What not to miss: Ante-post movers for the Cheltenham Festival Another massive weekend of National Hunt racing is in the books after Haydock, Punchestown and Ascot served up quality action aplenty. The John Durkan at Punchestown produced a duel for the ages as Gaelic Warrior outbattled Fact To File in a thriller, while Grey Dawning sauntered to success in Haydock's Betfair Chase. Here's a look at some horses that enhanced their claims for the Cheltenham Festival in March. Grey Dawning: Cheltenham Gold Cup 16/1 with BetMGM Wodhooh: Mares' Hurdle 9/4 with bet365, William Hill Sortudo: Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle 16/1 with BetMGM Grey Dawning confirms Gold Cup credentials It has been a wonderful few weeks for trainer Dan Skelton and he enjoyed his sweetest success so far this season as Grey Dawning cruised to victory in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock under his brother, Harry Skelton. A year ago, the Skelton team were miffed as Grey Dawning appeared set to win the Haydock contest only to tire after jumping the last in the lead, as heavy-ground specialist Royale Pagaille took over and won a second Betfair Chase. It was a role reversal this time, Grey Dawning cantering alongside the leader in the closing stages before a two-and-three-quarter-length victory under a motionless Harry Skelton. The Robert Kirkland-owned grey was cut from 25/1 to a best-priced 16/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Blue Riband is his long-term target this season. "I'm not saying he should be favourite for the Gold Cup and he's got to climb the ladder again, but after that performance they'll be looking at us, thinking we're players," Dan Skelton told the press. Wodhooh still on the rise Gordon Elliott had to wait until the 28th and final race at the Cheltenham Festival in 2025 for his first winner but Wodhooh, the winner of the Martin Pipe that afternoon, could be in line to make it successive Cotswolds wins after her winning start to the season. The Cullentra inmate is no bigger than 9/4 for the Mares' Hurdle after winning for the first time in Graded company in the Ladbrokes Ascot Hurdle. Wodhooh has won eight times in nine starts over timber, her only defeat coming when second to Lossiemouth in the Aintree Hurdle back in the spring. With that rival storming to Morgiana Hurdle success at Punchestown on Saturday and seemingly Champion Hurdle-bound now that her stablemate State Man is ruled out this season, the path could clear for Wodhooh to land the Mares' Grade 1. Elliott isn't minded to be stepping back in trip at this point following Saturday's win over 2m31/2f. "Everyone will have their opinion and we'll all sit down and make a plan, but I don't think we'll be coming back too much in trip and maybe stepping out further," Elliott said. Sortudo makes impressive start The Willie Mullins-trained Sortudo is as short as 12/1 with many firms for the Grade 1 AlbertBartlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham after a winning start to his hurdling career at Cork on Sunday. It was a perfect introduction to hurdles for last season's Champion Bumper seventh as he powered clear of Elliott's Jalon D'oudairies, who was making his first appearance since finishing third in the 2024 Champion Bumper. Mullins labelled Sortudo an 'Albert Bartlett type' during a recent Racing Post stable tour and his charge was a general 33/1 chance for the three-miler at that point. Such fancy prices are gone now, though the son of Authorized showed plenty of speed over two miles on his hurdling introduction. Mullins' arsenal of novice hurdlers will mean plenty of conjecture between now and March and plenty of antepost backers will be keen to see where Sortudo lines up next. "He's maturing well and I think going further won't be out of the question," said winning rider Danny Mullins. "It's one of those usual conundrums for Willie to decide where he goes next."
