Jamie Clark

The Unibet International Hurdle of 2026 has a genuine clash of Champion Hurdle contenders on Festival Trials Day in it, as Nicky Henderson’s Sir Gino faces The New Lion in the Grade 2 contest over an extended two miles at Cheltenham on 24 January. These are two of the National Hunt code’s star hurdlers having …

The Grade 2 Cotswold Chase of 2026 over an extended three miles and a furlong has, let’s face it, a disappointing turnout. Just five horses entered in the Festival Trials Day feature steeplechase headed by Dan Skelton’s grey gelding Grey Dawning. Half of his rivals recently turned 11, so arrive at Cheltenham past their prime. …

Round three of Il Etait Temps v Jonbon is on in the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase of 2026 from Ascot on Saturday, 17 January. This feature contest on the middle day of the Berkshire Winter Million also sees Gidleigh Park and Thistle Ask declared for the extended two-mile test. At Sandown both in the …

Two of the six runners in the Grade 2 Hampton Novices Chase of 2026 don’t have far to go in their horseboxes for this three-mile test at Warwick on Saturday, 10 January. If this meeting survives the cold snap, then there are locally-trained runners in the line-up in Wade Out and Doyen Quest. Olly Murphy’s …

The Grade 1 Ballymore Novice Hurdle of 2026 over two-and-a-half miles at Naas, delayed by the cold snap until Friday, 9 January, will tell us more about the pecking order in some of Ireland’s top National Hunt stables. Training titans Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott run two and three horses, respectively, in a field of …

The Grade 3 New Year’s Day Chase of 2026 at Tramore in County Waterford isn’t the sort of race you would think could have much of a bearing on the Cheltenham Festival at a casual glance. Both tracks could hardly be more different. Whereas Prestbury Park is a left-handed, undulating, galloping track, Tramore has tight …

It’s an annual tradition that there are Cheltenham races on New Year’s Day and 2026 is no exception. The Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle headlines the 1 January card from Prestbury Park with Dan Skelton runner Kabral Du Mathan all the rage to land the feature contest over an extended two-and-a-half miles. Supporting that is the …

With a small field in the Relkeel Hurdle, the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase is the big betting race over fences on New Year’s Day at Cheltenham. This Premier Handicap is the latest in a series of such events over the extended two-and-a-half miles taking place around Prestbury Park throughout the core National Hunt season. Framing …