The week between Christmas and New Year is one that every National Hunt racing fan leaves blank in their calendar.
From Boxing Day until January 1st, the race schedule is almost non-stop with graded action from the likes of Newbury, Kempton, Leopardstown and Limerick—offering plenty of guile for horse racing betting.
Many Cheltenham Festival hopefuls laid down their biggest claims of the season yet, including Sir Gino, Teahupoo, Final Demand, Wodhooh and many more.
But while the winners basked in the spotlight, there were plenty of horses who may not have gotten their heads over the line but are worth giving another chance.
Read on, as we take a look at four of those said horses who could bounce back—and perhaps even do so at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Galopin Des Champs
Where better to start than with the dual Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs?
Willie Mullins’ stable star was denied a historic third win in the Cheltenham showpiece by the late entry Inothewayurthinkin last March and is now aiming to become the first horse since Kauto Star to regain the prestigious title.
His campaign started in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown, a race he’s won twice before, and he was red-hot in the betting, but there was a sense that he would need the reappearance.
Galopin Des Champs ultimately finished third after weakening on the home stretch, but it was a solid display, and he should come on plenty for that effort. History could beckon for the 10-year-old.
El Carios
The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle form lines took a bashing over the Christmas period, blowing the Cheltenham betting market wide open.
Both Mydaddypaddy and El Carios had the chance to lay down a solid marker, but both flattered to deceive in their respective races at Aintree and Leopardstown.
While the former Dan Skelton-trained horse was beaten hands down, it’s harsh to slate El Carios too much after a freak fall.
The Gordon Elliott-trained horse was coasting to victory when stumbling after landing at the last, and he went crashing to the ground.
Luckily, both the horse and Jack Kennedy were ok, and despite giving up what would have been a debut win for his new yard, El Carios is still the joint-favourite for the Supreme with Old Park Star.
Jango Baie
The King George VI Chase will go down as the best race of 2025, if not one of the best contests we have seen this millennium.
So often these races are hyped up and then fail to materialise, but not this one, as just half a length separated the first four over the line—The Jukebox Man, Banbridge, Gaelic Warrior and Jango Baie (in that order).
Harry Redknapp’s winner, of course, now has a great chance in the Gold Cup. However, for us, the one to take away was perhaps Jango Baie in fourth.
The Nicky Henderson-trained horse made a fantastic reappearance after wind surgery when scoring by nine lengths in a Grade 2 over two miles and five furlongs at Ascot, and looked to really appreciate the step up to three miles.
Despite not winning, or even placing for that matter, Jango Baie was keeping on well on the outside, and the additional distance for the Gold Cup could be right up his street.
Marine Nationale
The fact that Marine Nationale stayed on his feet and continued to race, let alone be beaten by just half a length by Solness is one of the great mysteries from this Christmas’ racing.
The defending Champion Chase holder jinked right and almost lost Sean Flanagan at the second fence, with the jockey doing unbelievably well to stay aboard somehow.
The pair recovered well and were bang in the mix up the home straight, but Joseph O’Brien’s charge was always doing enough to win under Sam Ewing.
With a clean round of jumping back at Cheltenham, you certainly wouldn’t rule Marine Nationale out of defending his Champion Chase crown.
This is a submitted article written by Chole Reynolds.
