Friday’s Cheltenham Tips and a £20 Free Bet Offer

Andy Clark
Friday's Cheltenham Tips and a £20 Free Bet Offer

Bet £40 on Little Ledgend, our tip in the 4.45pm at Cheltenham, with a new StarSports account and you’ll get £20 in free bets.

Here are our tips for seven races at Cheltenham on Friday 23 October 2026, with the form, ground and trainer stats behind each one.

New Customer Offer · StarSports

Bet £40 Get £20 in Free Bets

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Offer available to new customers only who sign up with Promo Code BET40GET20. Place a bet of £40 (or more) at EVS (2.0) or greater and Get 2 x £10 Free Bets. 1 x £10 Free Bet paid automatically & following £10 Free Bet after 24hrs. Min Free Bet odds 4/1 (5.0). Free Bets expire after 24hrs. Full T&Cs apply. 18+ | #ad | GambleAware.org

How to Get the £20 Free Bet

  1. Join StarSports through this link. It’s for new customers aged 18 or over.
  2. Deposit at least £40.
  3. Bet £40 on Little Ledgend in the 4.45pm at Cheltenham, 5/2 when we published. The offer needs odds of Evens or bigger.
  4. Your £20 in free bets are added once the bet settles. Check the full terms above for how long you have to use them.

Free Bets to Use on Friday’s Racing

These are the sign-up offers we rate for Friday’s racing. All are for new customers aged 18 or over, and each bookmaker’s full terms apply.

BookmakerWelcome OfferQualifying Bet
StarSportsBet £40 on Racing Get £20 in Free Bets£40 at Evens or bigger
BoyleSportsBet £10 on Today's Racing Get £30 in Free Bets£10 at Evens or bigger
bet365Bet £10 on Today's Racing Get £30 in Free Bets£10 at Evens or bigger
BetsunaBet £10 on a Horse Get a £50 Free Bet£10 at Evens or bigger
MidniteBet £10 on a Horse Bet Get £30 in Free Bets£10 at Evens or bigger
21LuckyBetBet £20 on a Horse Get a £40 Free Bet£20 at Evens or bigger

Cheltenham Tips for Friday

Live odds for each selection are below, with a button to add them to your betslip. The reasons for each tip follow.

13:15CheltenhamWilliam Hill Epic Boosts Handicap Hurdle RaceCrooked Path9/2BoyleSports
13:50CheltenhamCatesby Estates 'chasing Excellence' Novices' Steeple Chase (GBB Race)BowensonfireNAP5/6BoyleSports
14:25CheltenhamFoundation Developments Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Race (Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Qualifier)LorikoE/W8/1BoyleSports
15:00CheltenhamOddschecker Novices' Hurdle Race(grade 2) (registered As The Sharp Novices' Hurdle Race) (GBB Race)Cooltobecareless7/4BoyleSports
15:35CheltenhamSquareintheair.com Handicap Steeple Chase (GBB Race)Calico7/2BoyleSports
16:10CheltenhamMccoy Contractors Novices' Hurdle Race (GBB Race)Mr HollywoodNB5/6BoyleSports
16:45CheltenhamChapel Down Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Steeple Chase (GBB Race)Little Ledgend5/2BoyleSports
Add All 7 Selections to Your BoyleSports Betslip

Odds from BoyleSports and Betfred, best price shown and subject to change. Prices updated 23:07. 18+ only. Please gamble responsibly — GambleAware.org.

Race TimeRaceOur TipOdds
1.15pmWilliam Hill Epic Boosts Handicap Hurdle Race (2m3f200y)Crooked Path9/2
1.50pmCatesby Estates 'chasing Excellence' Novices' Steeple Chase (1m7f199y)Bowensonfire (NAP)5/6
2.25pmFoundation Developments Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Race (2m87y)Loriko9/1
3pmOddschecker Novices' Hurdle Race (2m87y, Grade 2)Cooltobecareless7/4
3.35pmSquareintheair.com Handicap Steeple Chase (1m7f199y)Calico7/2
4.10pmMccoy Contractors Novices' Hurdle Race (2m3f200y)Mr Hollywood (NB)4/5
4.45pmChapel Down Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Steeple Chase (3m1f)Little Ledgend5/2

1.15pm Cheltenham: Crooked Path

Crooked Path runs in the William Hill Epic Boosts Handicap Hurdle Race (2m3f200y, 13 runners) at 1.15pm, ridden by Jonathan Burke for trainer James Owen. It was 9/2 with BoyleSports when we published.

It won last time out at Fontwell. Our model gives it a 11% chance, which makes its fair price 8/1.

