Jaysella’s Cheltenham Racecard for Saturday 24th January 2026

Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase 12.05
Jordans Cross
Well, quite a hotty to get things going on Cheltenham Trials day. But, given the soft ground, I’m gonna have to go with course form, so that gives me the choice of the Anthony Honeyball pair of Jordans Cross and Kdeux Saint Fray, or Nicky Henderson’s Califet En Vol. So, I reckon that Califet En Vol won’t be at his best on ground this deep, and of the Honeyball duo, Jordans Cross looks the more likely to me, and can make up for falling here at the November meeting when just challenging for the honours. Sam Twiston-Davies gets the leg up, and with plenty of Festival winners under his belt, that’ll do for me!

JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) 12.40
One Horse Town
There’s been plenty of fuss over Dan Skelton’s Maestro Conti, but this is his first run at Cheltenham, so hum, ha, I’ll take a chance on Harry Derham’s One Horse Town. He won the JCB Trial at the November meeting, seeing off favourite Precious Man, and I think it can be more of the same back on soft going to make it five from six over timber. Maestro Conti did impress when scoring easily at Kempton over Christmas, but that was on a flat track with good ground, so this, to me, is a very different challenge. Anyway, the bookies ain’t taking no chances with Maestro Conti, making him no sort of price for a Prestbury Park novice in my opinion, and Paul Nicholls has a decent chance too with Minella Yoga, unbeaten in two starts and with form on soft ground from Ireland. Nope, neither of these grab me, so it’s tried and trusted One Horse Town to bring home the bacon!

Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 1.15
Booster Bob (nap)
I guess that Jagwar is going to be all the rage for this after winning the Plate at the Festival in March, and he did win the Novices’ Handicap Chase on this card last year. But, and it’s a big but, I’ll risk that Booster Bob can put it all together here at Cheltenham and make the most of the 8lbs he gets from Jagwar. Time will tell, as both Booster Bob and Jagwar are pretty progressive over fences, but I’ve got a sneak that we haven’t seen the best of Booster Bob yet, and on a big stage like this could really come into his own, with regular partner Sean Bowen, riding high as the Champion Jockey not bad to have up top. Joe Tizzard’s Triple Trade looks way overpriced in the ante post markets at around 16/1 as an each-way gamble, if that’s your bag, but it’s Booster Bob for me for the win!

Glenfarclass Cross Country Handicap Chase 1.50
Final Demand
I’m going to go with the December winner Final Demand over this Cross Country course to score again, but it’s altogether a fascinating race. Reason – J’arrive De L’est returns to take Final Demand on again, but this time with a bit of a pull in the weights from that December clash. Emmet Mullins once more showed a brilliant piece of race placing with J’arrive De L’est, on his first start since arriving from France, and although he’d never been anywhere near this sort of trip before, didn’t look like he hadn’t. Favori De Champou would be my each-way pick for this open contest, but Final Demand does love a test of stamina, so gets my vote over J’arrive De L’est.

Betfair Cotswold Chase (Grade 2) 2.25
L’homme Presse
Right then, every trainer wants to win the Gold Cup, so when you think you finally have the horse to do it, that becomes a big moment. And that’s where Dan Skelton is right now with Grey Dawning, so he’ll be hot-footing it around in the the parade ring when everyone wants to ask him that question before this trial, the Cotswold Chase. Obviously, he can only tell it one way, putting a positive spin on it all, but he’ll have a few butterflies as they get under way shortly after, but this is one trainer right on the money just now, and all the hard work over the years is paying dividends. So, can Grey Dawning win the Cotswold Chase? Yabba Dabba Doo if he does, but sorry, Dan and Harry Skelton, I do think that L’homme Presse has your measure here, on this soft ground, to defend his title in this race. The way I read it, with just the four going to post, Grey Dawning will end up having to take the race from the front, but although he’s won at Cheltenham before, this is going to a sapping trial over this trip on deep ground, and I’ll take L’homme Presse to take full advantage going up the stiff finish. A cracker in store, but L’homme Presse to just edge it over Grey Dawning, I hope!

Unibet Hurdle (Grade 2) 3.00
Sir Gino
Another race with just the four, but for me this is a match between Sir Gino and The New Lion. Now, here in the Office, we’ve been all over The New Lion since before he won the Challow Hurdle at Newbury last season, and proved he could handle this track when scoring in the Turners at the Festival back in March, though Gordon Elliott’s The Yellow Clay gave him a good run for his money. And, I do get it that Dan Skelton thinks that The New Lion has the speed for a Champion Hurdle, which is why he lined up in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle, but I’m still not overly convinced that is his best plan for March. So, by contrast, Sir Gino to me is a true two miler, and that’s where the doubts creep in about The New Lion winning this International Hurdle, as it’s better known. A good contest to watch, but it’s Sir Gino that floats my boat.

Pertemps Network Cleeve Hurdle (Grade 2) 3.35
Impose Toi (nb)
Second in the Coral Cup at the Festival in March, but has just ticked things up a notch this term, winning three times including the Long Walk at Ascot. This is his prep run for the Stayers at Cheltenham next time out, but he’ll be short order to win this trial, and I can’t argue with that. Now, Impose Toi has had Olly Murphy’s Strong Leader behind in his last two contests, so looks the obvious danger on paper, but that don’t tell the whole story, as I reckon Cheltenham ain’t Strong Leader’s course, so it’s Emma Lavelle’s Ma Shantou that might be the one to put the pressure on, though this soft ground isn’t ideal. Impose Toi to land this with plenty in hand before a proper stab at the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival.

AIS Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) 4.10
The Blue Room
I’m looking for The Blue Room to be landing this for Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen, to give this winning partnership a good end to the Cheltenham trials. He did look like he had plenty under the bonnet when chasing home No Drama This End at Newbury Park last month, so this trip over a track that asks for stamina seems to be a good move, with the softer going adding to the boxes ticked. I suppose that John McConnell’s Heads Up rates the big danger, as this Irish raider is already proven on this track after a 3 length second to No Drama This End in the Albert Bartlett at the November meeting. Hot ante post favourite Act Of Innocence, Taurus Bay and Fortune Timmy are all expected to figure, but The Blue Room is top of my list.