By Tony Calvin - 2 January 2026
In order to save an hour or two on today’s racing review section on the AKBets podcast – that should be out on Friday afternoon by the way (around 4pm), and it still came in at 85 minutes… – I thought I would do a concise written summary of the main racing action from December 20th to January 1st inclusive.
It is by no means exhaustive and I have probably missed some notable performances, but it seemed the best option to do it in this manner this week.
I genuinely think the Cheltenham Festival ante-post talk from months out is one of the biggest turn-offs in the sport and an undeniable net-negative (and I suspect the people who harp on about it almost daily know this too, but they have mouths to feed and bills to pay and wages to justify, which I get) but I will mention the odds for that in here, not that I would have a view on 99pc of them.
We all know you can’t get much on these days and they are therefore of questionable value, but I’ll quote the best Oddschecker prices for the sake of ease.
Well, at least we are in 2026 now, so I feel okay with this now.
Just about.
It bored me senseless, in truth.
Impose Toi wins the Grade 1 Long Walk in comfortable fashion. He is 8s for the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Honesty Policy, third at Ascot, is 6s for Cheltenham.
Kempton
Kitzbuhel makes all to win the Kauto Star by 2 ¾ lengths; he is 8s for the Brown Advisory
Sir Gino wins the Christmas Hurdle rather impressively on his comeback run; he is 13/8 for the Champion Hurdle and 16s for the Champion Chase.
The Jukebox Man wins a bunch-finish King George involving Banbridge, Gaelic Warrior and Jango Baie.
The Jukebox Man and Jango Baie are 8s for the Gold Cup, and Gaelic Warrior 10s. They are 12s, 8s and 13/2 respectively for the Ryanair.
Yes, I know. The Ryanair needs binning off…oh and Banbridge is 16s for it, by the way.
King George disappointment Fact To File is 3s for the Ryanair.
Yawn.
Aintree
Idaho Sun beat then-Supreme favourite Mydaddypaddy in the Grade 1 Formby Hurdle. They are now 16s and 12s respectively for the Supreme.
Leopardstown
Narciso Has wins the Grade 2 Juvenile Hurdle; now 5s for the Triumph Hurdle
Romeo Coolio wins Grade 1 2m1f novices chase by ½ length by Irish Panther; he is 7s for Brown Advisory and 10s for the Arkle and 16s for the Ryanair.
Gordon Elliott’s new recruit El Cairos is beaten – clear when falling/stumbling after the last – but goes Supreme Hurdle favourite at 5s alongside Old Park Star, 12s bar.
Kempton – Thistle Ask continues his seismic progression with his fifth straight win from a mark of 108 to 158, his 4th for Dan Skelton after being purchased for 11k after the first of those successes for James Ewart. He is now 25s for Champion Chase.
Chepstow
Haiti Couleurs wins the Welsh National off 154 on ground Timeform called good to firm. Now 14s for Gold Cup.
Chester Williams wins Grade 2 Finale Hurdle with Tenter Le Tout.
Mossy Fen Road was impressive in novices’ hurdle and is now 16s for Supreme.
Leopardstown
On the card, notable wins for Solness (Marine Nationale and Majborough chinned in same race, the former beaten by only 1/2 length after an early blunder), Kargese (now 10s for Arkle and 25s for Mares’) and Skylight Hustle, and 66-1 Favori De Champdou wins Paddy Power handicap chase for an unstoppable Gordon Elliott.
Marine Nationale is [11/4] for the Champion Chase, with Marjborough at 8s and Solness at 25s
Talk The Talk was a last-flight casualty in Skylight Hustle’s Grade 1 and is 12s for Supreme, a race in which Skylight Hustle is a 20s poke
Limerick
The Big Westerner wins the Grade 2 Dawn Run and is 10s for Mares’ Chase and 14s for Brown Advisory.
Leopardstown
Teahupoo beats Bob Olinger and Ballyburn in Christmas Hurdle (the Irish version); Teahupoo is 9/4 favourite for Stayers’ , with 10s Bob Olinger and 16s Ballyburn,
The punted/cut Affordale Fury wins Savills, with Galopin Des Champs third and an impossible-to-give away drifter Inothewayurthinkin 9th.
The 50s poke I Am Maximus finishes a great second after being badly hampered by winner at the last fence. He is now 12s for Grand National – rather surprisingly, he was dropped 2lb for this run.
The Gold Cup betting still sees Inothewayurthinkin as the 6s favourite for Gold Cup (a sad indictment of how Cheltenham is seen as the be-all and end-all for many), with Galopin Des Champs 7s, and Affordale Fury 16s.
Limerick
Final Demand wins, with Jimmy Du Seuil disappointing. Now evens for Brown Advisory.
Leopardstown
Lossiemouth wins a questionably-run Grade 1 December Hurdle from a staying-on Brighterdaysahead , with hard-pulling trailblazer Anzadam fourth.
The winner is now 4s for Champion Hurdle at 5/2 for Mares’ Hurdle – here we go again, as Dolly Parton once sang…(actually that is Here We Come Again).
Brighterdaysahead is 5s for Mares’ and 16s for Champion Hurdle.
Anzadam is 33s for Champion Hurdle.
Wodhooh wins Grade 3 ; now 2s jolly for Mares’ Hurdle.
Newbury – good day for Paul Nicholls
The 3yo Minella Yoga beats Act Of Innocence in Introductory Hurdle; 20s for the Triumph.
No Drama This End wins Grade 1 Challow in workmanlike fashion; now 4s fav for Turners and also 12s market leader for Albert Bartlett.
Doncaster – Spindleberry wins; 3s for Mares’ Chase
Punchestown – El Fabiolo back to hurdles and wins by a wide margin over 2m3f; 25s for Champion Hurdle.
Cheltenham
Matata impressive off 154 in 2m4f handicap chase – 33s for Ryanair.
Kabral Du Mathan wins modest Grade 2 2m4f Relkeel in great style but will he stay 3m?; 33s for Champion Hurdle and 8s for Stayers’. It could be neither option by the sounds of it, so hold fire.
That is probably a comment that applies to all Cheltenham prices.
Fairyhouse
Kaid D’Authie beats Wingmen 10 lengths in 2m5f Beginners Chase.
Dinoblue wins three-runner race at 1-4 despite a bad blunder at last; 11/4 for Mares’ Chase.
GROUND/WEATHER – and notable Saturday no-shows With the weather forecast worsening overnight (Cheltenham and Doncaster…
THE TUESDAY COPY How many of his Saturday 18 will Gordon run? Gordon Elliott has…
Horse Racing
Greyhounds
Darts
Football
Home