The Cheltenham New Year’s Day races ensure 2025 kicks off with a bang. There’s a seven-race card at Prestbury Park featuring some competitive handicaps as a new calendar in horse racing gets underway.
Headlining the action is the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle that our experts look at separately as it’s worth individual attention. The old New Year’s Day Handicap Chase, now sponsored by Betfair and run as the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase, has nine runners.
Apart from the Listed Junior Bumper, that is large as the fields get for jumping races at Cheltenham during this meeting. Three of the six hurdle contests and steeplechases see nine declared for action.
That means proper each way markets on Cheltenham betting sites, then. We turn to our horse racing experts, who successfully find winners at all the top tracks in UK, Ireland and beyond for their expert analysis from the best of this card.
2025 Cheltenham New Year’s Day Races Preview
12:20 – 2m 62y Class 3 Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
🗣️ Paul Nicholls on Kalif Du Berlais:
“He’s had a pretty tough 18 days. He went to Carlisle, and it amazed me how well he got over that horrific fall.
“He’ll get further, but being four, I don’t see any great advantage going too far up in trip currently.”pic.twitter.com/8fztrZQd0m
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) November 29, 2024
Nigel Twiston-Davies runner Tedley has since finished second again to Vincenzo around Windsor, so this trio have close form ties. The latter, trained by Sam Thomas is the oldest in the line-up, but has a shout too if building on his successful debut. It’s Kalif Du Berlais that could yet scale greater heights over fences, however.
12:55 – 2m 4f 56y Class 2 Maiden Hurdle
💎 Graded Aintree double for DIAMOND BOY 💎 The Kilbarry-bred DIVA LUNA strides clear in the Grade 2 mares bumper to make it 2 from 2 for @benpauling1 & Lynne Maclennan 🥂 Sold by Kilbarry Lodge Stud to @SamCurling1 at @Tattersalls_ie November NH Sale pic.twitter.com/pjfA6hoJ37
— Kilbarry Lodge Stud (@KilbarryLdgStud) April 11, 2024
Ben Pauling had a productive festive period and now does the right thing in stepping DIVA LUNA up in trip for the Cheltenham New Year’s Day races. A dual black type bumper winner, this mare has stamina in her pedigree and wants this distance. Diva Luna split two subsequent hurdle winners in Honky Tonk Highway and Bluey when runner-up in her sole Irish Point.
Now tackling further after Listed and Grade 2 heroics in National Hunt Flat races, she should take a big step forward for her hurdles bow and reappearance when second at Lingfield. Of those with hurdling experience, Ken Roy sets a relatively low bar of 115. Nicholls puts first-time cheekpieces on him after a close second around Plumpton the last day.
Newton Tornado needs improvement after two placed efforts over hurdles following an Irish Point success. Mount Gay Run was third in the Listed race at Sandown won by Honky Tonk Highway, meanwhile, and should progress upped in trip. Olly Murphy debutant Pierrot Jaguen lacks a recent run, so may need this, but his Irish Pointing form isn’t too shabby.
1:30 – 3m 1f 56y Class 2 Betfair Handicap Chase (0-105)
King Turgeon is SO determined 💪
He rallies late to land a hat-trick winning the Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Coming Soon Handicap Chase pic.twitter.com/8MsmI9Wk6O
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) December 13, 2024
The Cheltenham odds favour Twiston-Davies’ Broadway Boy, but he couldn’t win the Coral Gold Cup off 2lb lower last time out. He is 4lb higher than when last successful over course and distance, so value may lie elsewhere. The rest of the five-runner field are older horses, but OUR POWER could come on for his own placed effort here on this track and trip at the December Meeting.
Thomas’ charge chased home King Turgeon after 377 days off and should strip fitter for that reappearance run. The assessor has been kind to Our Power in only nudging him up 1lb and Sam Johnston is again aboard taking 3lb off with his claim. Bowtogreatness is only one from 14 over fences, meanwhile, so doesn’t look the most reliable runner at the Cheltenham New Year’s Day races.
Venetia Williams veteran Cloudy Glen scored around Haydock last time, but has a 7lb hike to contend with now. He could only manage third in this race 12 months ago off a 2lb lower mark than his current rating. It’s been more than a year since Chantry House, the other course and distance winner in the line-up, jumped fences, so there isn’t much depth to this contest.
