Cheltenham 2025 Stable Tour - Gavin Cromwell's Festival Runners
Gavin Cromwell discusses his stable's key horses heading into the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. Hello Neighbour is set for the Triumph Hurdle, benefiting from stronger race pace. Only By Night may target the Arkle with her strong jumping ability. Bioluminescence's success hinges on soft ground at the Mares' Chase, while Brides Hill, needing a sound surface, preps at Huntingdon. Limerick Lace, reenvisioned for the Mares' Chase, also hopes for rain. Other notable mentions include Champagne Jury's entry in the Champion Bumper and Sixandahalf's chances in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle.
- Gavin Cromwell's stable tour ahead of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival
- Cromwell spoke to AtTheRaces this weekend
- Read exclusive quotes about Hello Neighbour, Sixandahalf, Only By Night and more
Gavin Cromwell spoke to AtTheRaces this week. Read key quotes about his possible runners at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
*All quotes attributed to AtTheRaces*
Gavin Cromwell Cheltenham Festival 2025 Stable Tour
Graded Horses
Hello Neighbour (Triumph Hurdle)
He’s going to go straight to the Triumph Hurdle. I thought he relaxed a bit better in the Spring Juvenile than he had on his hurdling debut, but they didn’t go as strong as pace as he’d have liked. When they go a stronger pace in front of him, I think he’ll relax better and produce an even better performance. His jumping was pretty good, bar getting in under a couple, but again a stronger pace will help him in that regard. I know he didn’t really draw away from them after getting to the front in good style, but I think he might have been idling when he got there. I think there’s more to come and we are excited by him.
Only By Night (Arkle or Mares' Chase)
I had her entered in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase, but I was a bit worried that two-and-a-half miles on testing ground might stretch her a little. The unfortunate news of Sir Gino’s injury has definitely given us food for thought with Only By Night holding an entry in the Arkle. She jumps really well, but Majborough is a very good, talented horse. That said, we’re swaying towards running her in the Arkle instead of the Mares’ Chase now as it stands.
Bioluminescence (Mares' Chase)
We’d love to run her in the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but she is ground dependent. She wants it soft. I was delighted with her run behind Dancing City given the terms the race was run on. She jumped very well and galloped through the line. She stays well, but on soft ground I think she’ll be fine coming back down a bit in trip.
Brides Hill (Mares' Chase)
She is probably going to run in a Listed mares’ chase at Huntingdon on Thursday. That will hopefully put her spot on for the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but she likes a sounder surface and wouldn’t be likely to run if it came up testing.
Limerick Lace (Mares' Chase)
We’ve been disappointed with her so far this season. We’ve changed things around with her since her last run and we’re hoping we can spark a return to form in her. We’ll go straight to the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival with her. The rain arrived in time for her in the race last year and we’d be delighted if it did the same again.
Champagne Jury (Champion Bumper)
I was very happy with what he did at Naas. It was proper testing ground, and I thought it was a good performance. I think we’ll go to the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
Sixandahalf (Mares' Novices' Hurdle)
She’s going to go straight to the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. We were delighted with her jumping on her hurdling debut. We schooled her last week, and she jumped so well that I don’t think she needs another run over them. She’s been a good solid mare for us, winning a bumper and progressing well on the Flat. She’ll look to go there with a good chance.
Handicappers
Al Gasparo
He is probably going to go for the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. I thought Conor Stone-Walsh gave him a very good ride at Leopardstown. He got his fractions right and seemed to be all out at the time, but hopefully there is more improvement to come from him.
Midnight It Is
I was a little bit disappointed with him at the Dublin Racing Festival. He didn’t travel as well as I thought he might. We’ll freshen him up and aim him for the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival.
My Mate Mozzie
I thought he ran well at the Dublin Racing Festival. It was his first run for a while, and I thought he might need the run. They went very hard, and he was dropped in. It looked like the winner might fall back into his lap, but in fairness to him he went again and won well. I think our fella will sharpen up for the run, but it isn’t the first time he hasn’t delivered as much as seemed likely off the bridle. We’ll aim him for the Grand Annual now.
Path D'Oroux
I’m going to step him up in trip and I think the novices’ handicap chase over two-and-a-half mile at the Cheltenham Festival is where he’ll go next. I just felt watching him the last day that he might just being getting caught for a little bit of sharpness over two miles and that the longer trip might just help him. He has loads of experience for a novice and relaxes well, so he will be an interesting runner in that race.
Pinot Gris
He’s going to go straight to the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He ran a solid race last year and is still a young horse, so you’d hope there is some natural improvement still to come from him.
Stumptown
He’s going to go straight to Cheltenham for the cross-country handicap. He loves the cross-country and banks races. He really enjoys it. He has gone up in the weights, but he’ll look to have a good chance there hopefully.
The King Of Prs
I think we’ll go straight to the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival with him. He was really good at Fairyhouse last time. He took a tired fall in the Grand Annual last year, but he’d had a busy time of it, and we’ll look to get him there a lot fresher this year.
The Other Mozzie
He’ll have entries in the Grand Annual and the novices’ handicap chase over two-and-a-half miles at the Cheltenham Festival and is likely to go straight there. I think he has enough paced for the Grand Annual, but I’m not sure if his jumping is quite sharp enough for it, so my inclination at the minute would be to favour the longer race, but we don’t have to decide until much closer to the time.
Total Look
His jumping is letting him down at the minute. He’ll have an entry in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but his jumping will need to sharpen up for a race like that.
Vanillier
It was great to see Vanillier get back to winning ways at Punchestown earlier this week. We put blinkers on him for the first time and they really seemed to sharpen him up in every way. We’ll enter him in the cross-country chase at the Cheltenham Festival and he’s in the Grand National. We’ll just have to weigh up whether we go straight to the Grand National or take in the cross-country race on the way there. We’ll see how he comes out of this run and that will help guide us.
Top Betting Sites
Betting offers
Upcoming Events
27 May 2026
- Daily Tips on May 27th -
- Horse Racing
28 May 2026
- 2026 Brigadier Gerard Stakes -
- Horse Racing
30 May 2026
- 2026 Lester Piggott Stakes -
- Horse Racing
Load More
