Cheltenham Festival | Road To The Roar: Trials Day review, market movers and key quotes from Joe Tizzard & Sean Bowen
27 Jan 2026
Over the next six weeks, we’ll be bringing you the inside scoop from the trading floor, the latest quotes from trainers and jockeys, and exclusive insight on the most exciting races as we look ahead to the greatest four days of national hunt racing in the calendar at the Cheltenham Festival.
FROM THE TRADING FLOOR
After the sad injury to Sir Gino, the Champion Hurdle betting was blown wide open and we are now Non-Runner Money Back (NRMB) on the race, along with the other four main Championship events. Despite his bloodless victory on Saturday, we only make The New Lion 11/4 second favourite with his form "in the book" inferior to Lossiemouth's best at present in our view. He has bags of potential though and 11/4 could look big come the day.
The New Lion to win the Champion Hurdle (NRMB) – ADD TO BETSLIP
Spillane's Tower is now 14/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after his win in the Cotswold Chase but many may prefer to chance the horse he beat, L'Homme Presse, at much bigger odds (50/1), given the latter was giving weight to the Irish raider on Saturday. In behind them both on Saturday was Grey Dawning, the uneasy favourite, and his odds have drifted to a tempting 20/1 (NRMB) if you do forgive that ultimately disappointing run.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Latest Odds (NRMB)
The Triumph Hurdle Trial went to Maestro Conti, who is now unbeaten in three starts for the Skelton team, but we were not as impressed as some with the win and are happy to take him on for now at a top industry price of 9/1 for the Triumph Hurdle.
Maestro Conti to win the Triumph Hurdle – ADD TO BETSLIP
One horse that did impress us was Ma Shantou who was available at 50/1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle before Saturday's victory in the Cleeve Hurdle. You are now looking at 6/1 (NRMB), but those odds could look big come the day with the yard no stranger to success in the race having won it in 2019 with Paisley Park. The division has been screaming out for a new kid on the block for a while and we may just have found one.
Ma Shantou to win the Stayers' Hurdle (NRMB) – ADD TO BETSLIP
TRAINERS & JOCKEYS HAVE THEIR SAY
Coral Ambassador, Joe Tizzard, reviews his Trials Day winner, Kripticjim
"There was obviously a bit of drama around the final race at Cheltenham, but we had no concerns running Kripticjim. He travelled through the race better than I've ever seen him travel, and apart from the last hurdle, he jumped beautifully. We were patient with him last year and treated him like the nice horse we always thought he was. He's in the Turners and the Albert Bartlett at the Festival, and we'll be aiming at one of them I'm sure, although he's definitely a chaser in the making.”
Coral Racing Club trainer Joe Tizzard is aiming to land his first Cheltenham Festival winner this year
Dan Skelton, trainer of the International Hurdle winner, The New Lion
"We needed to get a clear round into him after Newcastle. Harry [Skelton] did exactly what he wanted to do and held him into the bottom of his hurdles, and he was much more respectful of them. Harry was wrestling him to get him into the bottom of them, but that's the type of jumping we're going to need at the festival. They went round at 24mph and this will have no bearing whatsoever on the Champion Hurdle, it's a trial in name only. However, I was encouraged by the speed he showed from the back of the last, as I've always said the unanswered question with this horse is that speed angle, and he showed plenty of it on Saturday."
Coral Ambassador, Sean Bowen, on Irish Gold Cup contender, Haiti Couleurs
“We don’t know how he’ll measure up against the opposition, which will obviously be top class, but he’s gone over to Ireland and been at his best over there in the past when he won the Irish Grand National, so the travelling won’t be an issue. He stays this trip, he jumps well, and this fits in well timewise ahead of Cheltenham, so why not have a go? I’ve already picked up a couple of spare rides on the card there as well, so it will be nice to go out there for the weekend and ride in some of these big races. And Haiti is obviously a big horse for me.”
Emma Lavelle, trainer of the Cleeve Hurdle winner, Ma Shantou
"I'm shocked in a way by how visually impressive Ma Shantou was. Through the race, how he jumped, travelled, and finished was so good. I was hopeful he'd run a big race, but I didn't expect him to do it the way he did. I desperately wanted him to be good enough to run in a Stayers' Hurdle because I think it'd be a hard job for a horse of his stature to give weight away if we had to go down the handicap route with him."
