Cup Handicap Hurdle Tips: Skeltons set for more success?

Training guru Willie Mullins ended a six-year drought in the Cup Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2025 as Jimmy Du Seuil won by three lengths. The Irishman currently boasts the two front-runners in the betting for this year's edition but this century has only seen two favourites prevail.

My Cup Handicap Hurdle tips can be found below.

Our in-house Horse Racing tipster Owen McMahon has gone through the card for Wednesday's Races and made a selection for every race. Read who he's backing and why with our Cheltenham Day 2 Tips. Add to that former Jockey Katie Walsh has passed on her Cheltenham Wednesday Tips to us here at Betfred.

Cup Handicap Hurdle Odds

Kateira @ 7/1

KATEIRA is currently third in the betting with Betfred at 7/1, which is probably a good place to be given the record in this race over the last 25 years. This nine-year-old bay mare is making her Cheltenham bow on Wednesday and while her recent form may look as if she doesn't deserve a second look, she did perform well in Graded and Listed races last season.

It was almost two years ago that the daughter of Kayf Tara landed the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at the 2024 Aintree festival, defeating last year's Arkle champion Jango Baie.

Kateira goes for Dan Skelton, who has won this race on two of the past three occasions with Langer Dan. So this might just be a good omen for her.

Skelton has a good record for handicap hurdles at this meeting so I am expecting a big performance from Kateira here. Recent outings at Musselburgh and Ascot may have been bitterly disappointing, but Skelton's ability to get runners primed for the Festival are most impressive.

Harry Skelton, who steered Langer Dan to consecutive victories in this race between 2023 and 2024, will be on board for this ride. The jockey has guided Kateira to six of her seven career victories to date, so I am siding with this duo on Wednesday.

Each-way - The Yellow Clay @ 15/2

Last year's Turners Novices' Hurdle was an enthralling contest. Skelton's The New Lion was the victor, but only just, as THE YELLOW CLAY narrowly finished second.

There will be a lot of eyes on the Gordon Elliott-trained gelding on Wednesday based on that performance. The seven-year-old is considered a smart hurdler and he landed four successes last term, including a Grade 1 at Naas.

After the Turners, a disappointing fall followed at Punchestown before a second-place finish at Navan. The son of Yeats failed to set the world alight at Leopardstown over Christmas on his last appearance, so he will have a lot of work cut out for him in this field.

Right now, his run in the Turners in 2025 cannot be forgotten, especially by me. This handicap debut will be a test but an intriguing one. At 15/2, I believe he is worth covering for a place, particularly as Betfred are offering six instead of four on this race.

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Super Extra Place Race - Paying six places instead of four at 1/5 odds

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