St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters Chase Betting Preview – Cheltenham Day 4 Tips (2025)

The Hunters Chase is the sixth race on Day 4 of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival and 24 runners have been declared for one of the biggest horse racing betting heats of the season.

We’ve known the early entries for the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase for some time now but decisions have been made and all eyes will be on Prestbury Park on Friday afternoon.

Here, we look at some of the leading players in the Cheltenham odds for this year’s race, with a St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase selection ahead of the 2025 renewal.

The Hunters Chase is always a spectacle and this year’s renewal looks competitive, with several former Cheltenham winners in the race and ANGELS DAWN is well fancied to add to her Kim Muir success from two years ago.

She beat Stumptown that day and both horses have gone on to enjoy success, and she has been well supported in the build-up to this year’s Festival. She is probably the class angle in the race and with a clear run around, she should go close.

On official ratings, she looks thrown in as she’s the top rated horse in the race yet she is in receipt of 7lbs from the geldings. However, the progressive Willitgoahead may be the one to give her most to do and he has massive upside.

Purchased by Bective Stud and now in training with Gordon Elliott, he produced a huge performance at Thurles in January and there are a few shrewd judges who believe that he is the next big star in this discipline.

Its On The Line finished second in this race last season before victories at both Aintree and Punchestown but he’s yet to hit top gear this term. Emmet Mullins is brilliant at getting one ready for the big day though and it would be foolish to write him off.

He has been second in the Cheltenham race in each of the previous two renewals so his connections will be hoping that it’s third time lucky this year. In the famous green and gold silks of JP McManus, he’ll be finishing his race very strongly indeed.

There has been plenty of support for Shearer in recent days and it would be some story if Olive Nicholls could ride a winner for father Paul Nicholls on Gold Cup day. He is two from two in Hunter Chases this season and he can run a big race…

He is a consistent type and you’d imagine he will run his race but there are slight doubts over whether he’ll stay the extended 3m2f trip. If he does, he has a decent chance and better ground will surely enhance his claims.

Ontheropes is an interesting runner for Thomas Mullins – given he used to be housed at Closutton for bother Willie Mullins. Previously owned by Cheveley Park Stud, he has a wealth of big race experience and he could feature in the shake up with a bit of luck.

SELECTION: ANGELS DAWN (WIN)