Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Lucky 15 Tips: Big Day For Birthday Boy JP McManus

1 hour ago

| BY News Team

Horse racing tipster Steve Mullington casts his eye over the opening day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, forming a Lucky 15 from four of his best selections on Tuesday’s action.

JP McManus, the biggest owner in the sport, turns 75 on Tuesday and plenty of punters are expecting a successful day for the famous green and gold silks. Here, you can see our tipster’s Lucky 15 selections below:

Cheltenham Day 1 Lucky 15 Tips

Mydaddypaddy – Supreme Novices Hurdle
Saratoga – Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
Jagwar – Ultima Handicap Chase
Madara – Plate Handicap Chase

Scroll down for Steve’s musings on each selection, starting with the Dan Skelton-trained Mydaddypaddy in the Festival curtain raiser.

1.20pm – Mydaddypaddy

Trainer Dan Skelton believes that his charge MYDADDYPADDY can bounce back in the Supreme on Tuesday afternoon after an underwhelming display at Aintree on Boxing Day.

Prior to his disappointing performance in the Grade One Formby Novices’ Hurdle, the Walk In The Park gelding had impressed in two hurdle victories and he was at the head of the ante-post betting market.

With a full compliment of hurdles back in front of him, I think we will see him back to his best, and he’s a tasty looking bet. Fingers crossed he can get us off to a flyer.

2.40pm – Saratoga

The JP McManus-owned SARATOGA is a well fancied in the Fred Winter and this full brother to 2022 winner Brazil has a similar profile and is also in training with Padraig Roche.

He was hugely eye-catching when finishing second at Naas last month and punters have latched onto him ahead of Tuesday’s race. I don’t think their money will be displaced.

3.20pm – Jagwar

After JAGWAR’S defeat in a 2m4f handicap chase in January, the Ryanair Chase was more or less ruled out immediately and the Ultima Handicap Chase became his most likely target – and that is where he has ended up.

His Cheshire-based trainers have the McManus charge in tip-top condition and he comes in here off a nice weight, with stablemate Iroko heading up the weights. He comes into this staying chase with a leading chance and the stable are hitting form at the right time.

4.40pm – Madara

Another Skelton horse, MADARA is one of the best-handicapped horses at the Cheltenham Festival according to Timeform experts.

The number crunchers in Halifax have the seven-year-old six pounds clear of his official BHA mark of 140. That certainly makes him an appealing bet for punters and he’s a must-include in any Day 1 Lucky 15.