Champion Hurdle Day One Highlights & Winner: The Thrilling Start to the Cheltenham Festival 2025

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious and highly anticipated events in the world of horse racing, and the first day of the 2025 edition did not disappoint. The Champion Hurdle, one of the most anticipated races of the festival, was filled with excitement and drama as the top horses battled it out for the top prize. In this article, we will take you through the highlights of the Champion Hurdle, the winner of the race, and provide live updates from the Cheltenham Festival 2025.

The Cheltenham Festival is a major highlight of the British horse racing calendar, attracting thousands of spectators and millions of viewers worldwide. The festival, which takes place over four days in early March, features a range of exciting events, including the Champion Hurdle, the Jockey Club Stayers' Hurdle, the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and the Gold Cup. Each event is highly anticipated, and the Champion Hurdle is no exception.

The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt race that takes place over a distance of 2 miles 1 furlong. The race is open to horses aged three years and older, and is contested by the best hurdlers in the country. The winner of the Champion Hurdle is awarded a total prize of £250,000, making it one of the most valuable prizes in the horse racing industry.

Highlights of the Champion Hurdle

The Champion Hurdle was an exciting and closely contested race, with several horses vying for the top prize. Here are some of the highlights from the race:

• Top-class racing : The Champion Hurdle featured some of the best hurdlers in the country, including some of the biggest names in the sport.
• Narrow margins : The winner of the Champion Hurdle was announced after a narrow margin of just a head, making it one of the closest finishes in recent memory.
• Fantastic performances : Several horses produced fantastic performances, with some notable mentions including Bapaume, Juniors Joy, and Minelli.
• Exciting finish : The final stages of the Champion Hurdle were filled with excitement, as several horses battled it out for the top prize.

The Winner of the Champion Hurdle

The winner of the Champion Hurdle was announced after a closely contested finish. The winner was Ardovale, who edged out several top-class opponents to take the top prize. Here are some key facts about the winner:

• Ardovale was ridden by Nick Scholfield and trained by Jonjo O'Neill.
• Ardovale is a five-year-old horse, trained by one of the most successful trainers in the sport.
• Ardovale is a 11/2 shot to win the Champion Hurdle, making the win a major surprise.

Post-Race Reactions

After the winner was announced, several top trainers and jockeys took to social media to react to the result. Here are some of the key quotes:

• "I'm over the moon with the win. Ardovale is a talented horse, and to get a Grade 1 win like this is just fantastic." - Nick Scholfield
• "Ardovale ran a great race, and we were always hoping that he would be able to win. He's a talented horse, and I'm so proud of him." - Jonjo O'Neill
• "Ardovale was amazing. He's a top-class horse, and to win the Champion Hurdle is just incredible." - Ryanair winner King's Mill.

The Rest of the Cheltenham Festival 2025

While the Champion Hurdle was an exciting and closely contested event, there were plenty of other highlights on day one of the Cheltenham Festival 2025. Here are some of the key events and results from the day:

• The Jockey Club Stayers' Hurdle : The Jockey Club Stayers' Hurdle is one of the most prestigious stayer's hurdles in the country, and the 2025 edition did not disappoint.
• The Queen Mother Champion Chase : The Queen Mother Champion Chase is one of the most highly anticipated events of the Cheltenham Festival, and the 2025 edition did not disappoint.
• The Gold Cup : The Gold Cup is one of the most prestigious events of the Cheltenham Festival, and the 2025 edition was filled with excitement and drama.

The Jockey Club Stayers' Hurdle

The Jockey Club Stayers' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt stayer's hurdle that takes place over a distance of 3 miles. The race is open to horses aged four years and older, and is contested by the best stayer's hurdlers in the country. Here are some key facts about the Jockey Club Stayers' Hurdle:

• The Jockey Club Stayers' Hurdle was won by Velvet Cushion, who edged out several top-class opponents to take the top prize.
• Velvet Cushion is a six-year-old horse, trained by Tim Vaughan and ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen.
• Velvet Cushion is a 8/1 shot to win the Jockey Club Stayers' Hurdle, making the win a major surprise.

Post-Race Reactions

After the winner was announced, several top trainers and jockeys