2:05 – 2m 4f 127y Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
December Gold Cup hero Gemirande has an 8lb hike for his course and distance success last month. That makes it tough for Williams’ runner to follow-up. Colonel Harry had other possible entries over the Christmas period, but runs here alongside Carlisle conqueror Marble Sands. As second season chasers, both could be open to more improvement still.
The one that appeals most, however, is SPRINGWELL BAY who may have had an impossible task conceding 8lb to a potentially very smart horse in Jango Baie over course and distance. He now makes his handicap chase debut for Jonjo O’Neill and sons. Springwell Bay had a big money purchase out of Ireland in Caldwell Potter in third the last day.
Midnight River won this Premier Handicap on the Cheltenham New Year’s Day races off 3lb lower two years ago. He edges closer down the weights to that successful mark for Harry and Dan Skelton. At bigger odds and lower in the handicap, meanwhile, is Showcase Meeting scorer Lisnamult Lad over from Ireland again. Softer ground is an unknown for Sean Bowen’s mount, but he’s just 3lb higher here.
Bottom weight Lounge Lizard chased home Ga Law over course and distance on Festival Trials Day last term off 5lb lower. Henry Daly’s runner has also had a run under his belt at Carlisle that should bring him on fitness wise. Hitman frames the handicap, but John McConnell raider Seddon must show more spark than his fifth in a veterans’ race here last month.
2:40 – 2m 7f 213y Class 2 Handicap Hurdle
Easy as that!
There’s no stopping Strackan at @BangorRaces under David Bass… | @hdalyracing pic.twitter.com/rMW4QwFQVf
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 13, 2024
Daly and Sam Twiston-Davies combine for the improving STRACKAN at the foot of the weights here. This relative youngster seeks a hat-trick after chasing home subsequent November Meeting winner Double Powerful around Worcester. Strackan scored at Uttoxeter, then when upped in trip at Bangor where he eased down. Despite a further 9lb rise from the assessor, he could well go in again.
One Big Bang is one of the Cheltenham favourites here following two solid seconds around Newton Abbot and Haydock. The latter came in Premier Handicap company on the Betfair Chase card and James Owen now books Harry Cobden for the ride. One Big Bang had a 7lb claimer aboard on Merseyside, however, so is effectively 10lb higher for that defeat.
November Meeting fifth Deep Cave has less on his plate here than then, so it’s a pity the Christian Williams yard isn’t in better form. Murphy runs two with Bowen on What A Jonny, nudged up 1lb for his Market Rasen third. The stable has a good recent record in this race, but veteran Itchy Feet hasn’t won first time out since 2018 and will probably need the run.
Catch Him Derry is one to note at the Cheltenham New Year’s Day races for Team Skelton. He pulled up in the Haydock race that One Big Bang finished second in, but had been progressive before that. Idefix De Ciergues is only 1lb out of the handicap, meanwhile, but is effectively 10lb above the mark he prevailed at Doncaster off.
3:15 – 2m 4f 56y Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle
No luck needed for LUCKY PLACE who takes the top spot in The Howden Ascot Hurdle Race! Expertly piloted by @NdeBoinville.@sevenbarrows #Ascot #HorseRacing pic.twitter.com/V3iNT2AOaD
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) November 23, 2024
A fascinating series of rematches involving LUCKY PLACE and Golden Ace, and the former and Langer Dan. Nicky Henderson’s runner showed a really likeable attitude to land the Ascot Hurdle at this level in November. Although Lucky Place now gives weight all-round, he appeals as the type who could progress into a Stayers’ Hurdle horse.
Golden Ace only just beat the selection around Taunton when receiving a whole stone in weight. The difference between them on race terms here is 10lb, 6lb better than Ascot but 4kb worse than 12 months ago when they first met. Jeremy Scott’s mare is two from two on the New Course, landing the Grade 2 Dawn Run during the Festival and then a Listed event on this track and trip in April.
Their claims are obvious. Langer Dan only shows his best form in springtime; so, although Team Skelton, have the best horse on ratings, he hasn’t demonstrated that at this point in the season. Triumph Hurdle third Salver is interesting at the Cheltenham New Year’s Day races upped in trip after shaping as though he could be effective over this distance.
Gary & Josh Moore have a talented youngster on their hands here with form that has been franked. It is just a question of whether or not a horse who has just turned five will hang with his elders in open company. The other three make little appeal, although Cheltenham regular Gowel Road could spring a surprise as a strong stayer at this trip.
