16:10 Cheltenham

Saturday 24 January 2026

All12:0512:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:10

AIS Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Classic Novices' Hurdle) (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:38 | Winning time: 5m 9.27s

1^st

Kripticjim

611-5

14/1

T: J TizzardJ: Brendan Powell

Mid-division, headway going well 7th, led 3 out, mistake and headed last, rallied gamely and stayed on strongly to lead close home Mkt1: op 20/1 tchd 22/1; Mkt2 op 12/1 tchd 16/1

2^nd

Taurus Bay

511-5

11/4

T: B PaulingJ: Ben Jones

Mid-division, headway going well after 2 out, ridden to lead last, stayed on run in, headed close home Mkt1: op 3/1 tchd 4/1; Mkt2 op 3/1 tchd 5/2

3^rd

Fortune Timmy

611-5

15/2

T: C GordonJ: Freddie Gordon

Mid-division, headway to chase leader 3 out, ridden approaching last, kept on one pace run Mkt1: op 12/1 tchd 9/1; Mkt2 op 7/1 tchd 8/1

4^th

1 ¼

Open Secret

511-5

14/1

T: G ElliottJ: Jack Kennedy

Soon pushed along in rear, headway after 2 out, strongly ridden approaching last, no extra run in Mkt1: op 28/1 tchd 12/1; Mkt2 op 12/1 tchd 16/1

5^th

Heads Up

611-5

6/4f

T: J C McConnellJ: Danny Mullins

Raced keenly early, soon led, mistake 7th, headed 3 out, mistake 2 out, weakened quickly before last Mkt1: op 9/4 tchd 15/8; Mkt2 tchd 13/8

6^th

Adonedeal

611-5

40/1

T: O MurphyJ: G Sheehan

Chased leader, not fluent 4th, dropped to mid-division, lost place 3 out and soon well behind Mkt1: tchd 33/1

Also Ran

The Blue Room

611-5

4/1

T: O MurphyJ: S Bowen

Held up in rear, lost touch after 7th, pulled up before 2 out Mkt1: op 13/2 tchd 5/1; Mkt2 op 9/2

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Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 20p in the pound

Non-Runners

Act Of Innocence²⁶

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: N J Henderson J: N de Boinville

Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£15.80Pl:£3.90, £2.00EX:£61.80Trifecta:£294.30Tricast:£318.46SF:£53.25Swingers:£6.10, £9.80, £3.40

Forecasts

Heads Up (6/4), Act Of Innocence (6/4), Taurus Bay (11/4), The Blue Room (4/1), Fortune Timmy (15/2), Kripticjim (14/1), Open Secret (14/1), Adonedeal (40/1)

Champion Bumper runner-up HEADS UP shaped with plenty of encouragement when second in a strong Grade 2 here in November and he can progress again to land this contest. Smart prospect Taurus Bay asserted in taking style to make it 2-2 over hurdles at Aintree and should make a bold bid to maintain his unbeaten record, while Act of Innocence was conceding lumps of weight when turned over at Newbury and remains one to be interested in over a more suitable test.

HEADS UP
TAURUS BAY (IRE)
ACT OF INNOCENCE (IRE)

Previous Winners

2025

Potters Charm

Weight: 11-10 |Age: 6

J: Sam Twiston-Davies | T: N & W Twiston-Davies

8/15

Prize Money

1st: £45,560.002nd: £17,096.003rd: £8,560.004th: £4,264.005th: £2,144.006th: £1,072.00