For early value before the festival, see our Cheltenham 2026 ante-post betting tips covering all four championship races and key supporting events.
DAY 1 – TUESDAY 10TH MARCH – THE 2026 CHAMPION HURDLE
The feature race on Day 1 is The Champion Hurdle 2026, and this year’s renewal is wide open after the bombshell news that Sir Gino has been ruled out with a season-ending fractured pelvis. With Constitution Hill’s form patchy and State Man absent, we’re set for one of the most competitive Champion Hurdles in years.
The Champion Hurdle has been won by some greats down the years, including Nicky Henderson’s own See You Then, who was a triple winner of the race in 1985, 1986 and 1987.
- 13:20 The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1)
- 14:00 The Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
- 14:40 The McCoys Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (Grade 3)
- 15:20 The Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase (Premier Handicap) (Grade 3)
- 16:00 Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)
- 16:40 The TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
- 17:20 The National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Amateur Riders’ Novices’ Steeple Chase) (Grade 2)
But, you are not here for my nostalgic writings of the past, you are here to see if we can help you pick some winners, so let’s get stuck into the action and our Cheltenham Festival Preview Day 1.
13:20 THE Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
The curtain-raiser at the Festival is always a proper test of nerve, and this year’s Supreme looks set to be a cracking contest. The race traditionally throws up future champions, and with no standout Willie Mullins banker this time around, there’s genuine value to be found.
Nicky Henderson’s Old Park Star tops the market at 15/8 after an impressive performance in the Rossington Main at Haydock, and he’s only entered in this one race which tells you everything about connections’ confidence. He looks the type to handle the occasion, but at that price you’re getting little margin for error.
Willie Mullins runs Talk The Talk at around 4/1, though he took a tumble when travelling strongly at Leopardstown which has seen his price drift slightly. El Cairos at 5/1 is another exclusively entered in the Supreme and warrants serious respect in what looks a competitive heat.
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2000
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2000
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Hillside (Media) Group Limited – Denise Coates (founder, 50.01% shareholding)
2000
Stoke-on-Trent, UK
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Hillside (Media) Group Limited – Denise Coates (founder, 50.01% shareholding)
2000
Stoke-on-Trent, UK
- Money back as free bet if your horse loses the first race
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Boylesports Limited
13/03/2026
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1982
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LiveScore Group (part of Anzo Group)
2020
London, UK & Gibraltar
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13/03/2026
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2015
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2017
Gibraltar (operations), originally Ballyconnell, Republic of Ireland
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2024
Hove, UK
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RACE ANALYSIS & SELECTIONS
The key here is finding one who’ll handle the unique Cheltenham test – this isn’t just about ability, it’s about temperament and stamina up that hill. Old Park Star has the Henderson polish and looks ready-made for the track, but there’s no getting away from a cramped price in a race that can throw up surprises.
Talk The Talk’s fall came when he was travelling like the winner, so you can forgive that run, and the Mullins yard will have him primed. El Cairos is lightly-raced and unexposed which is always dangerous in novice company.
With no dominant favourite, this feels like a race where the each-way market could pay dividends. Dan Skelton’s Mydaddypaddy around 8/1 could be overlooked, and any Mullins second-string shouldn’t be dismissed lightly.
FORM PICK
In what looks an open renewal, we’re siding with quality and the Henderson factor. OLD PARK STAR 15/8 WIN ticks all the boxes – course form at Cheltenham via Henderson’s team, an exclusive entry suggesting this has been the plan all along, and a performance at Haydock that marked him out as a proper prospect.
At the prices, TALK THE TALK 4/1 EW represents solid each-way value with the Mullins-Cheltenham record speaking for itself. That Leopardstown fall was unfortunate and came when he was going best – forgive it and you’ve got a live player.
14:00 The Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
The Arkle Challenge Trophy honours one of jump racing’s greatest legends, and this year’s renewal looks set to showcase some serious talent over the minimum trip. Named after the legendary multiple Gold Cup winner of the sixties, it’s a race that demands speed, precision jumping, and bottle in spades.
The betting suggests this could be one of the more straightforward puzzles to solve on the card. Nicky Henderson’s Lulamba heads the market at a shade of odds-on (6/4) after an impressive Grade 2 romp in the Game Spirit at Newbury. He’s had just three runs over fences but has looked the real deal each time, jumping with aplomb and showing a proper turn of foot.
