The 2025/26 Cheltenham season officially got underway this weekend, with the Showcase Meeting taking place across Friday and Saturday to kick us off.
While it may not be the biggest meeting of the season, it’s always one to look forward to being the first, and we generally see a few nice horses to follow come from it.
Here’s a look at some of the more memorable moments across the two days.
Friday – Showcase Meeting Review
The first Cheltenham winner of the new season was French Ship for Phillip Hobbs and Johnson White, a horse that looks worthy of the notebook given his impressive performance.
He’s now won three of six and looks a progressive horse who could continue to go through the ranks. Rated 128 for this race, he won by just under four lengths, I’d expect to see him bumped up to around 135 after this, which makes life tougher, but he’d have to be respected in the bigger handicaps between now and Christmas, where ever he goes next.
If you want another handicapper to follow from Friday, then that would be Leloopa, winner for Fergal O’Brien for the Paddy Brennan Racing Syndicate, Paddy’s making a name for himself when it comes to shrewd buys.
Third in September, she’s had a wind op since then and clearly benefitted from that here. A winner off 115 now, she’s going to be rated in the low 120s moving forward but could still have a bit to offer.
The best performance of the day might well have been Alnilam for Olly Murphy, as he landed the novice chase on the card over two miles. His trainer spoke very highly of the horse after the race and indicated he’d be going into Grade One company next time out. Jockey Sean Bowen was also full of praise for the horse, a thrilling round of jumping and forcing the pace left him to run out a four and a half length winner.
Fortune De Mer was a massive drifter on the day, from as short as 3/1, he would win the novice hurdle at 14/1 for the Skeltons. He’s always been a favourite of mine, I think he could be a good one, it’ll be interesting to see what comes next.
Finally, 35 minutes later, the Skelton’s landed a double on the day, this time Calico the winner for them. He won this race by a narrow margin 12 months ago, but was a far better winner this time around, winning it by seven lengths in what was an impressive performance.
He’s going to be rated close to 150 after that, so will either be in the very top handicaps, or moved into minor graded company.
I thought the Showcase meeting Friday was the better day in terms of taking horses forward in the notebook.
Saturday – Showcase Meeting Review
The feature race on Saturday would go the way of Ireland, with Three Card Brag from the Gordon Elliott team landing the prize in the 3m1f staying handicap chase.
Runner in the Grand National last season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him going down the long distance route again, something like the Welsh National could be on the agenda for him.
It may not have been a vintage renewal of the Masterson Hurdle this time around, but we had an incredibly tight finish, with Give It To Me Oj coming out on top to win by a neck.
I expected a little more, and with a flat win recently, fitness isn’t an excuse, I’ll be keeping an eye on him next time out, as I expected plenty more from the odds on favourite.
Conman John was a winner for Scotland, landing the long distance novice hurdle for Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore. He looks an out and out stayer, is now two from two, and could be one for something like the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle next March if he keeps moving in the right direction.
Finally, the closing race on the card was a flat race and won by Chicker for Fergal O’Brien. I don’t think this is a horse to keep following, and don’t think he’ll end up as being the best of these by the time we get to the end of the season.
But he’s quick, got a good turn of foot, and is the type of horse that may have another success, against the more traditional, slower national hunt horses. There’s a listed bumper here again in November, he might be one to keep an eye on for that.
A good meeting, and a nice way to ease ourselves into the Cheltenham season. I’ve pinpointed a few to keep on the right side of moving forward, and roll on November when the next meeting comes around.