Weekend horse racing review | Haydock Betfair Chase 2025 | Horse Racing tips

The 2025/26 National Hunt racing season is really up and running now and we've enlisted Races Now's Harry Fowler to keep us abreast of all the key performances in his new Weekend Review column.

The racing last weekend delivered another blockbuster couple of days on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Haydock’s Betfair Chase meeting provided the headline act in the UK, while over in Ireland the much-anticipated John Durkan Chase assembled a seriously deep lineup.

Big names deliver at Haydock

Starting in the north west of England, the big races started with the Graduation Chase and the return of The Jukebox Man, who had looked very promising last season before injury ruled him out of his big spring targets.

He faced an average field here, especially considering that his main rival, Iroko, is being aimed at the Grand National, so winning this was far from Iroko’s primary objective. I really hope it doesn’t turn out to be a waste of a good horse’s career being aimed at a handicap, as he has only one win over fences at the time of writing.

Even with that in mind, it was hard not to be excited by The Jukebox Man’s victory. After such a long layoff, he jumped beautifully, travelled strongly and thrust himself into the King George picture – now around 6/1 for Boxing Day glory.

Then came the big one; the Grade 1 Betfair Chase. Grey Dawning, sent off a short-priced favourite to go one better than last season, gave punters a real boost by winning with ease.

There were question marks about the depth of what he beat. An 11-year-old Royale Pagaille chased him home – but there was no doubting how well he did it.

I would tread carefully going forward, however, with targets as big as the Gold Cup mentioned.

Second favourite Haiti Couleurs was the disappointment of the race, never really travelling, jumping poorly and leaving connections with plenty to ponder.

Arkle hero lights up Ascot

Over at Ascot, the Grade 2 1965 Chase drew only five runners but still offered plenty of quality. Jango Baie ran out a ready nine-length winner, another British-trained horse now firmly in the King George frame and around 4/1 for the big one at Christmas currently.

Last season’s Arkle winner was at his brilliant best here, for a yard that hasn’t quite hit peak form by its usual Nicky Henderson standards.

Il Est Francais bombed out again, sadly. Seeing him in behind runners early was ominous, given his usual front-running style. After a string of below-par efforts, where he goes next is a real question indeed.

Gidleigh Park finished second and remains a horse to be excited about. I fancied him for the race, though I didn’t expect him to be forcing the pace. Even so, he ran with great credit and there’s no shame in being beaten by Jango Baie.

The Ascot Hurdle was the other contest of note on that card. Despite being on English soil, the short-priced favourite was Irish raider Wodhooh – a Mares’ Hurdle contender trained by Gordon Elliott.

For much of the race, she travelled in a way that would have worried favourite-backers, never looking entirely comfortable in behind. But when it mattered, she powered through the middle of her rivals and won decisively.

She looks a genuine star. Elliott kept everyone guessing afterwards, saying she could be aimed at the Champion Hurdle, the Mares’ Hurdle or even the Stayers’– essentially wherever Lossiemouth doesn’t go.

I’d rule out the Stayers’ myself with Teahupoo set to return for his crown and The Yellow Clay in the mix too.

Punchestown packs a punch

Punchestown’s Saturday card also featured several big names from the Willie Mullins yard.

Kitzbuhel won his beginners’ chase nicely at a short price over 2m3f and looks likely to improve again when stepped up in trip. But the eyes of the racing world were fixed firmly on the Morgiana Hurdle a couple of races later.

With State Man sidelined, Mullins’s “bingo” of options narrowed to Anzadam or Lossiemouth, and it was the star mare who lined up for the two-mile test. Sent off 1/5, she never gave supporters a moment of worry, cruising to an effortless victory.

Predictably, her win reopened the familiar debate: Mares’ Hurdle or Champion Hurdle? And in true Willie fashion, we likely won’t know until about 9.50am on the Sunday before the Festival when the Champion Hurdle declarations come through.

Sunday belonged to one race, however – the John Durkan at Punchestown.

It brought together big names from across the divisions, with Brown Advisory winners, Gold Cup winners, and more – though only a handful were there with victory as the genuine objective.

The market was tight between Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File, with the pair swapping favouritism throughout the morning. The race itself played out as a straight duel, but that undersells the drama.

Two heavyweights of the chasing game locked horns from early in the straight, and the finish was electric. Gaelic Warrior was headed but battled back bravely, staying on stoutly to beat Fact To File. Many expected the runner-up to breeze past and pull away, but the winner showed his true ability.

Mullins hinted afterwards that one of them would go to Kempton for the King George and the other to Leopardstown.

Most expect Gaelic Warrior to head for Kempton, given his clear dislike for Leopardstown in recent seasons. He’s now 11/8 for the King George, a skinny price given how hard the Mullins team is to read.

Fact To File, meanwhile, is likely to take the Ryanair route again, where he’d be very tough to oppose. But there’s an angle for the Champion Chase too. In a division that looks weak at this stage, it wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world.