Cheltenham Festival 2026 Tips: Best bets, Key Stats and Gold Cup Picks
Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Tips (Tuesday - Champion Day)
The opening day of the festival will begin with the famous “Cheltenham Roar” and will be headlined by the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle. These are races that have traditionally been run at a strong pace and tend to favour runners carrying both speed and stamina up the famous hill.
The opener on Monday is the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, and while several well-regarded runners are lining up, Old Park Star stands out for us as a strong candidate to start the week in the winner’s enclosure. He has shown impressive acceleration in recent runs and looks particularly suited to the demanding finish at Cheltenham.
Given that this race often rewards slick jumpers who can travel comfortably before quickening late, Old Park Star’s smooth hurling style should allow him to remain prominent throughout the contest. Our racing analysts are of the mindset that he has the class to dominate the novice division if he arrives in his best form.
In the Arkle Novices’ Chase, one that we feel will be the most thrilling races of the week, Lulamba looks like a leading contender. His unbeaten chase record this season underlies his ability over the fences and suggests that he is progressing at just the right time.
The key to success in this race has proven to be jumping speed, and Lulamba has consistently shown he possesses that ability. With the race shaping up to be run at a strong tempo, his natural pace and free-flowing stride could allow him to put pressure on rivals right from the off.
Cheltenham Festival Day 2 Tips (Wednesday - Style Wednesday)
Day two of the festival has historically proven more difficult for punters, largely due to the depth of competition across the card. However, there are a couple of runners who we feel are capable of delivering big performances.
In the two-mile, high-quality Queen Mother Champion Chase, Majborough arrives with a very strong profile. During his recent performance at the Dublin Racing Festival, he showed both speed and tactical awareness, two qualities that are essential in this race.
Majborough has demonstrated on several occasions this season that he also possesses an impressive turn of foot, which is typically rewarded in the Champions Chase. If he settles well in the early stages, he has more than enough potential to take control after the final fence.
Our value bet for this year’s Cheltenham Festival comes in the form of Skylight Hustle in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, a horse that has steadily improved through the campaign and appears to be peaking at exactly the right time for this week’s card.
Strong stamina is vital at Cheltenham’s demanding track, and Skylight Hustle's performances over longer trips this season suggest he should relish this challenge. With a progressive profile and a trainer in Gordon Elliot, who knows how to prep festival winners, Skylight Hustle is one that we are firmly expecting to outrun his ante-post odds.
Cheltenham Festival Day 3 Tips (Thursday - Stayers’ Day)
Thursday’s card focuses on stamina tests and competitive handicaps. The Stayers’ Hurdle is the feature race and one that often tosses up a few surprises. While there are plenty of big reputations in this race, Ma Shantou could be a nice value pick, thanks to his staying ability and improving form.
Unlike some other races on the card, the Stayers’ Hurdle tests endurance rather than speed, particularly on the softer ground. Ma Shantou’s previous performances over extended trips should therefore stand him in good stead, and we’re expecting to see him travelling strongly when others start to fade.
Another interesting runner on Thursday is Kargese, who has been attracting interest from several punters after a series of impressive outings. She has both tactical speed and accurate jumping, a combination that can prove decisive in festival conditions.
Cheltenham Gold Cup 2026: Top tips (Friday)
The highlight of the Cheltenham Festival is the Gold Cup, one of the most prestigious races in jump racing across the globe. Historically, favourites with the best online betting sites have performed well in this race, with several recent renewals going to the market leader or runners near the top of betting boards.
Following the confirmed omission of dual winner Galopin Des Champs, Gaelic Warrior is set to enter the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup as the favourite, and his combination of speed and class makes him a formidable contender. His ability to travel powerfully through races should give him a major advantage in the early stages before making his move later on. If he settles early and keeps enough in the tank, we fancy Gaelic Warrior to be the one to catch up the Cheltenham hill.
Outside of the market leader, Jango Baie is another strong contender, known for his stamina and relentless galloping style. Those qualities will be valuable in the Gold Cup, where the final climb separates true stayers from the rest. His previous performances in top-quality races suggest handling the pressure should not be an issue, making Jango Baie a proper threat to the favourite.
For those seeking a punt on one of the bigger priced runners, The Jukebox Man is well worth consideration. He has shown significant improvement over fences and, on paper, appears well-suited to the extended trip required in the Gold Cup. Should this turn into a stamina test, The Jukebox Man’s staying power could bring him into the picture late on, especially if the early pace is on.
