The New Lion 10/1 for 2026 Champion Hurdle after Turners Win
Craig Jones 
A race that was billed as one of the most exciting of the week lived up to the billing to kick off Cheltenham day 2.
The New Lion came out on top in a thrilling Turners Novices' Hurdle, with the big three in the market coming together as they turned for home, and stuck together all the way until after the final flight.
But in the end, it was The New Lion who kicked away, under a fantastic ride from Harry Skelton, to claim the win.
The Yellow Clay was in second place, the game of the day for Gordon Elliott, while favourite Final Demand could only finish in third, they were miles clear of the rest.
We've got some excellent free bets and betting offers on show this week, with many brands going all out and putting a huge amount of focus on the Cheltenham Festival.
What's Next for The New Lion?
Just as we do at the Cheltenham Festival, rather than appreciating the win, we soon turn to what's coming next, and for The New Lion, this is definitely an interesting talk to have.
He looks like a hurdler, so I doubt we'll see him over fences, but the trip is going to be the big talking point for him.
He doesn't look like he needs to step up, and at two and a half miles, there's no Cheltenham target for 2026.
Will this push the Skelton's to drop back down in trip, to the Champion Hurdle? That's something that both trainer Dan and jockey Harry have mentioned as being a possibility for him.
We've seen reaction from betting sites on the back of it, and he's been put into the market for the race.
2026 Champion Hurdle Odds for The New Lion
While there's many Cheltenham free bets out there for the 2025 meeting, and plenty of racing still to come, bookmakers do have a market ready for 2026, with some races priced up including the Champion Hurdle.
After his fall yesterday, Consitution Hill leads the market, ahead of two horses that won on day one, Kopek Des Bordes and Lossiemouth, who were both impressive.
The New Lion sits behind those in the market, with odds of 10/1 from bet365 about his Champion Hurdle claims for 2026.
