Preview: 1.20 Turners Novice Hurdle, Grade One, 2m 5f Day two at Cheltenham 2025 kicks off in much the same way as day one: a warm favourite from the Willie Mullins yard and a big chance for the punters to get one step in front of the layers ahead of two even shorter-priced favourites in the afternoon’s two remaining Grade Ones. Final Demand, unlike Kopek Des Bordes in Tuesday’s Supreme Novice Hurdle, is not expected to go off at odds-on and is currently trading at around 13-8, but he has a similar profile, having surged to the top of the betting after a thumping success at the Dublin Racing Festival. He won over two-and-three-quarter miles there and there was some speculation that he might step up to three for the Albert Bartlett on Friday, but he showed so much speed as he zipped clear in the straight at Leopardstown that dropping back a furlong will surely not cause him any issues. He is odds-against for a reason, though, and faces at least two very credible rivals in The New Lion and The Yellow Clay, who are both within 5lb of the favourite on Timeform ratings and also arrive with unbeaten records over hurdles to defend. The New Lion was a hugely stylish winner of the Grade One Challow Hurdle in December, while The Yellow Clay also has a Grade One already in the bag, having taken the Lawlor’s Of Naas Hurdle in early January. A slight doubt over The Yellow Clay is his ability to act on good-to-soft ground, although that has not deterred punters from wading in this morning and he is down to around 4-1 (from 7-1). Other live possibilities worth considering include Sixmilebridge and Potters Charm, first and second in the Classic Novice Hurdle here in January, but personally I’ll be sticking with Final Demand to back up his huge run at Leopardstown last month. SELECTION: FINAL DEMAND. Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle, Leopardstown, 1 Feb 25 (Final Demand) Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle, Naas, 5 Jan 25 (The Yellow Clay, Supersundae). Challow Novice Hurdle, Newbury 28 Dec 24 (The New Lion). Classic Novice Hurdle, Cheltenham 25 Jan 25 (Sixmilebridge, Potters Charm)