The festive period is a time for presents, family, food and… National Hunt racing.
For most, it’s hard to even keep track of what day of the week it is between Christmas and New Year, but for jumps racing fans, it’s one of the most informative stretches of the season.
With top-class racing across the United Kingdom and Ireland, including at Kempton Park, Newbury, Leopardstown and Limerick, there are Cheltenham Festival clues galore.
There was no shortage of drama this Christmas either, with ante-post markets moved for almost all the Festival’s feature races and beyond.
From odds shifting for the Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle to market changes for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Brown Advisory Novice Chase, it was almost impossible to keep track.
Not to worry, because I have been all over the Christmas and New Year’s action, watching every race and odds movement to keep you up to date on what unfolded.
So, let’s jump straight into some of the most significant moments from the festive period and how they have reshaped the narrative ahead of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
King George and Savills Chase lay the foundations for the Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is the crown jewel in the National Hunt racing calendar, and if the action over Christmas is anything to go by, we could be in for a cracker on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival.
The King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day is a tradition for many jumps racing fans, but it hasn’t produced a Gold Cup winner since Kauto Star in the early 2000s.
That could all be about to change this year, though, as the race lived up to its billing given its star-studded field.
Following a thrilling sprint finish, just half a length separated the winner, The Jukebox Man, from Banbridge, Gaelic Warrior and Jango Baie in second, third and fourth.
The Harry Redknapp-owned eight-year-old now stands a great chance in the Gold Cup, but Jango Baie could be the one to side with despite technically finishing outside the placings.
The Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old was staying on well on the outside of the front three, and the additional distance of the Cheltenham showpiece looks to be right up his street.
It’s by no means a foregone conclusion that the Gold Cup winner will come from the King George, however, as the Savills Chase at Leopardstown is a key trial.
Galopin Des Champs is once again seeking history in this year’s renewal of the Gold Cup, hoping to become the first horse since the aforementioned Kauto Star to regain the crown.
He made his reappearance in the Leopardstown Grade 1, and while he didn’t win it for the third successive year, there was plenty to like about his run in third behind I Am Maximus and Affordable Fury.
The Willie Mullins stable star is now the joint-favourite with defending champion Inothewayurthinkin, who has stayed at the fore of the market despite running no race at all in the Savills Chase.
Sir Gino races to Champion Hurdle favourite
Despite being the odds-on favourite for the Christmas Hurdle, nobody really knew what condition Sir Gino was going to turn up in for Grade 1 at Kempton on Boxing Day.
He was either going to bolt up like the quality horse he is, or the year-long absence due to an almost career-ending injury was going to take its toll.
Thankfully for the punters, it was the former. Reverting to the smaller obstacles, having initially been planned to campaign over fences, the six-year-old was almost flawless as he romped to a six-length win over the current Champion Hurdle holder, Golden Ace.
The Henderson-trained horse is now as short as 6/4 for the Cheltenham Festival day one feature race, with Lossiemouth drifting out to 9/2 despite her game victory in the Grade 1 December Hurdle at Leopardstown.
With Sir Gino returning so impressively, there are fears that Mullins and the classy mare’s connections could now reroute Lossiemouth back down the Mares’ Hurdle path, which would be a massive shame.
While we didn’t see him over Christmas, it’s interesting that Henderson recently refused to rule Constitution Hill out of the Champion Hurdle despite three falls in his last four races. There would be a real buzz should he end up lining up for starter’s orders at the Festival.
Supreme disappointment
The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle ante-post market was one most had their eyes on in the build-up to the festive racing schedule.
Mydaddypaddy had gained outright favouritism for the opening race of the Cheltenham Festival after impressing in a couple of low-key contests at Carlisle and Haydock, but doubts surrounded his actual ability at the top level.
The Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree was his chance to show pundits and punters alike what he’s really made of. Instead, the Dan Skelton-trained horse was one of the biggest disappointments of the Christmas period.
He finished second behind Idaho Sun in Merseyside, and while some argued that omitting the final hurdles did him no favours, it’s impossible to say he would have won otherwise, given how well he was beaten.
It’s also up for debate whether Harry Skelton got the ride entirely wrong. He sat quietly on Mydaddypaddy, looking like he expected the horse to breeze past Idaho Sun, and by the time he realised that wasn’t going to happen, it was perhaps too late.
Whatever the case, it’s a massive missed opportunity, and he’s now out to 14/1 from 5/1. El Cairos has picked up favouritism, but his outing over Christmas was far from the ideal warm-up either.
The six-year-old was making his stable debut for the in-form Gordon Elliott in a Maiden Hurdle at Leopardstown on Boxing Day and had the race at his peril when he stumbled badly and fell after the last when well clear.
It was more of a freak accident than a mistake from the former Gary and Josh Moore-trained horse, but it would have looked much better on his race record had he stormed home in convincing fashion like he looked set to do.
El Cairos wasn’t the only Irish Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hope to fall when appearing set to win over Christmas. The Joseph O’Brien-trained Talk The Talk did an almost carbon copy of his rival 24 hours later in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.
The Double Green four-year-old was travelling beautifully into the lead at the last hurdle when also stumbling upon landing, sending jockey Sam Ewing somersaulting into the air. He can’t be ruled based on how well he was going, and 10/1 could prove value in what looks like a wide-open race.
Teahupoo reignites Stayers’ Hurdle favouritism
Despite winning another Hatton’s Grace Hurdle on his reappearance at Fairyhouse in November, the consensus was that runner-up Ballyburn, who was only held by a nose as he closed down the winner on the line, would reverse the form on Teahupoo when they next met over further.
Well, that theory was blown out of the water at Leopardstown on December 28. In fact, those who claimed it were left with egg on their face, as Teahupoo not only won the Christmas Hurdle, but did so in convincing fashion.
The Elliott-trained horse went clear at the last and ran on for a seven-length win over fellow Robcour-owned runner Bob Olinger, who stunned Teahupoo in last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle.
To make matters worse, Ballyburn was 14 lengths off the pace in third when all was said and done. The Mullins-trained horse is now as far out as 16/1 for the day three feature, having been the 5/2 favourite at one stage, while Teahupoo is now 2/1 to reclaim the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase changes the Champion Chase picture
With Sir Gino impressing on his return over hurdles, the Champion Chase needed a new ante-post favourite, and that was likely going to come from the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown.
However, while Solness stayed on gamely to defend his title and pick up another Grade 1 success, it was the current Champion Chase winner, Marine Nationale, who caught the eye.
It was a Christmas miracle that the Barry Connell-trained eight-year-old remained in the race after an error upon landing at the second fence almost unseated jockey Sean Flanagan.
It was incredible horsemanship from the rider to stay atop the horse, but they lost a remarkable amount of ground in the process.
Nevertheless, the pair recovered quickly, and Marine Nationale stayed on to only be beaten by half a length by the eventual winner.
Again, we can’t confidently say he would have won had it not been for that mistake, but he’s worth siding with once again in the Champion Chase.
Elsewhere, No Drama This End and Final Demand lived up to expectations in the Challow and Faugheen Novice Chase to firm up favouritism for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle and Brown Advisory, respectively.