Value pick: Handlethekettle at 12/1, each-way. Handlethekettle has won three of six starts around this trip, has three wins from five runs on this ground and has placed in three of its last three runs.

1.50pm Cheltenham: Bowensonfire (NAP)

Bowensonfire runs in the Catesby Estates 'chasing Excellence' Novices' Steeple Chase (1m7f199y, 5 runners) at 1.50pm, ridden by Jack Kennedy for trainer Gordon Elliott. It was 5/6 with BoyleSports when we published.

Bowensonfire has won five of 16 starts around this trip, has one win from seven runs on this ground and has placed in three of its last three runs. Our model gives it a 34% chance, which makes its fair price 2/1.

Value pick: Passing Diamond at 10/1, each-way. Passing Diamond has won three of four starts around this trip and has five wins from nine runs on this ground. It won last time out at Hexham.

2.25pm Cheltenham: Loriko

Loriko runs in the Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Race (2m87y, 13 runners) at 2.25pm, ridden by Mr Dominic Lewis for trainer Dan Skelton. It was 9/1 with BoyleSports when we published, and we’re backing it each-way (1/5, 4 places).

Loriko has won two of six starts around this trip, has four wins from nine runs on this ground and has placed in three of its last three runs. Second-highest rated in the field (128). Our model gives it a 14% chance, which makes its fair price 13/2.

Value pick: Wild Goose at 10/1, each-way. Wild Goose has won three of 12 starts around this trip and has two wins from nine runs on this ground. It won last time out at Southwell.

3pm Cheltenham: Cooltobecareless

Cooltobecareless runs in the Oddschecker Novices' Hurdle Race (Grade 2, 2m87y, 10 runners) at 3pm, ridden by Harry Skelton for trainer Dan Skelton. It was 7/4 with BoyleSports when we published.

Cooltobecareless has won two of four starts around this trip. It won last time out at Chepstow. Dan Skelton’s yard is in form, with 23 winners from 86 runners in the last 14 days. Our model gives it a 21% chance, which makes its fair price 4/1.

Value pick: Eternal Angel at 12/1, each-way. Eternal Angel has won three of 10 starts around this trip and has two wins from nine runs on this ground. It won last time out at Plumpton.

3.35pm Cheltenham: Calico

Calico runs in the Squareintheair.com Handicap Steeple Chase (1m7f199y, 9 runners) at 3.35pm, ridden by Harry Skelton for trainer Dan Skelton. It was 7/2 with BoyleSports when we published.

Calico has already won over this course and distance and has three wins from 19 runs on this ground. Second-highest rated in the field (142). Dan Skelton’s yard is in form, with 23 winners from 86 runners in the last 14 days. Our model gives it a 16% chance, which makes its fair price 11/2.

Value pick: Soul Icon at 10/1, each-way. Soul Icon has already won over this course and distance, has eight wins from 18 runs on this ground and has placed in two of its last three runs.

4.10pm Cheltenham: Mr Hollywood (Next Best)

Mr Hollywood runs in the Mccoy Contractors Novices' Hurdle Race (2m3f200y, 7 runners) at 4.10pm, ridden by Mr P W Mullins for trainer W. P. Mullins. It was 4/5 with BoyleSports when we published.

Mr Hollywood has one win from six runs on this ground. Heads the betting. Our model gives it a 30% chance, which makes its fair price 9/4.

Value pick: Otie's Friend at 18/1, each-way. It won last time out at Plumpton.

4.45pm Cheltenham: Little Ledgend

Little Ledgend runs in the Chapel Down Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Steeple Chase (3m1f, 11 runners) at 4.45pm, ridden by Mr James King for trainer Olly Murphy. It was 5/2 with BoyleSports when we published.

Little Ledgend has two wins from five runs on this ground. It won last time out at Worcester. Olly Murphy’s yard is in form, with eight winners from 33 runners in the last 14 days. Our model gives it a 23% chance, which makes its fair price 7/2.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Cheltenham NAP for Friday?

Our Cheltenham NAP is Bowensonfire (1.50pm Cheltenham).

Which free bet can I use on Friday’s racing?

StarSports gives new customers £20 in free bets when they bet £40 at odds of Evens or bigger. 18+, new customers only, and the full terms are in the offer box above.

What time is the first race at Cheltenham on Friday?

The first race we have a tip for at Cheltenham is the 1.15pm, the William Hill Epic Boosts Handicap Hurdle Race.

More Racing Tips

Our tips for every race are on the horse racing tips page, with the NAP of the day, Lucky 15 tips, each-way tips and the full racecards.

18+. Odds are correct at the time of publishing and can change. Please gamble responsibly. For free, confidential support visit GambleAware.org.

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