Willie Mullins counters with 2025 Supreme winner Kopek Des Bordes at around 3/1, though he’s only had one chase start this season which is a slight concern when Henderson’s runner comes here battle-hardened. Romeo Coolio at 8/1 has multiple entries including the Brown Advisory and Ryanair, suggesting connections aren’t entirely convinced about the two-mile trip.
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Petfre (Gibraltar) Limited
31/12/2023
Applies to UK, Irish and selected International horse racing only. Best Odds Guaranteed applies to bets placed after 08:00 on the day of the race. Best Odds Guaranteed will be applied on qualifying bets where the SP is bigger than the price taken when the bet was placed. Offer does not apply to Win and Each Way bets on Super Extra Place Races highlighted in the race book. Offer does not apply for Lucky 15s, 31s and 63s. Offer does not apply to Ante Post, Tote or Pari-Mutuel. In the event of a Rule 4 deduction, we will pay at the bigger odds after the Rule 4 deduction has been made to the price taken. Bets using existing free bet funds do not count. Bets placed on specials market or boosts will not count towards this offer. Best Odds will not be applied where non-runners result in the race reverting to SP only. Where the terms of the offer are breached or there is evidence of collusion by a customer, or group of customers, which seek to guarantee profit irrespective of the outcome, Betfred reserves the right to void the bonus element and settle the bets at the correct odds. Betfred reserve the right to exclude certain customers from this offer at our discretion due to internal risk policies and/or account staking restrictions. General Betfred.com rules apply, see website for details.
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Petfre (Gibraltar) Limited – Fred Done (founder, family-owned)
1967
Warrington, UK
RACE ANALYSIS & SELECTIONS
The Arkle has a strong historical record for well-backed favourites, particularly when they’re trained by Henderson or Mullins. The key stat here is that odds-on and near-odds-on runners have an excellent strike rate in this race when they arrive with the right profile – progressive, proven at the track or at Grade 1 level, and with sharp jumping credentials.
Lulamba fits that bill perfectly. His three chase starts have been impressive, he’s won at Newbury in Grade 2 company, and most importantly he jumps accurately at pace which is absolutely crucial around here. Kopek Des Bordes has class on his side as a Supreme winner, but the lack of chase experience this season is a niggle.
The depth beyond the top two looks shallow, which further supports getting involved at the top of the market rather than searching for value that might not exist.
FORM PICK
Sometimes the obvious answer is the right one, and this looks like such an occasion. LULAMBA 6/4 WIN has done everything asked of him over fences, jumps with the fluency required for this track, and comes from a yard that knows exactly how to ready one for the Arkle.
The price is short but justified. Henderson saddled Sprinter Sacre, Altior and Shishkin to Arkle glory – all three went off at cramped odds and all three delivered. Lulamba looks cut from similar cloth and should follow suit.
14:40 The McCoys Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (Grade 3)
Also known as the Fred Winter, this is one of the Festival’s most fiendish puzzles and a race that consistently throws up big-priced winners. The juvenile handicap hurdle element means you’re dealing with lightly-raced four-year-olds with bags of potential improvement, making form analysis a proper minefield.
The handicap entries were only published on 17th February, and as we write the ante-post markets are still forming with no firm favourite emerging. That’s typical for this race – trainers often keep their powder dry until final declarations, and we regularly see massive gambles on the day as yard whispers hit the betting ring.
Historically, this race has been kind to those who look for unexposed types from the major yards with upward-trending form figures. The Fred Winter often goes to a horse having just their third or fourth hurdles start, rather than the battle-hardened handicapper.
RACE ANALYSIS & SELECTIONS
Without a settled market it’s impossible to provide specific selections at this stage, but the approach to this race should focus on a few key principles. Look for horses that have won their most recent start, ideally in taking fashion. Check for any Mullins or Henderson runners that might be under the radar – both yards have excellent records here.
Weight is less crucial than you might think in juvenile handicaps – improvement can overcome a stiff mark. Track experience helps but isn’t essential. What you really want is a horse that looks like they’re still on the upgrade and could be anything.
FORM PICK
With ante-post markets not yet properly formed and the full field unknown, we’ll be updating our selections closer to the Festival once declarations are made. This is a race to approach on the day rather than tying up funds weeks in advance.
Keep an eye on the betting moves on the morning of the race – when a four-year-old novice hurdler shortens dramatically from 20/1 to 8/1, there’s usually a very good reason and the market often knows more than the form book in this particular event.
