Expert horse racing betting tips for w/c Saturday, January 24th 2026

The weekend's racing brings us some exciting action from Cheltenham, including the Cotswold Chase, International Hurdle, and Cleeve Hurdle. There are also races from Doncaster to look forward to.

It's also that time of the year when we start looking towards the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. You can be part of our build-up by joining us for our Races Now Cheltenham Preview Night. The event is scheduled to take place at 7:30pm GMT at The Owls at Standish in Wigan on Friday, 6th March 2026. Tickets cost £12.50 each, and you can get yours HERE!

Our Punters Panel are here to give their views on what is set to be another quality weekend of racing. The tipsters have also offered their thoughts on the latest current affairs in the world of racing.

Introducing the Odds Now Horse Racing Punters Panel

Before we get stuck in, here’s a little bit more on the four experts answering our key questions this week:

SD - Races Now's tipster extraordinaire who has shot to prominence over the last year with his engaging content and stellar betting record.

Adam Smith - A betting industry veteran, flat lover and one half of our Races Now double act.

Harry Fowler - Another of Odds Now’s regular racing contributors, currently working in the industry.

Jay (@BettingBetter25) - Expert horse racing analyst and tipster for the @BettingBetter25 X account.

Sean Tasker-Brown - Assistant Manager at Hexham Racecourse (Britain’s Most Scenic Racecourse) and racing lover.

Grey Dawning is odds on for the Cotswold Chase. Do you expect him to win and go on to be a Gold Cup contender?

SD: He should win, really. It’s a desperate turnout. He would have frame claims and no more than that in the Gold Cup.

AS: For all Grey Dawning was visually impressive in the Betfair, the form is pretty awful. He might win this, but it won’t have an impact in the proper Grade 1s that follow. Spillane’s Tower, purely at the prices, has to be of interest at 4/1. He’s at least as talented as the fav but has been out a while.

HF: I’m not actually sure. There is no doubt how badly Spillane's Tower has been campaigned in his career. We know there is a very good horse there, specifically with that John Durkan run. The rain is coming, which is a big plus for him, and getting 6lbs from Grey Dawning, I think he’s interesting at 9/2.

Jay: Grey Dawning should win this pretty easily. He won well in the Betfair Chase, and the only threat to my eye would be L’Homme Presse. Grey Dawning should also get his preferred ground and distance. I think there are better horses going to the Gold Cup, but I wouldn’t put anyone off hoovering up some 12/1 as I can see him shortening should he win impressively on Saturday – could be a nice trading position.

STB: Firstly, I think it’s a disappointing race. I’d say the BHA will have to look at the viability of running the Fleur de Lys and Cotswold Chase so close together. There’s also the Denman Chase in two weeks' time, and a number of good handicaps these horses could run in. We should be encouraging them to take each other on – that’s what the public wants to see. I think Grey Dawning will win the race, L’Homme Presse would have a chance, but Venetia Williams’ horses are out of form, so that would put me off, while Spillane's Tower has been disappointing this season, and Flooring Porter hasn’t run for 486 days. I could see Grey Dawning running well and finishing fourth or fifth in the Gold Cup, but he’s likely to find a few too good.

Sir Gino vs The New Lion. Who are you backing in the International Hurdle?

SD: Nobody to win, but the without and place-only markets look interesting. The New Lion needs further, so Nemean Lion at anything above 7/2 is value in those aforementioned events.

AS: Sir Gino looks like a penalty kick to me. He’s very, very talented. The New Lion probably needs further and might not behave himself anyway. Nemean Lion of interest in the without market.

HF: Sir Gino all the way. There’s talk that Sir Gino is a chaser – but The New Lion isn’t a 2 miler. Sir Gino’s reappearance run couldn’t have been more impressive, given that things didn’t go perfectly, and he still destroyed them. He will win here, and the odds against for March's Champion Hurdle will be a distant memory after Saturday.

Jay: I really like The New Lion, and I think he will improve after his Newcastle outing. I can’t see him front-running after this fall. Sir Gino hasn’t really been tested yet since his latest return, and I expect this will be a stern examination, where he could well falter. The New Lion is also receiving 3lbs from Sir Gino, which could play a part.

STB: I won’t be having a bet in the race, but I think Sir Gino will win this fairly comfortably and then go on to win the Champion Hurdle in March. Hopefully, The New Lion can make a race of it. I do think he would’ve won the Fighting Fifth had he not fallen two out, but I still don’t think he’s good enough to really trouble Sir Gino.

Can Impose Toi confirm his Stayers' Hurdle credentials with a win in the Cleeve Hurdle?

