Defending champs - which 2024 Festival winners are returning?

The Cheltenham Festival is just around the corner as the fields and challengers for the 2025 showpiece in the Cotswolds become ever clearer.

As the Cheltenham countdown reaches fever pitch, we recall the 2024 winners that are set to be back in the Cotswolds this March.

Gaelic Warrior

Willie Mullins' charge was an ultra-impressive winner of the Arkle last season but hasn't won any of his three starts since. He's got a Champion Chase entry, but could also step up in trip for the Ryanair. Connections believe softer ground and a return to the Cotswolds could see him bounce back.

State Man

The Champion Hurdle hero, State Man inherited that crown as Constitution Hill missed the race, but if the reigning Irish Champion Hurdle hero is going to retain his Cotswolds crown, he is going to have to summon a career-best effort with Nicky Henderson's charge now eager to take back his mantle.

Lossiemouth

Lossiemouth won the Mares' Hurdle 12 months ago for Mullins and Rich Ricci, improving her Festival record to 2-2 after landing the Triumph Hurdle in 2023. Her trainer says she has been prepared for the Champion Hurdle for a long time, but she comes to the Cotswolds after a heavy fall in the Irish Champion Hurdle last time.

Lark In The Mornin

The Joseph O'Brien-trained Lark In The Mornin ran out a good winner of the Fred Winter last season and has appeared just once this time around ahead of a possible tilt at the County Hurdle this time around.

Corbetts Cross

So impressive when bagging the National Hunt Cup last spring, the Emmet Mullins-trained Corbetts Cross is being readied for a Gold Cup challenge this time around after chasing Pic D'orhy home in the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase in February.

Ballyburn

Last year's Irish banker, there was much conjecture over which race Ballyburn would contest as a novice hurdle before his emphatic Festival win. He once more warmed up this year with a Dublin Racing Festival victory and is favourite for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase where he will tackle three miles for the first time.

Fact To File

Fact To File won that Brown Advisory in style last year and began his season by impressively taking out the John Durkan at Punchestown. He's twice since got a bloodied nose after sparring with Galopin Des Champs and looks set to sidestep a third clash by going for the Ryanair instead.

Langer Dan

After his historic second Coral Cup win, Langer Dan has reverted to type this season with a string of listless runs in the cold, hard winter months. The Stayers' Hurdle was a long-term ambition for Dan Skelton, but he's now amongst the favourites for a third Coral Cup. He couldn't, could he?

Captain Guinness

Shock winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase, Captain Guinness has struggled in Ireland this season and Henry de Bromhead's 10-year-old will be doing well to repeat his Festival heroics when he defends that crown against Jonbon and company.

Unexpected Party

Another of the Skelton scorers in 2024, Unexpected Party is 0-4 this season so far, but has run well in all instances and he's in line to try and become the first horse since Dulwich in 1976 to win the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase a second time.

Jasmin De Vaux

The Champion Bumper winner and Willie Mullins' 100th Festival scorer, things haven't gone to plan for Jasmin De Vaux yet this season after Grade 1 reverses at Naas and Leopardstown, but he looks likely to contest the Albert Bartlett on Festival Friday and could bounce back.

Grey Dawning

Grey Dawning battled hard for the Turners Novices' Chase last season and is a leading British Gold Cup contender now, despite Dan Skelton's charge being pulled up in the King George on Boxing Day when we saw him last.

Monmiral

A Festival scorer for Paul Nicholls in the Pertemps Final last year, Monmiral continues to run well in defeat and could be back for another tilt at the same prize, with the Stayers' Hurdle probably being too hot for him.

Protektorat

He denied Envoi Allen successive Ryanair Chase wins last spring and the popular grey Protektorat is bound for the same contest now off the back of a wide-margin Windsor win in January. He should have a leading role to play.

Teahupoo

The Stayers' Hurdle hero is spotted infrequently on the racecourse, but Gordon Elliott's Teahupoo is a rock-solid proposition when we do see him and he is very much the one to beat in the day three feature race again.

Shakem Up'arry

The Plate winner for Ben Pauling and owner Harry Redknapp in 2024, Shakem Up'arry has yet to shine in two runs this season, but has multiple entries across the Festival handicaps again.

Golden Ace

She has the honour of being the only horse to finish in front of Brighterdaysahead in her career to date following her Mares' Novices' Hurdle win and Golden Ace got back on track with a gutsy success in Wincanton's Kingwell Hurdle in February. The Mares' Hurdle beckons but the 2m4f trip is a worry.

Majborough

The French import has always had a lofty reputation and he justified that with his Triumph Hurdle win. He has won both chase starts in Ireland this season and, with Sir Gino now absent, it appears as though Majborough has the Arkle for the taking in the JP McManus silks.

Absurde

Absurde absolutely hosed up in the County Hurdle under a peach of a ride from Paul Townend last spring. He hasn't been spotted since the Melbourne Cup in November, but if he's reunited with Townend at Cheltenham watch out.

Stellar Story

Gordon Elliott's Stellar Story was a 33/1 Albert Bartlett winner last time and has two excellent runs over fences from three starts this season. The Gigginstown inmate could be overpriced in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase.

Galopin Des Champs

The King! Galopin Des Champs will be bidding to land a hat-trick of Cheltenham Gold Cup wins come March 14th and, based on his utter dominance in Ireland since Christmas, it's going to take something very special to dethrone him.

Sine Nomine

The gutsy mare denied favourite-backers when collaring Its On The Line in the Hunters Chase under John Dawson and is being readied for a run in the Kim Muir this time, albeit after two non-completions this season.

Limerick Lace

The money was down and Limerick Lace justified it with her Mares' Chase win last spring. Gavin Cromwell's charge has lost her way this season and now requires a major Festival rebound if she's to retain her crown.

Better Days Ahead

The final winner in 2024, Gordon Elliott's Better Days Ahead took out the Martin Pipe and has progressed since going over fences. He's 2-3 and only went down by a neck behind stablemate Croke Park in a Leopardstown Grade 1 at Christmas over three miles. The Brown Advisory beckons for the Bective Stud-owned charge.

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