The 2025 Cheltenham Festival is almost here. The form has been studied, preview nights have been watched and Cheltenham free bet offers at horse racing betting sites are aplenty. Like every year, many punters have latched on to the bankers for their festival banker acca at Cheltenham betting sites. Here’s the 15/2 acca for Cheltenham's opening day this year that punters are hoping will give them something to cheer come Friday.

Kopek Des Bordes - 1:20 - Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

Anyone who has spent time listening to Cheltenham Festival preview nights over the last few weeks is probably sick of hearing the word ‘fizzy’ by now. Kopek Des Bordes might be a bit keen on track, but he has a level of ability nothing in the race does. The speed they go from the start in the first race of the Festival will help him settle, and the others will not be able to stay with him when Paul Townend asks him to go.

Majborough - 2:00 - My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase

You hear ‘could be anything’ about a lot of horses, and many of them under the watchful eye of Willie Mullins, and he appears to have another in Majborough. Showed grit in abundance to beat stablemate Kargese up the hill in the Triumph Hurdle last year and comes into the Arkle looking every bit the winner. Beat last year’s Supreme Novices’ third Firefox by 13 lengths in February and appeared to have plenty more in the tank, particularly if jumping is slightly improved.

Lossiemouth - 3:20 - Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle

It’s probably unfortunate that it is looking likely there will be four bankers on day one. Brighterdaysahead is taking up the Constitution Hill challenge, but signs suggest Lossiemouth will swerve it. This is probably one instance you should look to take advantage of non-runner no-bet concessions until the final declarations are out, but should Lossiemouth turn up in the Mares’ Hurdle, she might have the best chance of all four selections.

Constitution Hill - 4:00 - Unibet Champion Hurdle

What is there to say about Constitution Hill that hasn’t already been said? Probably the best two-mile hurdler we’ve ever seen will go again to try for a second Champion Hurdle and third victory at the Festival out of three. Some think Gordon Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead can live with Constitution Hill, but we’re here to argue against that after he made another high-class horse look decidedly second class in the Christmas Hurdle in Lossiemouth.

These are just four of the horses likely to be popular on betting apps in the lead up to the Cheltenham Festival. You can back the Kopek Des Bordes, Majborough, Lossiemouth and Constitution Hill Cheltenham acca at 15/2 with bet365.

There are bankers throughout the week at the Cheltenham Festival. Not just on Tuesday. Here are the horses UK betting sites are running scared of later in the week:

The New Lion - 1:20 Wednesday - Turners Novices’ Hurdle

It finally looks like the right horse is at the head of the market for the Turners. After JP McManus paid an eye-watering amount to add The New Lion to his festival squad, punters are putting the same faith in him. There probably isn’t that much between The New Lion and Final Demand on raw ability, but this race generally suits the horse who will spend the rest of their career at shorter distances. Side with the future Champion Hurdle contender here.

Jonbon - 4:00 Wednesday - BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase

Jonbon has never finished outside the top two in his racing career and has only really been made to look fallible by the great Constitution Hill and El Fabiolo. His jumping is markedly better than any other race in this, and it seems difficult to see any of the contenders challenging him for what would, remarkably, be a first Cheltenham Festival success at the third time of asking.

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Fact To File – 3:20 Thursday - Ryanair Chase

Last year’s Brown Advisory Novices' Chase winner Fact To File makes the step up to the Ryanair Chase this time around, and looks set to add another victory to his impressive CV. The eight-year-old boasts career chase form of 2111123 and those last two races saw him beaten by Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs, so there’s very little to stop him in this outing especially considering main rival Il Est Francais hasn’t run since Boxing Day and could be rusty.

Galopin Des Champs - 4:00 Friday - Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup

If not for a fall at the last fence in 2022 when having the Turners Novices’ Chase at his mercy. Galopin Des Champs would be aiming for a fifth straight Cheltenham Festival win. Since that fall, he’s won two Gold Cups, and looks to cement his place among the all-time greats with a third on Friday. He’s looked as good as ever recently, and this is arguably the softest Gold Cup field he has faced. Galopin Des Champs is the epitome of a Cheltenham banker.

Of course, not every favourite across the 28 races at Cheltenham will win, but these four over the latter stages of the Festival do make quite a nice-looking banker acca. You can back The New Lion, Jonbon, Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs to win at 18/1 with BetVictor.