15:20 The Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase (Premier Handicap) (Grade 3)
The first big handicap chase of the meeting is the Ultima, run over a stamina-sapping three miles and change. This is a race that separates the men from the boys – you need a genuine stayer who can handle the unique demands of Cheltenham’s undulations and that lung-bursting climb to the finish.
Like the Fred Winter, the handicap entries were only published on 17th February so the market is still taking shape. What we do know is that this race typically attracts a high-quality field of progressive staying chasers all carrying competitive weights, making it one of the toughest handicaps to solve across the entire week.
The Ultima often throws up improvers from the Irish ranks – horses that have been campaigned specifically with this race in mind and arrive fresh and ready to peak. The British challenge shouldn’t be underestimated though, particularly from yards like Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls who target these big staying handicaps.
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888 Holdings Plc (acquired July 2022) – publicly traded on London Stock Exchange
1934
Gibraltar (operations), UK heritage
RACE ANALYSIS & SELECTIONS
The key to the Ultima is stamina allied to class. This isn’t a slog for battlers – it’s three miles at a proper gallop and you need a horse with genuine ability to be competitive off these marks. Course form is a massive help; horses that have run well here before, even in defeat, often show up again.
Ground conditions will play a huge part. If it rides Good or quicker, that favours the classier sorts who can quicken. If it’s soft, we’re looking at pure stayers who grind it out. The forecast in the week leading up will be crucial for fine-tuning selections.
With seven races on the card each day, there’s scope for some nice combination bets. An each-way Yankee or Lucky 15 covering four races could be the way forward for those looking to spread risk across the card.
FORM PICK
As with the Fred Winter, ante-post markets haven’t fully formed yet and we’ll be providing full selections once the field takes shape. The Ultima is a race where patience pays – wait for declarations, assess the weights, and look for horses coming here fresh rather than those who’ve had a hard campaign.
Value is usually there to be found in the 12/1 to 25/1 bracket with lightly-raced improvers who’ve been given a kind mark by the handicapper. This is exactly the sort of race where a Lucky 63 can work well if you fancy a few at bigger odds.
16:00 Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)
The showpiece event of the opening day and one of the most eagerly anticipated Champion Hurdles in years. The bombshell withdrawal of Sir Gino with a fractured pelvis has blown this race wide open, removing what would have been a short-priced favourite and leaving us with a genuinely competitive renewal.
State Man’s absence and Constitution Hill’s patchy form (FF5F over jumps this season) means we’re looking at fresh faces and new stories. Dan Skelton’s The New Lion heads the market at 5/2 after winning the Unibet Hurdle on Trials Day – the same race where Sir Gino suffered his injury. Last season’s Turners winner has been flawless this term and represents Britain’s best hope in years.
Gordon Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead at 11/4 comes here after a three-length demolition of Lossiemouth in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown. The mare has never won at the Festival (0/2) but looks a class act when on song. Constitution Hill at 5/1 is the enigma – had a confidence-boosting flat run at Southwell but his jumping form this season has been dire. Can Henderson work his magic one more time?
RACE ANALYSIS & SELECTIONS
With no dominant favourite, this becomes a tactical puzzle. The New Lion has course form (won the Turners here last year) which is massive, and that Trials Day performance suggested he’s ready to step up again. Unbeaten this season and trained by a yard in red-hot form – he’s a serious player.
Brighterdaysahead has that Elliott magic behind her and the Irish Champion Hurdle form looks rock-solid. Her Festival record is a concern but sometimes a horse just needs that one breakthrough performance. Willie Mullins runs both Lossiemouth at 7/1 (if she doesn’t opt for the Mares’ Hurdle) and Golden Ace at 8/1, the reigning champion who was behind Sir Gino at Kempton in the Christmas Hurdle.
Constitution Hill is the great unknown. If – and it’s a massive if – he returns to his dual Champion Hurdle form, he wins this pulling a cart. But can you trust him after such a dismal campaign? That’s the question keeping punters awake at night.
FORM PICK
In an open renewal we’re siding with form, fitness and course nous. THE NEW LION 5/2 WIN ticks every box – proven at the track, unbeaten this season, won the key trial, and trained by Dan Skelton who has this yard firing on all cylinders. This is Britain’s best Champion Hurdle chance in years and he looks ready to deliver.
For the each-way players, BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD 11/4 EW makes plenty of appeal. That Irish Champion Hurdle win was authoritative and Elliott knows how to ready them for the big day. The Festival hoodoo has to end sometime, and this could be it.
