Weekend horse racing review | Cheltenham November Meeting 2025 | Horse Racing tips

The 2025/26 National Hunt racing season is really up and running now, with many star names having made their seasonal bow over the last week.

After an educational few days of action across Cheltenham and Navan, Races Now’s Harry Fowler rounds up all the key talking points.

This past weekend’s racing served up no shortage of drama, from the waterlogged turf of Navan to the fiercely fought contests at Cheltenham.

Storm-laden skies forced the postponement of a star-studded Saturday card in Ireland, meaning a fantastic card was shuffled onto a strong Monday programme.

Cheltenham also battled the effects of Storm Claudia, with soft-to-heavy conditions and late alterations needed to keep racing on. Still, the action held firm, with several leading names laying down early-season markers.

Frenetic Friday kicks off November Meeting

Cheltenham’s November Meeting began on Friday, headlined by the Grade 2 Shloer Chase. Jonbon was bidding for a third straight win in the race but couldn’t deliver, leaving L’Eau du Sud to claim an impressive victory.

While he travelled and quickened stylishly, his true level will be tested in a likely Tingle Creek rematch with Jonbon. As for Jonbon, calls that he is “finished” seem premature. He dislikes Cheltenham, the ground was unsuitable, he never is really at his best first time up, and the Henderson yard isn’t firing yet.

Earlier on the card came one of the best rides I have ever seen from Sean Bowen in the Listed 3m1f Novices’ Chase. Wade Out was off the bridle for much of the race, losing ground at several fences, yet Bowen coaxed him into a gritty 3¼-length success. It was a win tipped by our very own horse racing expert tipster, Lee Butterworth, as part of his daily horse racing tips.

The performance was admirable, and he now looks set for a National Hunt Chase campaign – but will certainly need to improve in the jumping department between now and then.

Another impressive novice came in the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, where No Drama This End made a striking hurdle debut, beating Heads Up into second, who had the hurdle experience and some classy bumper form.

He’s expected to head to the Challow Hurdle and is 12/1 for the Turners Novices' Hurdle at next year’s Festival at the time of writing.

No Panic for Skelton​ on Saturday

Saturday’s feature, the Paddy Power Gold Cup, turned into another well-executed Dan Skelton plot. The Mare Panic Attack, lightly raced over fences, justified a long-term plan with a smooth four-length victory, celebrated in trademark style by Harry Skelton.

She has the Mares’ Chase potentially on her radar and is 16/1 for March as things stand.

The other big race of the day was the Arkle Trial, which saw July Flower narrowly beat Be Aware, with both shaping like high-class novices. July Flower is now 20/1 for the Arkle and 12/1 for the Mares’ Chase.

Sunday and Monday see stars make their mark​

Sunday delivered the final day at Cheltenham and the rescheduled start of Navan’s meeting.

The Greatwood Hurdle, usually fiercely competitive, proved far more one-sided this year as Alexei powered clear by six lengths. He’ll rise sharply in the weights and enter the Champion Hurdle betting at 40/1 – a long shot, but not impossible given recent Festival shocks.

Over in Ireland, Final Demand created a stir on his chasing debut. Sent off 2/7, he barely came off the bridle to win by 13 lengths and was cut to 6/4 for the Brown Advisory, though that feels a risky price this far out.

Monday’s action offered more for novice chase watchers. At Exeter, Lulamba made a winning start over fences in a tactical five-runner race. Though the form is tricky to assess with only two others really in the race and several fences omitted, he jumped well enough and is now 4/1 for the Arkle.

A more authoritative display came from Kopek Des Bordes at Navan, who justified favouritism with a slick-jumping 13-length success and remains the antepost favourite for the Arkle at 9/4. He looked every inch a proper two-miler, which I am not sure can be said for Lulamba.

The Grade 2 action continued in Ireland, beginning with The Yellow Clay’s seasonal return over 2m4f.

He never travelled with his usual fluency and looked laboured late on, though this was his first start since a heavy fall at Punchestown. He is now 16/1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle, while veteran Colonel Mustard took full advantage to score his third hurdles win.

The weekend's last race of note was the Grade 2 Fortria Chase, where the absence of Marine Nationale left Dinoblue a well-backed favourite. However, an error-strewn round cost her, and she could only finish second.

She remains the 7/2 favourite for the Mares’ Chase at the Festival. Found A Fifty capitalised with a polished performance, underlining his reliability at Grade 2 level – even if Grade 1 company continues to look a step beyond him.