With 2025 behind us, ante-post Cheltenham plans are now well underway. Punters seeking Prestbury Park clues may have found inspiration on the outstanding yuletide racing menu. The question is, will any of the festive stars add to their haul at the most magical meeting of the year?
King George hero The Jukebox Man, Welsh Grand National champ Haiti Couleurs, and Savills Chase winner Affordale Fury all enhanced their Gold Cup claims, while Lossiemouth advertised her Champion Hurdle credentials in the December Hurdle. All four runners have eye-catching festival claims, but none are the current favourite to win their Prestbury Park assignment.
In contrast, the following three talents all won over the festive period and head the year-end markets for three of the biggest events at the Cheltenham Festival.
Champion Hurdle – Sir Gino
Boxing Day’s Christmas Hurdle from Kempton witnessed the return of one of the most talked-about horses in training. The latest in a long line of 2m stars to emerge from the Nicky Henderson operation, Sir Gino made a flawless start to life at Seven Barrows. His first five starts for Henderson yielded four wins over hurdles and one over fences by a combined winning distance of 42¾ lengths. Highlights included Grade 1 wins in the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle and Fighting Fifth Hurdle, and a comfortable verdict over Ballyburn in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase.
Unfortunately, a ligament infection following that sole win over fences stalled the ascent of this rising star. Such was the severity of his ailment that Sir Gino’s future as a racehorse was in doubt. Happily, the five-year-old made a full recovery and took his place in the 2025 Christmas Hurdle field – 364 days after his previous appearance.
Given that absence, it would have been easy to forgive Sir Gino had he not been quite at his best. However, there were few signs of ring rust as the mount of Nico de Boinville produced yet another near-flawless display.
Having raced prominently throughout, Sir Gino kicked off the home turn and galloped six lengths clear of a field which included reigning Champion Hurdle queen Golden Ace. A best price of 11/4 before the race, Sir Gino is now the clear Champion Hurdle favourite at a general 5/4.
Stayers’ Hurdle – Teahupoo
Following wins in the Long Distance Hurdle and Long Walk Hurdle, Nicky Henderson’s Impose Toi is the new star on the staying hurdle scene in 2025/26. Those wins earn the JP McManus star a place in the Stayers’ Hurdle conversation. However, he will likely need to improve again to conquer the established stars in the division. Included in that number is the 2024 Stayers’ Hurdle winner and 2025 runner-up, Teahupoo.
Regaining his Stayers’ Hurdle crown is the number one objective for this Gordon Elliott-trained runner in 2026, and he could scarcely have made a better start to the campaign. Making his seasonal return in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, he held on by a nose from Ballyburn to win the Fairyhouse Grade 1 for a third time. Moving back up to his favoured 3m trip for the Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle, he started as second favourite, with many predicting that Ballyburn would turn the tables. However, Teahupoo confirmed the Fairyhouse form in emphatic style.
Taking up the running over the second last, his superior stamina soon had Ballyburn floundering. Stayers’ Hurdle champ Bob Olinger launched a challenge in the straight but couldn’t get to within seven lengths of Teahupoo at the line. The soon-to-be nine-year-old is now the clear Stayers’ Hurdle favourite at a price of 7/4.
Mares Hurdle – Wodhooh
Solid as Teahupoo’s chances are, the remarkable Wodhooh may provide Gordon Elliott with his best chance of a Cheltenham Festival winner. Arriving from the yard of Sir Michael Stoute without a flat win to her name, this daughter of Le Havre has sprouted wings over hurdles.
Heading into the current season with seven wins from eight starts over timber, Wodhooh made a successful return in the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle. That success saw her lumbered with an 8lb penalty as she dropped back to Grade 3 company for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Kerrymount Mares Hurdle on 29 December. She made light of that burden in typically tenacious style to score by 2¼l. While an ambitious tilt at the Champion Hurdle has not been ruled out entirely, the Mares Hurdle is the more likely target – a race for which she heads the market at a general 15/8.
With star novices No Drama This End and Final Demand also enhancing their claims for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle and the Brown Advisory Novices Chase, you didn’t have to look far for Cheltenham clues over the festive period.
