitted from being given an easy lead in front previously, and he won’t get it so easy in this field. The Cheltenham hill will also make life tougher for him and I think he’ll be praying for the finishing line as the others power up the hill.
While there are question marks for his rivals, Marine Nationale is improving with every run and he also looks to have the stars aligning for him in terms of the weather and ground conditions as well. It would be fantastic to see Marine Nationale win it after the tragic loss of Michael, given that he gave Michael his best day of his career in the saddle. My head thinks he can do it, my heart hopes he can do - Come on Marine.
Fugitif can continue the great record for 10-year-olds in this race over his favourite course and distance
My third Lucky 15 pick is Richard Hobson’s Fugitif, in the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase. Fugitif knows this trip around the New Course at Cheltenham nearly as well as his own stable. He has run over course and distance five times now, as well as trying four other trips at Cheltenham, so he has tons of experience to draw on.
In his five runs over distance on the New Course at Cheltenham, he has produced form figures of 2-2-1-P-3. Although Fugitif was pulled up in the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase at last year’s Festival, it was an ambitious task for him and there is no shame in finding that too strong. His other four runs came in Handicaps and he is yet to finish out of the first three. It is also worth noting that one of Fugitif’s second places actually came in the 2023 renewal of this race. Fugitif bumped into a well-handicapped Irish rival that day, namely Seddon, and he also blew the standing start.
If he had managed to get away better, he may well have won it but he had too much ground to make up. Back in third that day was 10-year-old Shakem Up’Arry and he went on to win this race last year. In the two years prior the race was won by Seddon and Coole Cody, who were aged 10 and 11 years respectively. Those results suggest that an older, more experienced horse is the way to go here, making the 10-year-old Fugitif a perfect fit. His five C&D runs have come off marks of 143, 149, 151, 157 and 150. The run off 157 was his Ryanair Chase run, and the 151 was when he won the December Gold Cup.
His four Handicap runs produced RPRs of 157, 158, 157 and 155, so on a current mark of 148, he looks to be very well treated, sitting 3lb below his December Gold Cup weight. The December Gold Cup was run on quicker ground, which wouldn’t have been ideal. Then on his sole start between then and now, he had a run in the Denman Chase to protect his mark. As if the case did not look strong enough for him already, Sean Bowen has been booked to ride and you’d struggle to find a better man for the job. As Shakem Up’Arry showed last year, horses returning to the same Handicap at the Cheltenham Festival can prove dangerous and hopefully Fugitif will follow that trend. Not to mention that you’d struggle to find one that can power up the hill stronger than him.
It’ll be third time lucky for No Ordinary Joe in the Martin Pipe
Our fourth and final Lucky 15 horse is No Ordinary Joe, who runs in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle for the Nicky Henderson yard and owner JP McManus. No Ordinary Joe is no stranger to this race, as he has competed in the last two renewals. He looked the winner in the 2023 renewal, but Iroko (another owned by JP McManus) powered past him heading towards the line and demoted him to second place.
Iroko was rated 138 that day, receiving 1lb from No Ordinary Joe on 139. However, Iroko has since placed in two Grade 1s, is now rated 152 and is as short as 12/1 to win the 2025 Grand National. No Ordinary Joe also came back for another crack at the race last year, but sadly the Henderson stable were under a bit of a cloud at the time, with many of the horses unwell and missing the Cheltenham Festival entirely, which included stable stars like Sir Gino, Shishkin and Jonbon.
Ultimately, Henderson did run a couple of his horses and No Ordinary Joe was one of them. He travelled into the race strongly and looked certain to play a part in the finish. However, he weakened at the business end of the race to finish seventh and I suspect he wasn’t really 100% that day. Moving forward to this year, Nicky Henderson clearly has a clear target in mind as No Ordinary Joe looks to have been campaigned for the race, and comes back this year off a mark of 138.
Older British handicappers returning to the same races at the Cheltenham Festival tend to do extremely well. This is likely a combination of the handicapper being kind to them as they get older, and potentially being harsher on the Irish-trained runners, hiking their marks up when they compete here. Considering his previous form, his potential excuse for last year and his mark for this year, I think it all points towards a huge run. Let’s hope it is a case of third time lucky for Joe and he proves himself not to be ordinary!
Can we land some profit with these four?
I genuinely think these four horses have exceptional chances in their respective races, and I wouldn’t put you off backing them as singles, but don’t overlook the value of the Lucky 15. Four wins across the Lucky 15 with a £1 each way bet at the prices advised would return £26,908.62. We can dream…
However, even just four places across the Lucky 15 would return £298.52! That is almost a tenfold return on your stake without even picking a winner! If nothing else, this each way Lucky 15 will give you plenty of entertainment for your money with a runner on each day of the Festival. I hope to land much more than just the entertainment factor though…
Cheltenham week is the time to look for sign up offers!
With the 2025 Cheltenham Festival taking place next week, now is the perfect time to hit the bookmakers and take advantage of their free bet deals.
1.
New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non-UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned.
18+. T&Cs Apply.
2.
£20 Back-Up Bet as Free Bet
Min. Deposit: £10
18+ | New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned |
T&Cs apply.
3.
Bet £10 Get £30
Requirements (WR): £10 Slots bonus on selected slots
18+ Opt in, bet £10 on any football (odds 1/1+) within 3 days of sign up. Get 2x£10 and 1x£5 Free Bets for set football markets + £5 Slots Bonus on Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, max redeem £125. Bonuses expire in 14 days. Click for T&Cs. GambleAware.org
4.
Bet £10 Get £30 Surprise Bet
Min. Deposit: £10
New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £10. Qualifying real money bet of £10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer awarded immediately but could be issued the next working day in exceptional circumstances such as technical fault. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
5.
Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets
Min. Deposit: 10
New customers only. Register (excl 05/04/25), deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility exclusions & T&Cs Apply.
The latest sports news with betting.co.uk
The latest sports news with betting.co.uk
The latest sports news with betting.co.uk
The latest sports news with betting.co.uk
