Saturday 25 January 2025
THE STAGE IS SET
Excitement, anticipation and expectation is building. It is the final opportunity to see the sports protagonists go out to battle on Cheltenham Racecourse’s hallowed turf before the Cheltenham Festival. What horses will catch the eye before those four days of extraordinary in March, will we see returning champions defending their crown? Whilst anything can happen in March, Festival Trials day maybe able to give us a clearer picture.
With a now seven-race card, where every race is a trial for a race at the Cheltenham Festival, it doesn’t get much more exciting, unless it is the Festival itself. The excitement isn’t restricted to the track, with fantastic live performances from The Afterparty and The Cinelli Brothers post racing and the return of the Race. Ride. Cheltenham VR equiciser experience; it is a seamless prelude to the Cheltenham Festival.
Last year, Sir Gino put in a massive performance winning the Grade 2 JCB Triumph Hurdle trial, for Nicky Henderson, James Bowen and Mrs J Donnelly. He showed a spine-tingling turn of foot winning by an impressive 10 lengths. There is a very exciting future ahead, for Nicky Henderson’s French recruit.
Ginny’s Destiny recorded his third win of the season at the Home of Jump Racing, when landing the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase, for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden.
The Cotswold Chase went the way of the iconic Green and Gold colours of JP McManus as the Willie Mullins trained Capodanno landed the spoils under Irish Champion Jockey Paul Townend.
The Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle saw a blistering performance from wonder-mare Lossiemouth, this win provoked much debate as to whether she would line up in the Unibet Champion Hurdle or the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. She went the way of the Mares hurdle and returned triumphant once again at Cheltenham.
Randox Grand National hero Noble Yeats, reverted back to hurdles to win the Grade 1 Cleve Hurdle, beating the legend Paisley Park by a head, providing the most exciting and nail biting finish of the afternoon.
Timings and races are subject to change.
Start Times |
Race |
Distance |
Type |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
12:40 |
The JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle Race (Class 1) (Grade 2) (Registered as the Finesse) (GBB Race) |
2m abt 1f |
Hurdle |
|
1:15 |
The Timeform Novices’ Handicap Steeple Chase (Class 2) | 2m abt 4½f | Steeple Chase |
|
1:50 |
The Betfair Exchange Handicap Steeple Chase (Class 1) (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) | 2m abt 4½f | Steeple Chase |
 |
2:25 |
The Betfair Cotswold Steeple Chase (Class 1) (Grade 2) |
3m abt 1½f |
Steeple Chase |
 |
3:00 |
The Unibet Hurdle Race (Class 1) (Grade 2) | 2m abt 1f | Hurdle |
 |
3:35 |
The Cleeve Hurdle Race (Class 1) (Grade 2) (GBB Race) | Abt 3m |
Hurdle |
 |
4:10 |
The AIS Novices’ Hurdle (Class 1) (Registered as the Classic Novices’ Hurdle) (Grade 2) (GBB Race) | 2m abt 4½f |
Hurdle |
