The extended 2m 4f Grade 3 New Years Day Handicap Chase (2:00) is the big betting race at Cheltenham on 1 January. A typically competitive 16-runner field tackles the New Course with many horses that ran in the December Gold Cup back at Prestbury Park. See our experts’ shortlist of five fancies with New Years Day Handicap Chase tips.
Stats and trends suggest here that you need a horse rated in the 140s to land the spoils. Five of the last seven winners fit that band. A well-handicapped sort lower down the weights or a potentially class horse framing them can be successful, though.