SD: Given he’s against the same calibre of opposition as he has been recently, that is the likely scenario.

AS: Yes. He’s a horse bang on the up, and it would be a stretch to lend that description to any of his rivals here.

HF: Yeah, he should be winning Saturday. He has gone to new heights this season. However, I wouldn’t be backing him for March – beating Strong Leader a few times, I don’t think, is strong enough form.

Jay: I think Impose Too wins on Saturday, but not without being challenged by Strong Leader and possibly Nurse Susan. In regards to the Stayers' Hurdle, I’d probably be more compelled to go with Honesty Policy, as I expect him to massively come on from the run.

STB: I hope so, because I backed him after he won at Aintree in November for the Stayers at 25/1. His run style will be well-suited to the race in March, and he has some form at Cheltenham. I think Ma Shantou will run well here – I’m surprised they haven’t gone down the Pertemps route with him, though. Hopefully, Impose Toi will have too much class.

Any other bets at Cheltenham?

SD: Jagwar should win, but I’m not telling you anything you don’t know there, am I?

AS: It’s great to see the Cross Country back, and I’d like to see Tommie Beau go well after taking the wrong course on this track previously. Donnacha is my bet of the day in the 1:15pm. A consistent performer and deserves a crack at a big race like this.

HF: Yes, in the first race at 12.05pm, I am all over Push The Button. A good hurdler who ran well in big races like the Martin Pipe last season, but has absolutely taken to fences with ease. A winner on chase debut before being beaten by a nice horse in Meetmebythesea second time out. Then last time, to Ascot, where he took his form to another level by finishing second behind Steel Ally and beating No Questions Asked – the latter, who has since boosted that form.

Jay: Kdeux Saint Fray in the opener looks like an improving horse. He won here in November over the same trip and what looks likely to be identical ground. I also like the look of The Blue Room in the last from a value perspective at 10/1. This horse was only five lengths behind No Drama This End last time out and ran on the ground he will get once again here.

STB: Just the two for me. Barlovento looks to have a rock-solid chance in the first race for the in-form duo of Bowen and Murphy. I was also really impressed by Taurus Bay at Aintree in December and could see him upsetting the favourite in the last.

The Great Yorkshire Chase takes centre stage at Doncaster. Any bets planned for the Town Moor card?

SD: Oh, yes. Soft, heavy in places at Donny so that suits Kelce. Don’t forget he was giving O’Connell a race in the Lincolnshire National of 2024 – that rival is now 23lbs higher. Plus, given Kelce wouldn’t have been suited by the fences being omitted at Aintree latest, there’s an upside.

AS: Docpickedme won this last year and is only 2lbs higher this time around. I could see him going off shorter than the current 13/2.

HF: In Doncaster's Grade 2 Mares Hurdle at 1.30pm, I think Feet Of A Dancer will relish conditions. It should be pretty soft there, which is right up her street. She goes back up to 3 miles, which saw her finish a good fourth in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle at the Festival last year and think could take some beating here.

Jay: Highland Crystal in the first race was impressive last time at Newbury on similar ground. I expect the jumping will have improved a lot, and a big run looks assured.

STB: I fancy Grand Geste in the Great Yorkshire Chase. There are a few front-runners in the race, but his jumping should ensure he gets the lead, and I don’t think the 10lbs rise will be enough to stop him. In the Mares' Hurdle, I like That’ll Do Moss, who is crying out for a step up to 3 miles. In the 2:38pm, a race where plenty look to have stamina doubts over 3 miles on soft ground, Chasingouttheblues won’t have any issues with that and should go close for the wonderful Ursa Major Racing.

Will Lord Allen ever be able to make the changes in British racing that he wants to?

SD: Charles is the wrong man for the job. His changes are on the strength of him doing one day a week. We need new thinking on a standard week. It’s not too much to ask!

AS: Probably not. Since pretty much day one working in horse racing, I have thought there are way too many stakeholders – each with genuine power. It’s all very short-sighted and self-preservationist. “Many headwinds” and “slow death” cliches spring to mind. But I’m more negative than most. I accept.

HF: As much as it’s needed and he does want to, it’s really not that easy. Despite being in the role he is in, there are certain things that he doesn’t have the power to change.

Jay: I think he will be able to change small parts of the sport, bring it more into the limelight and possibly unify racing, which would be a huge achievement. If the sport backs him properly, he will 100% be able to make a lot of the changes he wants.

STB: I think that’s a hard question to answer at this stage, as we don’t know the full extent of the changes he is looking to make. Obviously, he is seeking an independent BHA board and to make the BHA more commercial so it will be interesting to see how that works out.