The New Year’s Day races around the UK and Ireland mark the end of a busy festive period in the sport. There are eight National Hunt horse racing meetings in the British Isles on 1 January, plus an All-Weather Flat card.
That is an awful lot, second only to Boxing Day the previous week in terms of fixture congestion. Perhaps the best-known New Year’s Day races are at Cheltenham, but it is also worth looking beyond Prestbury Park for fascinating contests.
With cards in Scotland and Ireland, as well as meetings in Devon, Norfolk, the Midlands and Yorkshire, the action comes thick and fast. We asked our horse racing experts for some of their highlights from around the tracks.
New Year’s Day Races Schedule for 2025
This is the complete list of meetings that you’ll find on horse racing betting sites in the UK and Ireland for 1 Janaury:
- Fakenham (Jumps), Norfolk, first race at 11:45
- Southwell (Jumps), Nottinghamshire, first race at 11:54
- Tramore (Jumps), County Waterford, first race at 12:00
- Fairyhouse (Jumps), County Meath, first race at 12:10
- Cheltenham (Jumps), Gloucestershire, first race at 12:20
- Exeter (Jumps), Devon, first race at 12:25
- Musselburgh (Jumps), East Lothian, first race at 12:35
- Catterick (Jumps), North Yorkshire, first race at 12:45
- Newcastle (All-Weather Flat), Tyne And Wear, first race at 13:49
1:45 Musselburgh – 2m 4f Hogmaneigh Handicap Hurdle (0-145)
🏆 @bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle🏆
🥇 Liari
🥈 Roaring Legend
🥉 Balboa@CobdenHarry | @PFNicholls pic.twitter.com/AzqYKKhUFm— Musselburgh Racecourse (@MusselburghRace) February 4, 2024
More than just a pun on Hogmanay, which is a word in the Scots language for the last day of the old year. It’s one of the feature New Year’s Day races at Musselburgh near Edinburgh. This edition of the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle open to horses rated up to 145 sees Listed course winner Liari return to the Lowlands and step up in trip.
He won the Scottish County Hurdle around this venue last February for Paul Nicholls despite carrying a penalty. Connections now turn to 5lb claimer Ben Brmley for the ride on Liari, who finished third in an age restricted handicap around Chepstow on reappearance before coming sixth in the Gerry Feilden during the Newbury Winter Carnival.
James Owen mare Sweet Fantasy tries the flatter, easier course at Musselburgh after running around Cheltenham last time out. She filled the same spot as Liari then, but the handicapper drops her 2lb instead of just 1lb for him. Sweet Fantasy also has amateur jockey Alex Chadwick back aboard taking 5lb off with his claim.
Benson has won the Hogmaneigh Handicap Hurdle in each of the last two years for the local Sandy Thomson stable, meanwhile. He carries topweight of 12st seeking a hat-trick in the contest after turning 10 years old. Another Scottish yard has a runner too with Lucinda Russell sending handicap debutant Bold Light across the Forth Road Bridge up in trip and down in class after his Haydock Grade 2 third. Alan Doyle is back on board and claiming 5lb.
2:15 Tramore – 2m 7f Grade 3 New Year’s Day Chase
Despite a four-pronged attack from Willie Mullins in Appreciate It, Capodanno, 2024 runner-up Classic Getaway and Embassy Gardens, Henry De Bromhead has won the feature contest down at Tramore on this card in each of the last couple of seasons. He runs two in this edition with 2023 winner Minella Indo back for a second tilt.
On jockey bookings, however, the stable first string at the Tramore New Year’s Day races is Monty’s Star. The Cheltenham Festival second is the mount of Rachael Blackmore and, as a now eight-year-old, joint-youngest in the line-up. Monty’s Star chased home subsequent John Durkan 1-2 Fact To File and Spillane’s Tower on his last two starts.
The presence of National Hunt Chase second Embassy Gardens, former Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Minella Indo and Cotswold Chase winner Capodanno means the winner will have to stay as they have all won over further than this trip. Completing the line-up is last year’s third Minella Crooner for the Gordon Elliott stable and Thomas Gibney new recruit Bronn.
2:25 Fairyhouse – 2m 5½f Grade 3 Mares Chase
Gavin Cromwell takes on Irish jumps racing’s top stables all the time now, but Limerick Lace is back against her own sex and dropped into trip after connections lower their sights. A very handy female who won the Grade 2 Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham, she then ran in the Grand National and Betfair Chase either side of a summer break.
The John & Chich Fowler Memorial Mares Chase during the Fairyhouse New Year’s Day races represents a return to much calmer waters for Limerick Lace. She has a penalty for her Festival success of course, but should be able to give weight and a beating to her rivals here. Stable companion Malina Girl will find this an insufficient test of stamina.
Allegorie De Vassy, one of two Mullins mounts, must prove she retains her ability after three consecutive fourths. Last year’s winner Riviere D’Etel isn’t the most fluent jumper either, but she’s happiest going right-handed and returns to fences here. The penalised Hauturiere is the other Mullins runner, but has more on her plate now.
2:35 Fakenham – 2m 4f Grand Prix Handicap Hurdle (0-125)
⭐️TREBLE⭐️
Winner: Secret Des Dieux 🥇
Our 1st treble under rules!
Secret Des Dieux won nicely at Fakenham on Tuesday.
Great to have a first win under rules for owner Mr P. Betts and well done to the team at home.#fedondodsonandhorrell pic.twitter.com/z3SPwxrUH8
— James Owen Racing (@JPOwenRacing) November 21, 2024
Although this feature race in Norfolk has a lower ratings band than many other 1 January events, it pits two previous course winners in good form against one another. Both Stuart Edmunds’ Flat convert Bluegrass and Secret Des Dieux for Newmarket trainer Owen arrive at Fakenham seeking hat-tricks.
Ciaran Gethings, so often a go-to jockey for Edmunds with the pair teaming up for more than 100 winners, rides against the yard here. Bluegrass has the in-form Charlie Hammond in the saddle, fresh from his Welsh Grand National triumph. The Fakenham New Year’s Day races aren’t just about these two horses, though.
Owen also saddles Hecouldbetheone, while Gary & Josh Moore have the topweight Royal Way. He drops in grade and goes up in trip after turning five and being highly-tried earlier in the campaign. Jack Jones is another Newmarket trainer with a runner here, meanwhile, in An Bradan Feasa.
2:49 Southwell – 2m Handicap Hurdle
With a first prize of £39,000, Southwell in Nottinghamshire puts on a valuable race of its type for the course on 1 January. That attracts some useful horses to the East Midlands for a crack at this decent pot. Balhambar hit the frame at Cheltenham in November, but returns to a flatter course off 4lb higher for trainer Harry Derham and jockey Paul O’Brien.
Nicholls saddles Afadil with daughter Olive taking the ride and 7lb off with her claim after taking minor honours in a couple of similar grade events around Ascot. The assessor drops him 2lb in the weights, which also eases the burden. Lucy Wadham drops her mare Pretending back in trip for the Southwell New Year’s Day races after running against her own sex at Wincanton and Cheltenham without success this autumn.
Freddie Gordon replaces Gavin Sheehan in the saddle. Course bumper winner Norman Fletcher is back at the venue with regular rider James Turner talking 5lb off. After two close seconds, Alnillam has another slight 2lb nudge up the handicap but also James Bowen taking over from brother Sean in the saddle for Olly Murphy.
