Image source, Reuters

Hugely emotional scenes after that race, now named after the late Michael O'Sullivan.

Kopek Des Bordes' owner Charlie McCarthy also has a remarkable story - he was diagnosed with kidney cancer at the start of this year, and had surgery last month.

Huge scenes of celebration from McCarthy and his team, wearing pink and purple scarves - the same colours as the jockey's silks.

Charlie Poste
Former jump jockey on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

It was a very good performance, who are we to judge him? They are already chanting "Ole, Ole, Ole" the crowd need to pace themselves. A brilliant ride from Paul Townend. He was a little bit awkward jumping, but the further they went, the better they jumped.

A masterclass from Willie Mullins. This is why he and Paul Townend, continue to mop up. They're not afraid to get beat or try anything different.

1 Kopek Des Bordes (P Townend) 4-6 Fav

2 William Munny (S W Flanagan) 8-1

3 Romeo Coolio (J W Kennedy) 9-2

11 ran

That race had a much closer finish than might have been expected, as Kopek Des Bordes landed rather heavily after the final hurdle.

He was almost caught by William Munny, whose jockey Sean Flanagan was wearing the same colours as Michael O'Sullivan wore when he won this race in 2023.

But jockey Paul Townend brought enough out of Kopek in the final furlongs to push the favourite over the line to win the opening race of the week.

Over the second-last, and Kopek des Bordes sweeps into the lead.

The odds-on favourite is ahead.

Image source, Reuters

Workahead and Romeo Coolio are the frontrunners with three hurdles to go.

Now Romeo Coolio moves in front, with favourite Kopek des Bordes close behind in second.

There was a worry we would be down another runner today, with Salvator Mundi a late arrival on course having looked unsettled in the paddock.

But he made it on course and is currently fifth with five hurdles to go.

A relatively short race this, two miles over eight hurdles.

Third-favourite Workahead is the early leader.

Here we go, the first race of the Cheltenham Festival is under way.

There's the roar!

Andrew Thornton
Former jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

We'll be asking some of our pundits for selections during the week. Here's former jump jockey Andrew Thornton:

13:20 Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle - Kopek Des Bordes 4-5

Should get favourite backers off to a great start. Very impressive at The DRF in February.

14:40 Ultima Handicap Chase - Famous Bridge 18-1

Fourth last year in this race and won well at Haydock on his last start. He has a good each-way chance.

The jockeys will emerge onto the course soon.

They will all wear red and white armbands - the colours of the flag of Cork, the home county of the late Michael O'Sullivan.

There was a very emotional minute of applause in memory of O'Sullivan earlier at Cheltenham, following his death last month at the age of just 24.

Image source, Getty Images

The first race of Cheltenham 2025 is a few minutes from commencing. Get ready for the roar.

There will be 11 runners, currently in the paddock before heading out on course.

12 horses were scheduled to race, but Tripoli Flyer is the first non-runner of the Festival.

Image source, Getty Images

The favourite this year, in a race where 10 of the 11 runners are from Ireland, is the Willie Mullins-trained Kopek Des Bordes, who has won three races from three, including at the Dublin Racing Festival last month.

Romeo Coolio, trained by Gordon Elliott, has good Cheltenham form having finished second behind Jasmin De Vaux in last year’s Champion Bumper.

But the popular winner would surely be William Munny, trained by Barry Connell, who is also the trainer of Marine Nationale and who worked closely with Michael O’Sullivan over his short career.

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Cheltenham

Image source, Jockey Club

Cheltenham is famous for the roar which greets its opening race, and the start of this year's meeting will also have a poignant feel.

The first of 28 contests - due to be run as the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle - has been named the Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle in honour of the Irish jockey who died last month after a fall.

He won the race on Marine Nationale two years ago and was leading jockey on the opening day in 2023 after following up in the Fred Winter Hurdle on Jazzy Matty.

"We are deeply proud of Michael's incredible talent and the legacy he left in the world of racing," said O'Sullivan's family.

"Renaming the race that marked the pinnacle of his career is a fitting tribute to his skill, dedication, and passion for the sport.

"As a family, we have always admired Michael's achievements both on and off the track, and it means so much to us to see his talent recognised in this way. The outpouring of tributes over the past week has been a testament to the impact he had on so many lives.

"We would like to sincerely thank The Jockey Club and Sky Bet for giving us this opportunity to honour Michael's memory and celebrate his remarkable career."

William Munny runs in the opener in the same yellow and blue colours as Marine Nationale for owner and trainer Barry Connell.

Image source, PA Media

Many of you reading this live text today may be fairly new to racing, possibly you are following Cheltenham for the first time and are feeling a bit confused about racecards, form and other details which come with horse racing.

If you are among that number, we have a few general tips to try and help:

• Bookmakers can pay out on a horse to win a race, or an each-way bet which will pay out for a certain number of placings. For race results, places are paid first and second with five to seven runners, and first to third in other races except in handicaps with 16 runners or more, where you can win with an each way bet through finishing first to fourth.
• The runners taking part can be found on the racecard. When reading a racecard, the runners will be sorted by their saddle cloth number - this is the number that will be displayed on their saddle during the race.
• The colours that the jockey will be wearing - known as their silks - will be displayed next to the number.
• The jockey who has been booked to ride the horse will usually also be displayed. The horse’s trainer will be displayed close to the jockey’s.
• The key thing to look out for is form. A horse’s recent form is usually displayed near their name and shows how the horse has performed in their most recent outings.
• Form should be read from left to right, with the number on the furthest right indicating the horse’s most recent run. The number represents the position the horse finished in.
• You will also find abbreviations if the horse has failed to finish a recent race. These are: P = Pulled Up, F = Fell, UR = Unseated Rider, BD = Brought down, R = Refused.

If you're following Cheltenham for the first time this year and are desperately looking to BBC Sport for guidance, we'll do our best to help you through.

The festival takes place over four successive days between today and Friday. There are seven races per day, with the fifth race being the headline event.

All the races are jump races - except for Wednesday's Champion Bumper - meaning the horses and jockeys must navigate fences or hurdles around the course - hurdles are slightly smaller than fences. Cheltenham is regarded as the blue riband event in the jump racing calendar.

The races will generally take place over distances between two and four miles, and have very variable numbers of runners taking part.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Throughout the Festival, we will have live radio coverage on 5 Live and Sports Extra.

Today, you can tune in from now until 17.30 GMT to Sports Extra for live commentary on every race. Listen in via your digital radio, BBC Sounds, or by clicking the 'Listen Live' button at the top of this page.

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Cheltenham

Image source, PA Media

Constitution Hill will bid to regain his title as a mouthwatering Champion Hurdle headlines the start of the four-day Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday.

The eight-year-old, trained by Nicky Henderson, is unbeaten over hurdles but missed last year's meeting and has recovered from a respiratory issue, suspected colic and lameness since winning the big race in 2023.

Opponents include Gordon Elliott's exciting mare Brightersdaysahead and State Man, who triumphed last year for Willie Mullins.

Constitution Hill was hailed as the "horse of a generation" after beating State Man by nine lengths to win the Champion Hurdle two years ago. He is bidding to become only the second horse to regain the title this century after Hurricane Fly in 2013.

Kopek Des Bordes is hotly fancied to win the Supreme for Willie Mullins.