Key Points
- Today’s horse racing betting tip is a progressive horse who looks well handicapped
- I really liked his performance last time out, and similar front running tactics could be ideal here
- He has a low racing weight of 10st 6lb, and receives weight from the whole field
Happy New Year! I hope you had fun welcoming the New Year in and that 2026 works out well for you! I’m looking to kick us off with a profitable start to January as I tackle today’s racing action at Cheltenham. I think I have found the right horse for the job, and he’s available at a lovely price of 9/1.
Come March 2026, I’ll have completed my first full year as the resident horse racing expert here at Betting.co.uk. My primary objective is to provide you with
free horse racing tips
and so far, they have been very profitable. Long may that continue! However, I do much more than just tipping, as I also publish other types of content which includes trainers to follow, educational guides, big race trends and more.
If you are looking for more betting tips, I have some antepost picks already posted for 2026. I have multiple selections for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, including
an antepost double, which I posted earlier this week, plus some
early betting tips for the 2026 Grand National, one of which is still available at 50/1.
Betting advice
- 13:25 Cheltenham -
New Order
@ 9/1 (3 places) -
0.75pt each way
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New Order is capable of winning a valuable Stayers’ Handicap Chase
I’m a big fan of New Order, and while he just sneaks into this type of race now, I think he’s more than capable of making his mark. While some of the horses in today’s field have already hit their peak, or might even be on their way down, New Order is reaching new heights, and I believe he can continue to do so. In this article, I’ll explain why I think he can give us a New Year’s Day winner at Cheltenham!
New Order is a progressive horse who looks well handicapped
As a former Point-to-Point winner, New Order was initially disappointing under Rules. His form figures over Hurdles read 2342/58. He also disappointed on his first attempt over fences in October 2024, where finished in sixth place, beaten by 15.5 lengths.
However, after wind surgery he came back a different horse, producing form figures over fences of 1711. This saw his handicap mark rise significantly, from 106 to 123. Based on those runs, he clearly preferred better ground, as his best performances came in his first and last wins, on Good to Soft and Good going respectively.
After a 249-day break over the summer, he returned to softer ground and failed to fire. But with that run under his belt, and on better ground, he continued his progression when just denied by a head at Sandown last month. Despite defeat, that was a career best performance from New Order. Given he regained the lead shortly after the line, I think there is still more to come, and a 3lb rise to 125 could well underestimate him.
I think New Order’s performance at Sandown could be marked up considerably. Sandown is a right-handed track and New Order jumped to the left throughout, thus forfeiting ground and momentum. Given he was only beaten by a head at the line, it undoubtedly cost him the victory that day. Hopefully going from Sandown’s right-handed track to Cheltenham’s left-handed one will help in that regard.
I also liked that New Order wasn’t tiring, or slowing down, near the finish at Sandown. He was battling on strongly, and he actually passed the winner (Welcome To Cartries) shortly after they crossed the line. Note that Welcome To Cartries is a smart horse, with a big future ahead of him over fences. Then there’s Ideal Des Bordes, who came in fourth that day, but was second next time out, adding more substance to New Order’s form.
When the ground is on the quick side, being at the front of the field is sometimes the best place to be. A key example of this would be Glengouly’s victory in the December Gold Cup, where he made all. I think front running tactics, similar to those used at Sandown, could be the right call for New Order, and might well see him cross the line with his nose in front this time.
New Order has a low racing weight of 10st 6lb, and receives weight from the whole field
The 3lb rise for New Order’s Sandown performance certainly doesn’t help, but he still comes into this race as the lowest rated horse, and subsequently receives weight from every runner in the field. Off a revised mark of 125, he is allocated just 10st 6lb, and receives between 1lb and 22lb from his rivals.
Again, I feel this ties into the potential for the front running tactics that he is likely to adopt. Should he choose to make this a real test from the front, the weights that the field are carrying will make a difference coming up the famous Cheltenham hill. Ultimately, if it becomes a war of attrition, you want the least weight on your back possible, as every 1lb will drain you more and more.
Looking at the other runners in the race, New Order may well get an easy lead in front, which would be the ideal scenario. I doubt Does He Know and Shannon Royale will be far away, as they often race prominently, and the same could be said for Inch House too. However, New Order is the only out and out front runner in the field, which is a big help. I also think David Bass is one of the very best jockeys when it comes to an aggressive ride from the front, and he can be a joy to watch over fences with a willing partner.
Can New Order become a new player in this scene?
New Order is trained by Charlie Longsdon, who had a lot of confidence in this horse coming into the 2025/26 season. His plan was to win a small Chase before trying to sneak into a decent Handicap. Charlie also felt that winning a televised Chase was well within New Order’s scope this winter. Although New Order didn’t manage to win at Sandown last time out, he certainly looked capable of doing so.
Today he moves onto the televised Handicap Chase that Charlie and I both think he can win, and hopefully he will deliver. The positives for New Order are plentiful. He has a progressive profile, his very likeable performance last time, the fact that his front running tactics could really suit here, plus his low racing weight today. Combine all of that with David Bass in the saddle, and it looks like a recipe for success to me.
On the negative side, New Order does need to prove he can jump straight on Cheltenham’s left-handed track. His tendency to jump to the left at Sandown last time should help, but there are no guarantees in this game. He also needs to prove that he can continue to progress, as he will need to improve again to win this race off a 3lb higher mark.
After weighing up both sides, I think 9/1 is a lovely price for New Order today. It clearly underestimates his chances in this race, making him a great each way bet. However, given he must prove himself in a couple of areas, and there are some dangers in the lineup (as you might expect for a £50,000 Handicap at Cheltenham), I have limited the stake to 0.75pts each way.
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