Cheltenham New Year’s Day Tips For Every Race

Cheltenham races on New Year’s Day is a traditional annual trip out for many, but whether you’re actually there in person or watching on the TV, it’s always an exciting occasion – especially if you have had a bet on the feature horse racing betting event on January 1st.

Here are some through the card pointers:

12.20 – Cheltenham

110-rated Newton Tornado (NAP) represents the successful Welsh pairing of Rebecca Curtis of Ben Jones, and the six-year-old looks like a big player in this Maiden Hurdle on ground he will enjoy.

12.55 – Cheltenham

Tedley (NAP) has been ultra consistent in this division all season long and after a string of second places, he can get back to winning ways in this 2m Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase. Jockey Jamie Brace also takes off a very useful 7lbs.

Kalif Du Berlais just got the verdict over Tedley by ¾ of a length when they last met at Newbury, however you would like to think that the Twiston-Davies gelding can reverse the placings on the basis of the handicap and the jockey’s claim.

1.30 – Cheltenham

He may be a veteran nowadays, but the Venetia Williams-trained Cloudy Glen (NAP) is showing no signs of going out to pasture just yet after his commanding victory at Haydock Park last time out.

This 3m1½f trip should be right up Cloudy Glen’s street and he should possess enough stamina to put his rivals to the sword in the closing stages today.

Top weight Broadway Boy  is considered an Aintree Grand National hope by many, and even though he carries the top weight of 12st today, he’s still classy enough to shoulder it and challenge for one of the podium spots.

2.05 – Cheltenham

Charlie Deutsch dropped down from 10st 7lb to 10st 2lb to win the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham on the Venetia Williams-trained Gemirande (NAP), and he will be hoping to go back-to-back with him on New Year’s Day.

With the ultimate goal probably being the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival for Gemirande, it would be a major surprise if he doesn’t figure prominently in this 2m4½f contest.

Of the others, Springwell Bay was unlucky to run into an on song Jango Baie in the SSS Super Alloys Novices’ Chase here nineteen days ago and can figure once more, while course and distance scorer Midnight River was uncharacteristically poor in the Coral Gold Cup, but could easily bounce back to form in this race.

2.40 Cheltenham

Trainer James Owen is starting to enjoy a fair degree of success away from the Flat with his National Hunt horses, and his One Big Bang (NAP) can cure his seconditus with a bold show in this 3m Handicap Hurdle.

Second last time out at Haydock Park, the grey gelding was a revelation last season for the stable, and Owen looks to have found an ideal opportunity for him.

At the bottom of the handicap, Idefix De Ciergues is a very interesting contender for the Rebecca Curtis yard.

The six-year-old has won his last two races at Chepstow and Doncaster, and although those races were only Class 4 affairs, Curtis’ horse certainly looks to be on an upward curve.

At longer odds Deep Cave for Christian Williams is an interesting sort. A winner in both Ireland and France, the seven-year-old has already experienced the unique undulating Cheltenham track and can build up those two runs on the Old course.

3.15 Cheltenham

Class act Golden Ace (NAP) had her Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle form well and truly stamped this weekend when Brighterdaysahead went and won the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Hurdle at Leopardstown by a total of thirty lengths, beating State Man in the process.

Jockey Lorcan Williams said the mare did not stay the trip on her first run of the season in the Ascot Hurdle, but those cobwebs should now have been blown away and we will probably see the true Golden Ace in this Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle.

Coral Hurdle winner Langer Dan probably has one eye on a repeat performance in the same event next March, while Salver for the Moore family could well be the dark horse of the field given his Victor Ludorum and Triumph Hurdle exploits last season.

3.50 Cheltenham

It was interesting that Ralph Beckett had originally pencilled in Daryl Jacob to ride his bumper entry Gnomon (NAP) on Wednesday, which will now be a nice spare ride for someone else after Jacob’s retirement at the weekend.

Despite running green, the youngster ran out a ready winner of the 1m5f “3 Yrs Old” “Junior” National Hunt Flat Race at Exeter back in October and if he can turn his hand to today’s 2m1f Listed distance, he will hold an excellent chance.

Rebecca Curtis’ Cedar Creek was beaten 18 lengths by Beckett’s horse at Exeter but subsequently came out next time to land a competitive ‘Junior’ National Hunt Flat Race at Aintree’s Grand Sefton meeting. That race has also thrown up further winners so the form lines are strong.

Jamie Snowdon’s Lady Tadita also looks a promising type and can play her part in proceedings.