January 16 / 15.00 Windsor

15.00

Soft

Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £52030
  • 2m 4f 0y
  • Class 2
  • 5 runners
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Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly sunny

2/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.00
  • Place: £1.20

Form: 15-F34 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 149

Form & Verdict
Smart novice (Grade 1 winner on soft) at up to 2m5f last season; early faller on reappearance in November before 8l third in Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle (2m3f, good to soft); outstayed when fourth in Grade 1 Long Walk at Ascot (3m, good to soft) last time and he's one to consider now back down in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 1

16:05 Aintree

Potters Charm

11st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Acts on any ground; the freshest contender in this race, having bypassed the Cheltenham Festival and been absent since landing the National Spirit at Fontwell (2m3f) over six weeks ago when taking hurdles record to 7-11; sole attempt at Aintree resulted in a Grade 1 novice success on Boxing Day 2024; likely to go well.

14/1

1st

1

22nd Feb 2026

Soft

2m 3f 29y

Class 1

14:50 Fontwell

Potters Charm

11st 7lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Smart novice (Grade 1 winner on soft) at up to 2m5f last season; early faller on reappearance in November before 8l third in Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle (2m3f, good to soft); outstayed when fourth in Grade 1 Long Walk at Ascot (3m, good to soft) the following month but got back on the scoresheet when taking a classy Windsor conditions hurdle (2m4f, soft; career-best form) last month; key player despite a half penalty for the Grade 1 win.

8/13

7/1

  • Place: £2.70

Form: 118-56 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 11st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 146

Form & Verdict
Won two handicaps in a row at Ascot (2m3f, good) early last year; also effective on soft ground and didn't stay 3m in Grade 1 Long Walk at Ascot latest; all of his best form has come at Ascot but he hasn't had many chances to show what he can do elsewhere and he's in the picture on his peak efforts.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

4

16th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

15:00 Windsor

Altobelli

11st 0lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Harry Fry

Won two handicaps in a row at Ascot (2m3f, good) early last year; also effective on soft ground and didn't stay 3m in Grade 1 Long Walk at Ascot latest; all of his best form has come at Ascot but he hasn't had many chances to show what he can do elsewhere and he's in the picture on his peak efforts.

7/1

8th

1

5th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 149y

Class 1

15:05 Aintree

Altobelli

11st 10lb

J: Bryan Carver

T: Harry Fry

Successful in a couple of useful handicaps at Ascot (2m3f, good) since wearing cheekpieces; open to further progress in the headgear but appears to have a stiff task on these terms and the trip is an unknown.

16/1

OUR TIP

Form: 35-623 D

Last run: 49 days

W: 11st 1lb

8 yo Filly

OR: 145

Form & Verdict
Won Grade 2 mares' hurdle at Ascot (1m7f, good) last January and she's looked better than ever when running really well in defeat against males in Grade 2s at Wetherby (3m, good) and Newbury (3m, soft) on last two starts; she'll be fine now back down in trip and may well be in the mix.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

12

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 149y

Class 1

15:05 Aintree

Take No Chances

11st 3lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Not at the top of her game in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham (2m4f, good) last month but this sort of trip may be her optimum; neck second to Strong Leader at Wetherby (3m, good) in November and creditable third behind Impose Toi and Strong Leader in another Grade 2 at Newbury (3m, soft) later that month; ran well here 12 months ago; each-way claims if back on song.

25/1

4th

6

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 56y

Class 1

14:40 Cheltenham

Take No Chances

11st 5lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Won Grade 2 mares' event at Ascot before finishing third to Lossiemouth in this and the Aintree Hurdle (Wodhooh 8l ahead in second) last spring; has slightly bettered those RPRs in defeat on all four outings this season and she's an each-way player again.

9/1

3rd

3

16th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

15:00 Windsor

Take No Chances

11st 1lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Won Grade 2 mares' hurdle at Ascot (1m7f, good) last January and she's looked better than ever when running really well in defeat against males in Grade 2s at Wetherby (3m, good) and Newbury (3m, soft) on last two starts; she'll be fine now back down in trip and may well be in the mix.

3/1

Form: 111P-3 CD

Last run: 48 days

W: 11st 8lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 151

Form & Verdict
Middle leg of a hat-trick when winning this last year (soft); finished close-up when last of the three finishers on reappearance in Grade 1 Fighting Fifth at Newcastle (2m1f, good to soft) in November, which was a positive performance; leading claims despite a 8lb penalty.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

24th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 0f 179y

Class 1

15:00 Cheltenham

Nemean Lion

11st 10lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Kerry Lee

Seemed to run well in a dramatic Fighting Fifth but was only fourth of five, admittedly not entirely disgraced, last week when favourite for a Windsor contest he'd won 12 months earlier; triple Grade 2 scorer but faces a difficult task against two exciting types in this field.

33/1

4th

1

16th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 2

15:00 Windsor

Nemean Lion

11st 8lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Kerry Lee

Middle leg of a hat-trick when winning this last year (soft); finished close-up when last of the three finishers on reappearance in Grade 1 Fighting Fifth at Newcastle (2m1f, good to soft) in November, which was a positive performance; leading claims despite a 8lb penalty.

7/4

12

13th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 7f 213y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Nemean Lion

11st 10lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Kerry Lee

Completed a hat-trick (2m3f/2m4f, good to soft/soft) when getting up close home in Grade 2 National Spirit at Fontwell last month; goes up in trip and back up in grade today, with something to find, but he stayed well on the Flat early in his career and has shaped this season as though today's extra distance could prompt further improvement; clearly thriving; interesting.

25/1

Form: 52-343

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Ran pretty well in defeat in handicap hurdles (2m3f/2m5f, good/soft) on first two starts of the season and reverts to this sphere after disappointing run on last month's chase debut; however, a career-best is needed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

15th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 50y

Class 2

15:15 Haydock

Royal Infantry

12st 0lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Skelton runner on a losing run of nine; up and down over hurdles this season and tried chasing the once in December; latest Kempton run when behind some of these wasn't overly encouraging and his trainer now turns to cheekpieces; still couldn't put a line through him.

11/2

9th

1

14th Mar 2026

Good

2m 5f 0y

Class 2

14:40 Kempton

Royal Infantry

12st 0lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Has won maiden and introductory hurdles; running well either side of one chase run and he was the only one to pose any threat to a progressive type over C&D (good to soft; Fasol fourth and held) last month; up 2lb to a career-high mark but still early days in handicaps; not far away.

8/1

2nd

2

21st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 3

13:10 Kempton

Royal Infantry

11st 12lb

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Chasing was shelved after just one attempt, and he returned to hurdling with a creditable run in conditions event at Windsor last month, although finishing last of five; will have no problem with trip or ground and looks the pick of Dan Skelton's three on jockey bookings.

6/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £11.30
Straight Forecast £12.12
Trifecta £44.00

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Nemean Lion

POSTDATA:

Take No Chances

WEST COUNTRY:

Potters Charm

Daily Mirror:

Altobelli

Telegraph:

Take No Chances

Daily Mail:

Take No Chances

RP RATINGS:

Nemean Lion

TOPSPEED:

Nemean Lion

The Times:

Nemean Lion

The Guardian:

Nemean Lion

D Express:

Nemean Lion

The Sun:

Nemean Lion

The Star:

Nemean Lion

Daily Record:

Nemean Lion