The Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle is open to four-year-old hurdlers only. It honours Fred Winter, who won 17 Festival races as a jockey and 28 as a trainer.

It has had some different names down the years and from 2018 to 2024 was referred to as the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. It is for young horses not considered good enough to compete in the Triumph Hurdle. It is one of the few Cheltenham Festival races that Willie Mullins has yet to win.

My quick picks for the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

• Stencil – 5/1 with talkSPORT BET
• Mambonumberfive – 28/1 with Betfair

Cheltenham 4.40 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – Key stats and trends

Age

• Race is for 4yo’s only

Price

• 1 of the last 12 winners were favourites
• 4 of the last 12 winners were in the top 3 in the betting
• 7 of the last 12 winners were priced 18/1 or bigger

Form

• 4 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before the Fred Winter
• 9 of the last 12 winners ran within the last 53 days
• 12 of the last 12 winners had at least 3 runs over hurdles
• 10 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 win over hurdles

Rating

• 9 of the last 12 winners were rated between 122 and 134
• 3 of the last 4 winners had a rating between 122 and 125

Other pointers

• Gordon Elliott has trained 3 of the last 7 winners
• 10 of the last 20 winners started their career in France

Fred Winter preview & tips

I know favourites don’t have the best record in the Fred Winter but I have to admit I am struggling to get away from STENCIL after that eye-catching run behind East India Dock on Trials Day.

He had some good form over in France winning 2 from 3 and while he was put in his place by East India Dock he still ran a big race in defeat and came nicely clear from the third.

French breds have a decent record in the race and he is only going to improve now handicapping with this big field scenario likely to be ideal. I think the harder they go the better for him and he has plenty in his favour.

Each way angle?

In a race like this you quite simply have to back 2 or 3 and one at a bigger price that catches the eye is MAMBONUMBERFIVE for Ben Pauling. He stayed on strongly to win the Adonis last time and had the well regarded Mondo Man back in third.

He is a good physical specimen and you’d think he would only improve again from that. I was surprised he didn’t have an entry into the Triumph so this might always have been the plan and he looks to have got a good mark.

Plenty of dangers possibly headed by Willy De Houelle for Willie Mullins as he bids to win this race for the first time and Wendrock for Gordon Elliott who has done well in this down the years.

My picks:

1. STENCIL

• Trainer: N & A Zetterholm
• Form: 1-162
• Age: 4
• Weight: 11-7

Bet on Stencil to win the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap at 5/1 with talkSPORT BET

2. MAMBONUMBERFIVE

• Trainer: Ben Pauling
• Form: 352-PU1
• Age: 4
• Weight: 11-0

Bet on Mambonumberfive to win the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap at 28/1 with Betfair

Last 12 winners of the Fred Winter

More Cheltenham opportunities:

• Cheltenham 2025 free bets and betting offers
• Cheltenham ante-post tips
• Cheltenham 2025 Cheat sheet
• Champion Hurdle tips
• Stayer’s Hurdle tips
• Champion Chase tips
• Arkle Chase tips
• Supreme Novices’ Hurdle tips

About the author

Joe Norris

I’m Joe Norris, co-founder and Director of GetYourTipsOut (GYTO), which I launched in 2009 to provide daily sports betting tips, with the main focus on horse racing. Over the years, I’ve earned a reputation for offering reliable and profitable tips, which led to being named “Best Sports Betting Tipster” in 2023. Alongside my work at GYTO, I also contribute predictions to platforms like Oddschecker, allowing me to share my insights with a wide community of sports enthusiasts and bettors.

Find Joe on X: @JoeNorrisGYTO

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