2026 Relkeel Hurdle Betting Tips

The Relkeel Hurdle could be all about one horse. Kabral Du Mathan looked the part when claiming a victory at Haydock at the end of November, with the Dan Skelton-trained charge winning by a considerable distance. Sent off as the 6/5 favourite in a handicap hurdle over two miles and three furlongs, there was a twelve-length success on good to soft ground.

There had previously been some smart performances when finishing runner-up at Ayr, Windsor and Ascot, although wind surgery has potentially seen a marked improvement. Nicky Henderson has a couple of horses to test out the favourite and perhaps the best chance is Lucky Place despite a couple of disappointing outings this season.

This horse will be carrying six pounds more than the favourite and didn't oblige as a favourite at Ascot and Newbury when running in a small field. However, we should note that the horse did win this race last season when claiming a 3/1 success before finishing seventh in the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Henderson's other chance comes in the form of Jingko Blue who was successful on a couple of occasions last term. In December 2024, the horse obliged at Uttoxeter and that came before a Windsor success in January. The runner then unseated his rider in the Reynoldstown Novices' Chase before getting seventh in a staying hurdle at Haydock.

2025 Relkeel Hurdle Tips

There are nine runners set to go to post for Relkeel Hurdle on New Year’s Day and the majority have a chance of recording a victory when it comes to this encounter over two miles, four and a half furlongs. The race takes place at Cheltenham Racecourse, with Golden Ace looking to get back on the winning trail after a stunning previous campaign.

At the beginning of 2024, there were consecutive successes at Taunton before following this up with a brace of wins at Cheltenham. She was able to score in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival when obliging at odds of 10/1 before a facile victory at the same course a month later although the more recent effort saw her finish fourth out of five at Ascot.

Gala Marceau has not won any of the previous four outings, although it was no disgrace to finish second to Lossiemouth at Punchestown back in May, with the Willie Mullins-trained runner only seven lengths behind her adversary in the Irish Champion Hurdle. Perhaps she will be able to go close when it comes to this Cheltenham encounter.

Lucky Place scored at Ascot towards the end of November when the 4/1 runner was able to claim a one-length victory in the Howden Ascot Hurdle and it was in that race where Golden Ace could only finish fourth. Nicky Henderson previously saw his charge register a credible fourth-placed finish in the Coral Cup.

2023 Relkeel Hurdle Tips

We would recommend comparing the Cheltenham racing odds when it comes to the Relkeel Hurdle, with lots of price boosts likely to be available for the 2.30pm on 1 January 2023. Marie’s Rock looks set to go off as favourite and there have been a succession of wins, the latest of which took place in the Mares’ Champion Hurdle at Punchestown back in April.

Naturally, there’s been a fair delay since that race although the victory in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2022 was impressive considering that the runner was sent off at 18/1 before horses such as Queens Brook and Stormy Ireland were beaten.

I Like To Move It has previously performed well at Cheltenham Racecourse and he managed to beat a host of decent horses to claim a victory in the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle on 13 November 2022. That was over two miles, with Nigel Twiston-Davies now looking for his charge to improve further and land another notable victory.

However, Knappers Hill has won four successive races and the seven-year-old can’t be easily discounted. Sent off as the 11/8 joint-favourite in the Unibet Elite Hurdle at Wincanton Racecourse, there was a victory over one mile and seven furlongs. At Chepstow in early October, Paul Nicholls saw his charge once again deliver the goods.