'Jonbon's team should fear him more than all others' - three Cheltenham Festival tips using William Hill's non-runner no bet offer

As we move into 2025 eyes are now starting to turn to the Cheltenham Festival and William Hill have gone non-runner no bet on all races at the March spectacular. We take a look at the markets and pick out our best bets with that concession . . .

William Hill: get £60 in free bets when you deposit and bet £10

Kargese15:20 Cheltenham

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: W P Mullins

Kargese

Mares' Hurdle, March 11

8-1 each-way NRNB (12-1 best price with bet365)

There must be a massive chance that Brighterdaysahead will head to the Champion Hurdle after her demolition job in the Neville Hotels Hurdle last week. The lure of the Champion Hurdle will surely be too much, particularly if she can follow up in the Irish Champion Hurdle.

While it would appear the Mares' Hurdle would be hers for the taking if she turned up, it must also be remembered that Apple's Jade, who had a habit of winning at Leopardstown in extraordinary style, was beaten in that race as a short-priced favourite.

Kargese gave Sir Gino a fright at AintreeCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Lossiemouth was clearly not her usual self in the Christmas Hurdle and, given her next target will be over two miles, probably at Cheltenham in the International, there is every chance she will still turn up in the Champion Hurdle too. With stablemate State Man looking a shadow of himself last week, Lossiemouth might still prove to be Willie Mullins' Champion Hurdle horse.

My feeling is that connections of Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth will try to avoid each other and I can only see one, or none, of the pair running in the Mares' Hurdle, which leaves some each-way value to be had.

We have yet to see Kargese this season, but it would be foolish to forget just how strong her juvenile form was last season. Last year's four-year-olds look an exceptional bunch. Sir Gino and Majborough are first and second favourite for the Arkle, while Burdett Road impressed when winning the Greatwood Hurdle.

Kargese's length-and-a-half second to Majborough in the Triumph, followed by a three-and-a-quarter-length defeat by Sir Gino at Aintree, is pretty hot form and she looks a big each-way price at 8-1 for the Mares' Hurdle, especially given the uncertainty over the top two in the market.

She wouldn't be a certain stayer given how headstrong she was last year, but the 2m1f Triumph trip on the New course is not too far off being as stamina sapping as the 2m4f Mares' Hurdle trip on the Old course.

Her absence wouldn't be a concern as Mullins has a habit of prepping mares for this race with just one or two runs, but having the NRNB concession on your side is a huge bonus here.

Il Est Francais16:00 Cheltenham

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm

Il Est Francais

Champion Chase, March 12

8-1 NRNB (20-1 best price with Ladbrokes and Coral)

There is one horse that connections of Jonbon should fear more than all others in the Champion Chase and that is Il Est Francais.

Whether it is 3m, 2m4f or 2m, you get the sense that the French star has only one way of running – fast and hard from the front – and he would be a sight to behold in the 2m festival feature.

Il Est Francais looks the ideal type for two miles around CheltenhamCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

No rival could keep up with him in the King George, when you would assume he was being restrained to some degree to get the trip, so imagine what he could do over 2m when let loose.

Jonbon is a worthy favourite, but he has been a good bit below his best at Cheltenham in the past and I've always thought he is beatable when you really put his jumping under pressure. Il Est Francais will certainly do that.

Gaelic Warrior has a few questions to answer and you can easily pick holes in last season's two-mile novice chasers, while Energumene is an 11-year-old and El Fabiolo looks set to go up in trip.

So, while Jonbon is a worthy favourite, this looks a winnable race and an opportunity that connections of Il Est Francais should look to seize. He surely won't be an 8-1 shot on the day.

El Fabiolo15:20 Cheltenham

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: W P Mullins

El Fabiolo

Ryanair Chase, March 13

5-1 NRNB William Hill (8-1 best price with Ladbrokes and Coral)

If El Fabiolo has had an Achilles' heel in the past it has been his jumping and that was his downfall when he was pulled up in the Champion Chase as the 2-9 favourite last season after making a mess of the fifth.

El Fabiolo looks a good bet at 5-1 NRNB for the RyanairCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Given the mistakes he made at Sandown on his next start, he did well to finish four lengths behind course specialist Jonbon. Given how he stayed on that day, he looks ready to step up in trip.

What has never been in doubt about El Fabiolo is his engine and he could prove a class above in the Ryanair. Fact To File will head to the Gold Cup, while the Champion Chase is still plan A for Gaelic Warrior. King George winner Banbridge would be a worthy adversary, but he's unlikely to run if the ground is soft and his form is miles better on flatter tracks.

The Ryanair could cut up massively and even if it didn't I still think El Fabiolo is the best horse in this race. We haven't seen him since the Celebration Chase, so taking the NRNB could prove wise.

William Hill offer: get £60 in free bets when you deposit and bet £10

It really is simple to take advantage of the William Hill sign-up offer and you don't even need a promotional code to claim your £60 of free bets.

The offer is open to both website and mobile customers, and it's simple to secure your £60 of free bets.

• Click this link to sign up for a William Hill account
• Fill in the required and relevant information to open an account such as your name, date of birth and email address
• Create your account
• Deposit and place a bet of £10 at odds of 1/2 (1.5 decimal) or greater (excluding virtual markets)
• When your first qualifying bet is settled, 4 x £10 worth of free bet tokens (for mobile and tablet customers, 3 x £10 for website users) will be added to your account balance (this cannot be cashed out and will not be included in returns)
• The remaining £20 in free bets can be claimed for use on William Hill Vegas, William Hill's online casino

Your William Hill free bet tokens can be redeemed on a whole host of sporting events. Be it football, cricket, golf, tennis, darts, NFL, snooker, horse or greyhound racing or whatever your interest.

Read these next:

Another Gold Cup contender for Willie Mullins? Embassy Gardens makes all in stunning style at Tramore 

ITV Racing to show action at Hexham and Windsor as part of 2025 schedule 

'She's one of our best - her speed is deadly' - Ben Pauling has festival aspirations for Diva Luna after Cheltenham win 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.

Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators that our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing.