🏇 Cheltenham Festival and Sandown: The Full Report

How’s it going?

If you’re reading for the first time, welcome - you’ve timed it well.

The 2026 Cheltenham Festival is about to get underway on Tuesday, 10 March.

There is also racing on Saturday - we’ll touch on that later.

First, Cheltenham.

► Each of the four days at Cheltenham is live on ITV

► Every day features a championship race:

Day one (Tuesday) - Champion Hurdle
Day two (Wednesday) - Champion Chase
Day three (Thursday) - Stayers’ Hurdle
Day four (Friday) - Cheltenham Gold Cup

► Dry weather is forecast for Tuesday & Wednesday, with rain on Thursday & Friday

► The ground for the opener should be Good to Soft - that’s normal for this meeting

► Favourites traditionally have the strongest record on Day One (Tuesday)

► Irish-trained runners dominated in recent years (more on that later)

► Rachael Blackmore (rode 18 festival winners) retired from the saddle last year - don’t look for her rides! 🏖️

Our PR Team has been here before - some friendly advice:

Here’s the latest.

We’re a talented bunch in the PR Team.

However, our skills don’t stretch to equine levels in getting info ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’ - despite trying a handful of polos.

We did, though, pick the top quotes straight from connections’ mouths.

Kopek Des Bordes is favourite for Tuesday’s Arkle Chase. In a recent gallop he ‘pinged the second-last and last and then passed them (two good horses) as if they were standing’ (Racing TV).

Tutti Quanti has been supplemented for the Champion Hurdle and ‘his last few pieces of work have been so good, including at the Kempton gallop with No Drama This End’ (Racing Post).

Wendigo is on course for Wednesday’s big novice chase. He’s ‘in great form, and we can’t wait to run him’ (At The Races).

Unbeaten hurdler No Drama This End got a vote of confidence from jockey Harry Cobden ahead of Thursday’s big novice hurdle, ‘I wouldn't swap him for any horse in the race' (Racing Post).

Friday’s Gold Cup chance Haiti Couleurs won at Newbury last time and ‘seems to have come out of it well, and has progressed a great deal’ (At The Races).

Let the battle commence.

The Irish-trained runners from across the Irish Sea dominated British-trained runners in recent times.

Here’s a quick recap:

2025: Ireland 20 - 8 Britain
2024: Ireland 18 - 9 Britain
2023: Ireland 18 - 10 Britain
2022: Ireland 18 - 10 Britain
2021: Ireland 23 - 5 Britain

Embarrassing for the Brits, really 😳

Ireland are 1/6 (1.16) to triumph again, Britain are 6/1 (7.00). The Tie is 14/1 (which actually happened in 2019 when 14-14).

If you want to know the trainers to look out for:

Britain’s main trainers are: Paul Nicholls, Dan Skelton, Nicky Henderson & Ben Pauling.

Ireland’s main trainers are: Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott, Henry De Bromhead & Gavin Cromwell.

Mullins remains the main man. He trained a total of 41 winners during the last five festivals:

► Willie Mullins at the Cheltenham Festival

2025: 10 wins
2024: 9 wins
2023: 6 wins
2022: 10 wins
2021: 6 wins

If you’re thinking ‘how many winners will Willie Mullins have this time?’, there are odds available for that market, along with other special bets - too many to cover here!

There is also a market on Day One’s ‘official going’. The favourite is Good to Soft at 1/4 (1.25).

Our team lists horses with a 100% record in making the frame when faced with ideal conditions.

Placing them in a multiple bet or an acca can create big odds - you can also mix them up with other sports.

Remember, the bigger the field, the more places are available - even up to 10th (in a 20-runner field).

Get it?

Let’s reveal this week’s exclusive members.

Jack Hyde (Sat, 2:27 Sandown)
Record in handicaps: 4th of 17 - 2nd of 15 - 2nd of 7

Jigoro (Sat, 4:18 Gowran Park)
Record with jockey James Smith: 2nd of 7 - 3rd of 8 - 3rd of 14

Jagwar (Tue/Thu Cheltenham)
Record at Cheltenham: 1st of 7 - 1st of 20 - 3rd of 10
Record on good to soft: 2nd of 11 - 1st of 8 - 1st of 20 - 3rd of 10

Lossiemouth (Tue, Thu Cheltenham)
Record at Cheltenham: 1st of 15 - 1st of 5 - 1st of 11 - 1st of 10

Pied Piper (Wed, Cheltenham)
Record at Cheltenham: 1st of 8 - 3rd of 12 - 1st of 5 - 2nd of 24 - 3rd of 17 - 2nd of 7

Bob Olinger (Thu, Cheltenham)
Record at Cheltenham: 1st of 7 - 1st of 4 - 1st of 4 - 1st of 13

The bookies also provide odds about any horse to win a race by a specific distance (in lengths), hence ‘Lengthen Your Odds’.

Our team did some digging to find which of the current 2026 Cheltenham favourites won by healthy margins in their careers to date:

Lulamba won four chases by: 6½L, 9½L, 10L, 3L
The New Lion won five hurdles by: 1½L, ¾L, 4¾L, 3L, 4¾L
Majborough won four chases by: 19L, 14L, 9L, 6½L
Dinoblue won her last four chases by: 11L, 7L, 35L, 8½ L
Doctor Steinberg won all three hurdles by: 8L, 4¾L, 5½L

BTW, we Googled ‘Doctor Steinberg' expecting to discover a world-famous doctor. All we found was a dentistry on Facebook.

The bookies offer odds on the winning distance of each race at Cheltenham, which is handy if you’re not confident of finding winners 🤔

We’ve uncovered which Cheltenham races were won by big margins or small margins:

Races with big winning margins

Arkle Chase (Tue) - The last 11 winners won by:
¾L, 8½L, 5½L, 4¼L, 12L, 1½L, 13L, 14L, 6L, 7L, 6L

Champion Hurdle (Tue) - The last 7 winners won by:
9L, 1¼L, 9L, 3½L, 6½L, 3L, 15L

Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Wed) - The last 8 winners won by:
¾L, 13L, 6½L, 3½L, 7½L, 4¼L, 2L, 2¾L

Champion Chase (Wed) - The last 8 winners won by:
18L, 1½L, 10L, 8½L, ½L, 9½L, 1¾L, 7L

Races with small winning margins

Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Tue) - The last 12 winners won by:
6L, 2L, neck, short-head, 2L, 1L, 2L, 3L, neck, head, 1½L, ¾L

Champion Bumper (Wed): The last 12 winners won by:
1½L, 1¾L, 1¼L, 3¾L, ½L, 2½L, ¾L, neck, 1¼L, nose, 1½L, 1½L

Stayers’ Hurdle (Thu): The last 9 winners won by:
1¾L, 3¾L, nose, 2¾L, 3¼L, 2L, 2¾L, 2L, ¾L

Triumph Hurdle (Fri): The last 8 winners won by:
Neck, 1½L, 2¼L, 2½L, 3¼L, 2¾L, 3L, 1¾L

County Hurdle (Fri): The last 10 winning distances:
1½L, 1L, head, 1¼L, 1¼L, 4½L, 1½L, 2¾L, neck, 2½L

Mares’ Chase (Fri): The 5 winning distances were:
8½L, ¾L, 2½L, ½L, ½L

Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle: The 10 winning distances were:
4¼L, 1½L, 1½L, 1½L, 2¼L, short-head, 1¼L, 5L, 2¼L, 1¼L

Feeling adventurous?

If looking to predict the first two finishers past the post in a forecast, one approach could be to focus on races that historically favoured market leaders.

The following Cheltenham races could be ideal. We also advise doing a forecast on the Tote, which is called a Tote Exacta.

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Tue) - Combining the top 3 market leaders to £1 (costs £6) in a Tote Exacta during the last 6 years showed a profit on 5 occasions: +£20, +£17, +£12, +£6, +£35.

Ultima Handicap Chase (Tue) - Combining the top 4 market leaders to £1 (costs £12 or £6 if doing it to 50p ) in an Exacta during the last 6 years showed a profit on 3 occasions: +£65, +£68, +£85.

Champion Bumper (Wed) - Combining the top 2 market leaders to £1 (cost £2) in an Exacta during the last 7 years showed a profit on 4 occasions: +£16, +£6, +£7, +£12.

Ryanair Chase (Thu) - Combining the top 4 market leaders to £1 (costs £12) in a Tote Exacta during the last 10 years showed a profit on 7 occasions: +£38, +£17, +£6, +£22, +£15, +£16, +£13.

Cheltenham Gold Cup (Fri) - Combining the top 3 market leaders to £1 (costs £6 bets) in a Tote Exacta during the last 10 years showed a profit on 6 occasions: +£17, +£7, +£12, +£19, +£22, +£12.

There will be winning favourites for punters to cheer home across the four days. But, were they profitable to follow here?

Clear Cheltenham Festival favourites:

2025: 8 wins from 27 runners. £1 on them returned levels.
2024: 8 wins from 26 runners. £1 on them returned a -£10 loss.
2023: 7 wins from 25 runners. £1 on them returned a -£11 loss.
2022: 11 wins from 25 runners. £1 on them returned a +£6 profit.
2021: 8 wins from 28 runners. £1 on them returned a -£8 loss.

As you can see, plenty of favs went in, but long-term they racked up a big loss - tread carefully.

Here are several favourites/leading fancies that we feel may be worth betting against ⚔️

Arkle Chase (Tue) - Lulamba
Can make mistakes in the first half of his races, which may set him back.

Champion Chase (Tue) - Majborough
There’s a suspicion his jumping may fall apart under pressure in a fast-run race.

Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Wed) - Final Demand
Another who can make mistakes, just as he did last month, and here 12 months ago.

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Fri) - Thedeviluno
Won a Doncaster race in January that isn’t the best guide for this event - each of the 14 that attempted the double lost.

Cheltenham Gold Cup (Fri) - Jango Baie
Won the 2025 Arkle Chase here. However, the winners of that race have a poor record in the Gold Cup 12 months later.

Some trainers may not boast big numbers, but they remain bang in form 🔥

This Weekend:

► Clive Boultbee-Brooks

Recent runners: 2nd of 6 - 1st of 6 - 8th of 9 - 2nd of 7 - 1st of 7

Weekend runners:
Welcheston Warrier (1:42 Her)
Wolf Warrior (1:50 San)
El Granjero (Sun, 4:48 War)

► Thomas Faulkner

Recent runners: 2nd of 11 - 1st of 9 - 6th of 7 - 5th of 9 - 1st of 8 - 3rd of 8

Weekend runners:
Nobody Told Me (3:25 Her)
Paradise Park (4:37 Her)

► Neil King

Recent runners: 1st of 10 - 5th of 11 - 1st of 7 - 1st of 4 - 1st of 4 - 1st of 13

Weekend runners:
Rubber Ball (2:27 San)
Sporting Ace (Sun, 4:48 War)

The Purist informs us to stick with runners that have strong Cheltenham course form, along with a preference for better ground (good to soft).

Indeed, runners with previous Cheltenham Festival form in March, on similar ground, deserve an extra tick.

THE SHORTEST PRICE - WODHOOH (2:40 Mares’ Hurdle, Thursday)

Just one defeat over hurdles (9 wins from 10), to the classy Lossiemouth. Handles soft ground should any rain arrive on Thursday.

THE MEDIUM PRICE - BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD (4:00 Champion Hurdle, Tuesday)

Had a niggling problem when fourth in this 12 months ago, but returned to her best in the Irish Champion Hurdle last month.

THE MEDIUM PRICE - WENDIGO (2:00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, Wednesday)

An eyecatching fifth of 20 over hurdles here 12 months ago. Improved over the bigger fences this season and capable of upsetting the Irish.

THE MEDIUM PRICE - HAITI COULEURS (4:00 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Friday)

Won the Irish Grand National and the Welsh Grand National over further. Will be suited if rain arrives and it becomes a real stamina test up the steep finish.

THE MEDIUM PRICE - WADE OUT (5:20 Challenge Cup Handicap Chase, Friday)

Shapes like he’ll enjoy this longer trip. Nothing went right last time (lost a shoe), but returns to the scene of his impressive win in November.

THE LONGER PRICE - LEADER D’ALLIER (1:20 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Tuesday)

Only had two hurdle races, winning the second. That victory may have only been a small race, but he fits the ‘could be anything’ category. Worth an each-way bet.

THE LONGER PRICE - KAPPA JY PYKE (2:00 Arkle Chase, Tuesday)

Beat a good horse to go 2-2 over chases. A quick jumper who should enjoy this fast-run test. The favourite Kopek Des Bordes is respected, so Kappa Jy Pyke is each-way material.

Keep a sharp eye on the weekend form of trainers ahead of Cheltenham…

Paul Nicholls’ runners may have gone quiet. Just 2 wins from his last 41 runners, including two seconds on Friday.

Nicky Henderson has his runners in good form. He seems ‘very hopeful’ about Calimystic at Sandown (3:35), adding that ‘he’s looking great now’ (Unibet).

Dan Skelton is ticking along nicely. Lune Brilliante aims to get back in the winner’s enclosure at Sandown (3:00) after defeat at Huntingdon where the track ‘was just way too tight for her’ (Ladbrokes).

► ITV3 (free): Sandown 1:50, 2:27, 3:00, 3:35; Wolverhampton 2:05, 2:42, 3:15
► Sky Sports Racing (free): Hereford, Wolverhampton
► Racing UK (subscription): Ayr, Chelmsford, Gowran Park, Sandown; Sunday: Carlisle, Naas, Warwick.

This time next week, Cheltenham will be done and dusted 😭

However, it will then be time for the Nationals - the Grand National, Scottish National, Irish National, and next week the Midlands National at Uttoxeter.

We’ll cover that marathon next week, along with the start of the Irish Flat season.

Never a dull moment in racing, is there?

Until next Friday…

...keep ‘em peeled 👀