Swerve Constitution Hill unless you’re a believer in miracles. The form is too poor to trust at 5/1, regardless of the name on the saddle cloth.
16:40 The TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
The Plate Handicap Chase has been moved forward to Champion Day this year after traditionally being run on St Patrick’s Thursday, swapping places with the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle in the schedule reshuffle. It’s a competitive staying handicap chase run over two miles and five furlongs – not quite a marathon but enough of a test to find out the genuine articles.
Like the other handicaps on the card, we’re still waiting for the market to properly form following the 17th February entry revelations. What we can say is that this race typically attracts a deep field of progressive chasers all bunched together on the weights, making it a proper puzzle to unravel.
The trip is interesting – at two and a half miles it’s not quite Ultima territory but more than enough to test stamina, particularly at Cheltenham’s demanding gallop. Horses that can combine speed with staying power tend to go well, as do those with proven course form who know how to handle the unique challenge of this track.
RACE ANALYSIS & SELECTIONS
Handicaps at the Festival are always tricky but the Plate has traditionally thrown up some nice each-way touches at decent prices. The key is finding horses that are coming here with progressive profiles rather than those at the veteran stage who’ve been there and done it.
Look for horses stepping up in trip who shaped like they’d appreciate the extra yardage, or those who’ve been running in better company and dropping back into handicap territory. Recent course form is gold dust – Cheltenham is such a unique test that horses who’ve proven they can handle it have a significant edge.
FORM PICK
With the ante-post market still developing, we’ll reserve specific selections until closer to the Festival when we have a clearer picture of the field and can assess the weights properly. This is a race to approach with patience rather than diving in blind weeks beforehand.
The Plate has a history of rewarding those who look beyond the obvious – the 16/1 to 33/1 bracket often throws up placed horses and occasional winners. An each-way approach with multiple selections could be the smart play here.
17:20 The National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Amateur Riders’ Novices’ Steeple Chase) (Grade 2)
The final race of the opening day is the marathon staying chase for amateur riders, run over a lung-busting three miles and six furlongs. It’s a race that the big trainers target with horses that are genuine stamina merchants but perhaps not quite at Gold Cup standard – think of it as the ultimate test of jumping and endurance.
Many trainers also use this race as a Grand National trial for the following month’s Aintree spectacular, so you’re often seeing horses that will go on to bigger things. The presence of amateur riders adds another layer of intrigue – these aren’t your regular Festival jockeys, though many are highly talented horsemen who know their way around.
The National Hunt Chase demands a very specific type – a genuine stayer who can maintain a rhythm over the marathon trip and has the jumping prowess to handle Cheltenham’s unique fences. Horses that have won over three miles plus tend to have an edge, as do those who’ve shown they can battle up that famous hill.
RACE ANALYSIS & SELECTIONS
The amateur element shouldn’t be underestimated – while these riders aren’t professionals, many have extensive experience and the best ones can hold their own against the pros. Look for horses partnered by established amateur names who’ve ridden Festival winners before, or those who regularly partner the horse in question.
Form over the trip is crucial. Any horse that’s won beyond three miles and looked comfortable doing so deserves serious respect. Those stepping up in trip for the first time are taking on a significant unknown, especially at Cheltenham where stamina reserves are tested to the absolute limit.
The race often attracts Irish-trained runners that have been specifically targeted at this event, sometimes with Aintree’s Grand National as the ultimate spring goal. These horses tend to arrive fresh and peak for the day.
FORM PICK
As with the other races where markets are still forming, we’ll be providing detailed selections once declarations are made and we can properly assess the field. The National Hunt Chase is often won by horses at double-figure odds, so there’s usually value to be found if you do your homework.
Keep an eye out for horses that have won comfortably over three miles or further, particularly if they’re from the Mullins or Elliott yards which have excellent records in this race. Those with proven stamina credentials and safe jumping will be at a premium.
CONCLUSION
A fascinating day’s racing awaits at the Cheltenham Festival 2026, with the Champion Hurdle wide open in the absence of Sir Gino and question marks over Constitution Hill. The New Lion represents Britain’s best chance in years to land the hurdling crown, while Lulamba looks a banker in the Arkle for those seeking a solid foundation to their bets.
The handicaps remain largely unsolved puzzles at this stage, with markets still forming following the mid-February entry revelations. Patience will be rewarded – wait for the declarations, assess the weights and ground conditions, then strike with confidence rather than tying up funds weeks in advance on guesswork.
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