Relkeel Hurdle Preview – Coral Cup & Dawn Run Winners Face Triumph Hurdle Third on New Year’s Day

The Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle headlines the New Year’s Day card at Cheltenham with a field of seven interesting runners declared. Two 2024 Festival winners return to Prestbury Park in Coral Cup hero Langer Dan and Dawn Run scorer Golden Ace.

Joining them in the line-up are Ultima Handicap Chase second Twig, who stays hurdling despite the Grand National being his target for the season, and Triumph Hurdle third Salver. Cheltenham regular Gowel Road and Coral Cup fourth Lucky Place also run, alongside Thunder Rock. In other words, the Relkeel Hurdle tests plenty of Festival form.

Of the seven runners, the clear favourite among Cheltenham betting sites is Jeremy Scott mare Golden Ace. She receives 4lb and upwards from the field all-round. Unbeaten in two starts at the track, it is easy to see why off these terms traders price up the market like that.

Next to Golden Ace in the Cheltenham odds for the Relkeel Hurdle is her Ascot Hurdle conqueror Lucky Place. Although meeting the mare off worse terms from their Berkshire encounter, trainer Nicky Henderson has four previous wins in this contest including with Marie’s Rock two years ago.

Lucky Place was no match for Langer Dan in the Coral Cup over slightly further on the Old Course at the Festival, however. The Dan Skelton stable is also riding high after saddling The New Lion to Grade 1 glory in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury, then a Kelso treble over the weekend.

Completing the main contenders for Relkeel Hurdle honours at the Cheltenham New Year’s Day races is Gary & Josh Moore’s Salver, who shaped both at the Festival and on reappearance like he might appreciate going up in trip. Let’s take a look at the seven runners in more detail.

2025 Relkeel Hurdle Runners Guide

1. Lucky Place

Concedes weight all-round for win in this grade at Ascot latest. Almost five lengths to find on Langer Dan off 6lb worse terms from the Coral Cup, yet clearly improved since. Has a 1-1 record in past head-to-heads with Golden Ace, suffering defeat when conceding a whole stone at Taunton but turning tables last time out. Now 6lb worse off with her here, yet may still have further improvement in him.

2. Langer Dan

Best caught in the spring when won a Premier Handicap or equivalent in four consecutive years from 2021 onwards. Seldom in the same form at this time of year, but 6lb better off with Langer Dan and has five lengths in hand on their last meeting. Decent Cheltenham record at the Festival with Martin Pipe second over course and distance and two Coral Cup wins on the Old Course, yet needs to show effectiveness over winter. Clear top on official ratings.

3. Salver

Steps up in trip for Relkeel Hurdle after fine third in Triumph at the Festival and the form has worked out. The winner has made up into a chaser, the runner-up landed a Punchestown Grade 1 and the fourth took the Galway Hurdle over the summer. Stayed on into fourth in the Gerry Feilden at Newbury on reappearance, so that augurs well for this greater test of stamina.

4. Gowel Road

Locally-trained horse with three consecutive seconds in Cheltenham staying handicaps at The Showcase, November Meeting and December Meeting. Now dropped in trip and upped in grade, connections pitch him in at this higher level knowing he stays further. Interesting angle to run here and not in another 3m event on the card. Respected, but needs improvement.

5. Thunder Rock

Pulled up twice since landing the Premier Chase at Kelso. Dual Listed winner over fences, but not scaled the same heights as a hurdler. Must take a significant step forward from Ascot here and hasn’t fired in three previous starts at Cheltenham. One of the opposable Relkeel Hurdle runners this year.

6. Twig

Fine second in the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby on reappearance, but pulled up since. Three seconds in as many starts around Cheltenham including in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Festival suggest he doesn’t mind it here. Doubly declared both here and in the 3m handicap hurdle earlier on the card.

7. Golden Ace

Mare with consecutive victories on the New course here in the spring. Followed-up on Grade 2 Dawn Run success with Listed win over course and distance at the April Meeting. Form of both runs franked this season. Disappointing last of the four to finish in the Ascot Hurdle on reappearance, however, but 6lb better off with old rival Lucky Place now.

2025 Relkeel Hurdle Verdict

This appears to hinge on the swing in weights between Golden Ace and LUCKY PLACE. The mare’s form is really strong, so she isn’t opposed lightly, but the Henderson runner could still develop into a Stayers’ Hurdle type if he can give weight all-round and a beating to his rivals. Salver is the unexposed one over this sort of trip, but faces the same issue a lot of young horses have when taking on his elders.

Jamie Clark

Senior sports editor

Jamie Clark has been covering the Cheltenham Festival for over a decade, firstly during his time as the Sports Editor of Coral bookmakers. His father and godfather ran a trackside bookie's pitch at Market Rasen for many years, so horse racing is in his blood. Very much a specialist in the sport, Jamie is our go-to expert on all things Cheltenham.

View all posts by Jamie Clark