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL – LATEST ANTE POST BETTING
All odds referenced in this article are accurate as of 8am 27/01/26.
FROM THE TRADING FLOOR
After the sad injury to Sir Gino, the Champion Hurdle betting was blown wide open and we are now Non-Runner Money Back (NRMB) on the race, along with the other four main Championship events. Despite his bloodless victory on Saturday, we only make The New Lion 11/4 second favourite with his form "in the book" inferior to Lossiemouth's best at present in our view. He has bags of potential though and 11/4 could look big come the day.
The New Lion to win the Champion Hurdle (NRMB) – ADD TO BETSLIP
Spillane's Tower is now 14/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after his win in the Cotswold Chase but many may prefer to chance the horse he beat, L'Homme Presse, at much bigger odds (50/1), given the latter was giving weight to the Irish raider on Saturday. In behind them both on Saturday was Grey Dawning, the uneasy favourite, and his odds have drifted to a tempting 20/1 (NRMB) if you do forgive that ultimately disappointing run.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Latest Odds (NRMB)
The Triumph Hurdle Trial went to Maestro Conti, who is now unbeaten in three starts for the Skelton team, but we were not as impressed as some with the win and are happy to take him on for now at a top industry price of 9/1 for the Triumph Hurdle.
Maestro Conti to win the Triumph Hurdle – ADD TO BETSLIP
One horse that did impress us was Ma Shantou who was available at 50/1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle before Saturday's victory in the Cleeve Hurdle. You are now looking at 6/1 (NRMB), but those odds could look big come the day with the yard no stranger to success in the race having won it in 2019 with Paisley Park. The division has been screaming out for a new kid on the block for a while and we may just have found one.
Ma Shantou to win the Stayers' Hurdle (NRMB) – ADD TO BETSLIP
TRAINERS & JOCKEYS HAVE THEIR SAY
Coral Ambassador, Joe Tizzard, reviews his Trials Day winner, Kripticjim
"There was obviously a bit of drama around the final race at Cheltenham, but we had no concerns running Kripticjim. He travelled through the race better than I've ever seen him travel, and apart from the last hurdle, he jumped beautifully. We were patient with him last year and treated him like the nice horse we always thought he was. He's in the Turners and the Albert Bartlett at the Festival, and we'll be aiming at one of them I'm sure, although he's definitely a chaser in the making.”
Coral Racing Club trainer Joe Tizzard is aiming to land his first Cheltenham Festival winner this year
Dan Skelton, trainer of the International Hurdle winner, The New Lion
"We needed to get a clear round into him after Newcastle. Harry [Skelton] did exactly what he wanted to do and held him into the bottom of his hurdles, and he was much more respectful of them. Harry was wrestling him to get him into the bottom of them, but that's the type of jumping we're going to need at the festival. They went round at 24mph and this will have no bearing whatsoever on the Champion Hurdle, it's a trial in name only. However, I was encouraged by the speed he showed from the back of the last, as I've always said the unanswered question with this horse is that speed angle, and he showed plenty of it on Saturday."
Coral Ambassador, Sean Bowen, on Irish Gold Cup contender, Haiti Couleurs
“We don’t know how he’ll measure up against the opposition, which will obviously be top class, but he’s gone over to Ireland and been at his best over there in the past when he won the Irish Grand National, so the travelling won’t be an issue. He stays this trip, he jumps well, and this fits in well timewise ahead of Cheltenham, so why not have a go? I’ve already picked up a couple of spare rides on the card there as well, so it will be nice to go out there for the weekend and ride in some of these big races. And Haiti is obviously a big horse for me.”
Emma Lavelle, trainer of the Cleeve Hurdle winner, Ma Shantou
"I'm shocked in a way by how visually impressive Ma Shantou was. Through the race, how he jumped, travelled, and finished was so good. I was hopeful he'd run a big race, but I didn't expect him to do it the way he did. I desperately wanted him to be good enough to run in a Stayers' Hurdle because I think it'd be a hard job for a horse of his stature to give weight away if we had to go down the handicap route with him."
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL – LATEST ANTE POST BETTING
All odds referenced in this article are accurate as of 8am 27/01/26.
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