New Year’s Day is a time of rest and recuperation for most after the festivities of the previous evening, and the good news for racing fans is that there is plenty of high quality National Hunt to enjoy on TV throughout the afternoon.
On that note, our man Matty Sutcliffe has picked out four best bets for New Year’s Day at Cheltenham and Windsor for you to follow below.
Cheltenham Racing Tips (Thursday 1 January 2026)
Cheltenham’s New Year’s Day meeting is a toasted tradition in the racing world, with their seven-race card boasting some exciting talent on Thursday.
12:15 Cheltenham – Enquire About The Cheltenham Bloodstock Club Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Step Ahead 5/2 1pt WIN
The lightly raced Step Ahead has been a touch unfortunate to bump into some smart types thus far in his career, but this looks a winnable opportunity should he strip fitter for his seasonal debut after a 356-day layoff.
The Walk In The Park gelding was second on bumper debut to French Ship at Haydock last May, with that one having the benefit of recent match practice and now rated 146 over hurdles. He was then sixteen lengths behind a potentially highly talented sort in Windbeneathmywings in listed company at Ascot when returning from a 223 day break, finishing two lengths behind Moneygarrow.
Step Ahead again had a long layoff before returning at Warwick earlier this month for his hurdles debut, and put in a credible display against the 5/6F who’d previously put in two promising efforts in Grade Two company, latterly finishing seven lengths behind the subsequent Challow winner No Drama This End. The fact they’ve managed to back him up relatively quickly this time suggests they have him right, and he can step forward now with that promising hurdles debut behind him.
1:25 Cheltenham – Betfair Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (5yo+ 0-150) – Jasmin De Grugy 13/2 1pt WIN
Jasmin De Grugy was entitled to need the run when a beaten 2/1F in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle last time out, but the fifteen length winner was evidently thrown in now rated 19lbs higher having bolted up again last time out, and he was only four lengths behind a subsequent winner in third and a further eight lengths behind the Welsh National third Deafening Silence.
Prior to that, he was second in a competitive Listed Handicap at Punchestown, and he had the subsequent Eider Chase winner in second when a comfortable six length winner on chase debut last November. He might not have a wealth of room up his sleeve in the handicap, but neither do the majority of these and this lightly raced sort over fences gets in off bottom weight here on suitable going.
2:00 Cheltenham – Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) – Just Over Land 4/1 1pt WIN
Just Over Land failed to get off the mark in his first six hurdles, though prior to having his wind tweaked he was a well backed eighteen length winner at Lingfield. Despite making an initial promising chase debut last season when second to the subsequent Greatwood Gold Cup winner Booster Bob, it was a similar scenario in which he failed to win in his subsequent five starts as a novice chaser.
He’s returned this season a different model, as he won a shade cosily at Fontwell last month when it looked unlikely throughout and even more so after being hampered two out, but he rallied well to give his 7lbs claimer a first win under rules.
A subsequent 4lbs rise failed to stop him next time out at Chepstow and he travelled throughout that contest like a very well handicapped animal. He was held tightly throughout in second and his jockey only got serious after the last when getting in tight, only requiring two strikes of the whip before getting up to win by half a length from the 5/6F. He pulled six lengths clear of the third there who won next time out, with that three pulling around thirty lengths clear of the fourth.
Another 4lbs rise looks more than workable given how he travelled and while this represents a big step up in class, he’s bred to be smart and this progressive son of No Risk At All could take some stopping off bottom weight under another 7lbs claimer.
Windsor Racing Tips (Thursday 1 January 2026)
Windsor’s New Year’s Day card is a new addition after the track renewed jumps racing two seasons ago. Matty’s selection runs in a their feature handicap hurdle on the card.
2:50 Windsor – Fitzdares New Year’s Day Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Guard Duty 9/2 1pt WIN
It was an agonising beat on Guard Duty when second at Newbury on seasonal debut and while some critics would argue Gavin Sheehan gave him too much to do there, that is the way he has to be ridden and he was perhaps unfortunate to bump into the progressive French Ship. He split the right pair in the market there with 9/4F Lud’or a length behind in third, and that pair pulled 20 lengths clear of the third.
The yard have given him a month off, but he’s likely to have come on from that run as he has done on both of his reappearances over hurdles. This valuable prize looks to have been the plan given he was a C&D winner here last season, beating Hartington by four lengths. That one is 10lbs better off here and warrants respect after two solid efforts this season, but that was a career best effort from Guard Duty last time out and with any natural progression, I suspect he’ll go one place better now back at a track he was so impressive at last term.
Matty Sutcliffe’s Best Bets
1:29 Kelso – Save 50% On Racing TV Maiden Hurdle (Go North Night Nurse Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) (Div I) (Class 4) (4yo+) – They’re Chancers 7/4 1pt WIN
1:50 Newbury – Coral Mandarin Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-145) King’s Threshold 7/2 1pt WIN + Brave Kingdom 0.5pt WIN 9/1 0.5pt WIN
2:22 Newbury – Join Coral “Bet £10 Get £50” Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-130) Peacenik 9/1 1pt WIN
3:15 Kelso – Chas Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-125) – Baratablet 11/8 2pt WIN
Matty Sutcliffe’s Racing Tips – Thursday 1 January
FAQs
What are today’s racing tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his best bets at Cheltenham and Windsor across Thursday 1 January’s cards.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s tips published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s Cheltenham & Windsor tips were published at 8.40am on Wednesday 31 December.
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival.
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