It's Grey Dawning's year in the Betfair Chase

Betfair Cotswold Chase runners and odds

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Mon January 19, 2026 · 5d ago

Grey Dawning will face a maximum of four rivals when he puts his Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup credentials on the line at Prestbury Park on Saturday.

He is the star turn in the Betfair Cotswold Chase which will be his first start since running out an impressive winner of the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park in November.

L’Homme Presse won the race last season and is set to defend his crown having shaped well when second in a handicap at this course on his seasonal reappearance last month.

Spillane’s Tower could make his first outing over fences since finishing second behind Galopin De Champs in the Punchestown Gold Cup while Gordon Elliott has entered his Betfair Chase third Stellar Story.

Kerry National winner Flooring Porter completes the field. His trainer Gavin Cromwell, a William Hill ambassador, told the firm: "We did a complete U-turn on our plan to run him in the Cleeve Hurdle, the thought process being that this is a smaller field and he may not get as hard a race. There shouldn’t be as much hustle and bustle, and he won’t be forced to make the running.

“It will also be his sixth run over fences, which qualifies him for the Grand National. This brings back into play the option of running him in both the Stayers’ Hurdle and the National. If we’d run him in the Cleeve Hurdle he would’ve needed another run over fences to qualify for the National, which wouldn’t have worked if we wanted him to have the option of the Stayers’ as well.

“It’s still possible that he could run in both the Stayers’ and the National. There’s four weeks and three days between the two races. To be honest, though, it is one day at a time with him at the moment. He’s coming back off a long injury, so we’re not getting ahead of ourselves yet.

“The Cotswold Chase is still a huge ask. He’s been off the track for the best part of 18 months, so if he runs a nice race we’ll be happy with that."

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Betfair Cotswold Chase betting

Sponsors, Paddy Power & Sky Bet prices: 4/6 Grey Dawning, 3 L’Homme Presse, 7/2 Spillane’s Tower, 7 Stellar Story, 10 Flooring Porter

Betfair Spokesperson, James Mackie said: “The 2026 Betfair Cotswold Chase sees five runners head to post at the latest declaration stage as Dan Skelton’s Betfair Chase winner Grey Dawning tops the market.

“Currently odds-on at 4/6 the likeable grey is looking to land a second Betfair sponsored race of the campaign and lay down a big marker for the Gold Cup in March where he is priced at 12/1.

“Last year’s winner of the race L’Homme Presse is priced at 3/1 second favourite to defend his crown in the Grade 2 contest and made a nice comeback at Prestbury Park in December that offers him a live chance.

“Three Irish raiders make up the remainder of the field with the JP McManus owned Spillane’s Tower leading the way at 7/2 on what will be his first try over fences this season.

“The other Irish runners in the field are past Cheltenham Festival winners with Stellar Story at 7/1 and Flooring Porter at 10/1.”

Betfair Cotswold Chase runners and odds

Betfair Cotswold Chase betting

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