The first big race day of 2026 sees horse racing fans head to Cheltenham for New Year’s Day and our betting expert has shared their best betting tips for the event. Check out our tips, as well as how to receive over £200 of free bet sign up offers, below.
Cheltenham New Year’s Day 2026 betting offers & free bets
Now’s a great time to sign up to UK betting sites ahead of the Cheltenham Racing taking place this week. There’s a wide variety of great new customer offers, all of which give you free bets that you can use on horse racing.
Tote’s sign up offer stands out to us as it gives you £40 in bonuses, whilst BetMGM gives you £40 in free bets when you place a £10 bet. Have a look at some of our favourite sign up offers below.
| Horse Racing Betting Sites | Cheltenham New Year’s Day Betting Offers |
| Tote | Bet £10 get £40 in bonuses |
| Sky Bet | £40 in horse racing bets when you place a £10 bet |
| BOYLE Sports | £40 in free bets when you bet £10 |
| BetMGM | Bet £10 get £40 in free bets |
| Coral | Get £50 in free bets when you bet £10 on horse racing |
| Parimatch | Bet £10 and get a £5 free bet every day for 7 days |
Cheltenham New Year’s Day 2026 betting offers & free bets – Key T&Cs:
- Tote: New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Only valid with code B10G40 on registration. £10 min qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £10 Win + £10 Place). Receive £20 Tote Credit, £10 Free Sports Bet and 50 Free Spins on a selected game within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry on free bets & Tote Credit. Your first bet will be your qualifying bet. One per customer. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org
- Sky Bet: New customers only. First single & E/W bet only. Odds of 1/1 or greater. 4 X £10 bet tokens. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets for Horse Racing only. Free bets are non withdrawable. Free bets expire after 30 days. Eligibility restrictions and further T&Cs apply. 18+. GambleAware.org #ad
- BOYLE Sports: 18+ New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. £40 in FREE Bets (FB) as £30 in sports bets & a £10 casino bonus (CB). Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. FB applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. FB 7-day expiry. 1 FB offer per customer, household & IP address only. Account & Payment restrictions. 14 days to accept £10 CB, then active for 3 days. CB 5x wagering & max redeemable £100. Game restrictions apply. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. 30 days to qualify. T&Cs Apply
- BetMGM: New cust. Deposit £10+ in 7 days & bet on sports. Min odds apply. Reward = 4 x £10 Free Bets (2 x £10 Bet Builders & 2 x £10 Sports bet). Valid 7 days. Free bets not valid on e-sports & non UK/IE horse racing. 18+. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org
- Coral: 18+ New UK+ROI Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £10 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 5x £10 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org
- Parimatch: 18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet £10 on Horse Racing (odds 3.00+) within 7 days of registration. Get 7×5 Free Bets for Horse Racing (odds 3.00+), which expire 48 after accreditation. T&Cs Apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly.
Cheltenham New Year’s Day Racing Betting Tips
Thursday sees the annual Cheltenham New Years Day meeting take place at Prestbury Park, with the action underway at 12.15pm.
There are seven races across the card, running until 3.40pm, and the highlight of the card is the Reekel Hurdle. We have a selection in that race plus two others from the Cheltenham meeting.
- 12.15 Cheltenham – Just Golden @ 6/4
- 1.25 Cheltenham – Excello @ 12/1
- 2.35 Cheltenham – Lucky Place @ 7/1
12.15 Cheltenham – Just Golden
Just Golden looks an exciting prospect for the Skelton team and is taken to make another bold showing here. Dan Skelton’s yard continues in good form and with Harry Skelton booked to ride, this lightly raced 5yo is clearly expected to go very close.
He has progressed with each run over hurdles and shaped with plenty of promise last time out at Newcastle, finishing third in a strong novice over an extended 2m6f.
That form has worked out particularly well since, with the fourth and fifth both winning subsequently, giving the run a solid boost and suggesting the level of ability on show was above average.
Dropping back slightly in trip looks no issue given the way he travelled, and the stiff finish at Cheltenham should play to his strengths. Still learning his trade, he remains open to improvement and looks the type to continue climbing the ranks as he gains experience.
Cheltenham New Year’s Day Racing Tip 1:12.15 Cheltenham – Just Golden @ 6/4
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1.25 Cheltenham – Excello
Nicky Henderson has a strong record in this contest, having won three of the last ten renewals, and Excello looks an interesting contender to add to that tally. He’s a horse with plenty of quality on his day and is potentially well handicapped based on his chase form from a few seasons ago, when competing with credit in high-class company off much higher marks.
While his most recent run in the Grand National Trial at Aintree can be forgiven, he had shaped far better on his previous start when a close third in a competitive handicap chase, travelling strongly and jumping well throughout.
This return to 3m1½f looks positive, as stamina has always been one of his strengths, and Cheltenham should suit given his previous solid efforts here.
- Cheltenham New Year’s Day Racing Tip 2: 1.25 Cheltenham – Excello @ 12/1
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2.35 Cheltenham – Lucky Place
Lucky Place returns to a race he knows well, having won this contest last year, and conditions again look firmly in his favour. Nicky Henderson’s gelding hasn’t quite lived up to early expectations over fences this season, shaping with promise at times but not fully delivering, and the decision to switch back to hurdles looks a sensible move.
His hurdles form remains strong, highlighted by two Grade 2 victories last term, and his course-and-distance success here underlines how effective he can be in this sphere. He’s proven at Cheltenham, handles a strongly run race well, and the stiff finish plays to his strengths.
The Henderson yard is ticking over nicely, a return to hurdles could be just what’s required. If rediscovering last season’s sparkle, he sets a high standard and should be right in the mix once again.
