Wednesday 11th March 2026
“Welcome to our preview for Day 2 of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday. Taking a look back on our results on Tuesday, it was a good first day for us, as we ended the day in profit, with a couple of winners and several places on the day. Old Park Star won the Supreme, who we put up at 5/2, and Mydaddypaddy finished third, who was put up as an each-way alternative at 8/1. So, a great result for us in the opener. Unfortunately, our NAP of the day, Lulamba, made a bad mistake two out in the Arkle, and he could only manage third in the end. We also had a near miss in the Ultima with Jagwar, who we put up at 4/1; he finished strongly under Mark Walsh, but errors ultimately cost him, and he had to settle for second. The highlight of the day had to be Lossiemouth, who was another great result for us; she powered away in the Champion Hurdle and landed the 2/1 selection. We secured profit with two places in the National Hunt Chase, One Big Bang, and Iceberg Theory, put up at 10/1 & 9/1 respectively, both ran good races and finished third and fifth. A couple of disappointments would be Madness d’Ellle, who didn’t feature on what was the Fred Winter, and Down Memory Lane, who never got involved in the novice handicap chase. We head into Wednesday in the green, so best of luck if you’re following.” – Jordan
The first race on day two is the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Hurdle at 1.20, which is contested over two miles and five furlongs. This year’s renewal has attracted a mammoth field of twenty-two runners, which is great to see. As we’ve got a big field, I’ve had two plays in the race. The main selection is NO DRAMA THIS END for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden. He’s looked very exciting this season since going over hurdles, winning a Grade 2 over course and distance on his hurdles debut, before following up with another Grade 2 success at Sandown in easy style, winning by five lengths on that occasion. Most recently, he added a Grade 1 to his CV when winning the Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December, in a race that probably wasn’t run to suit. He looks like he could be another potential star for Paul Nicholls, and a big run is highly likely.
I quite like one at a massive price as well here, and that’s LAURETS D’ESTRUVAL for Willie Mullins and Brian Hayes. You’ll rarely see a Mullins runner in the Ricci silks at 40/1 for a Grade 1 at Cheltenham, but that’s the price this five-year-old is currently trading at. He’s a French recruit who progressed from his second-placed effort behind the useful Starting Fifteen on debut, to win by thirteen lengths at Thurles last time out in February. That form doesn’t set the world alight, with Jet To Monte Carlo in second; however, the Mullins charge does have scope for plenty of improvement. He won going away on that occasion, so could relish this step up in distance, and I think he’s worth a small stake each-way play.
King Rasko Grey is seemingly the Mullins first-string here, and he’s an obvious danger with Paul Townend on board. Skylight Hustle is also a big player for Gordon Elliott, coming into the race after winning a Grade 1 by five lengths last time out.
No Drama This End (7/2) (Win) (NB) & Laurets d’Estruval (40/1) (Each-Way) (4 places)- 1.20 Cheltenham.
The second race of the afternoon on Wednesday is the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at 2.00, and this is more Grade 1 action, this time over fences and over three miles and a furlong. I’m keeping the faith with FINAL DEMAND here for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. He was one of the most exciting horses to look forward to coming into this season, following his sixteen-length victory over hurdles at the Punchestown Festival, after finishing third in the Turner’s here last year. His first two starts over fences this term were back-to-back victories by a combined total of twenty-one lengths, with the second of those coming in Grade 1 company at Limerick in December, propelling him to the top of the betting for this race at a short price. However, his jumping let him down at the Dublin Racing Festival, and he could only manage an underwhelming third. He’s clearly a lot better than that, and as a result of that run, we’re getting a decent price about him here. If he bounces back to form, he has to be a major threat to all.
The main danger will very likely come from Romeo Coolio for Gordon Elliott, who comes into the race having won three Grade 1s on the spin, and will be a warm order at the top of the betting. Koktail Divin is another to note for Henry De Bromhead, following an impressive display at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Final Demand (6/1) (Each-Way) (4 places) – 2.00 Cheltenham.
We move on to the 2.40 now, which is handicap action in the form of the BetMGM Cup, a Premier Handicap hurdle over two miles and five furlongs on the old course. I’ve actually got quite a strong fancy for this particular affair, and this horse was my solitary ante-post bet for the meeting. He’s shortened up in the betting since I punted on him, and that’s STORM HEART for the team of Willie & Danny Mullins. He’s a classy horse and was sent off favourite for the Triumph Hurdle here a couple of years ago. He’s looked better than ever since returning to the track this term, winning back-to-back races with the most recent being a Grade 3 at Gowran Park last month. He’s got to have a huge chance in handicap company here, given his form. Willie Mullins has had a lot of success targeting handicaps with graded performers, and won this race last year with a similar type in Jimmy Du Seuil.
I’ve also had a small each-way play on Nicky Henderson’s JINGKO BLUE in this particular affair, who’s the mount of James Bowen. He’s another horse who’s a classy performer on his day, and actually won a Grade 2 novice chase last season. He was last seen when finishing second behind the highly progressive Kabral Du Mathan in the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle here on New Year’s Day, and I think he can run a big race within this company.
Storm Heart (6/1) (Each-Way) (NAP) & Jingko Blue (11/1) (Each-Way) (6 places) – 2.40 Cheltenham.
Next up is the most unique race of the meeting: the Cross Country Chase at 3.20, ridden over three miles and five and a half furlongs. This is a race which has seen many a legend take the spoils over the years, and in this year’s renewal, I’ve come down on DESERTMORE HOUSE for Martin Brassil and Ricky Doyle. He was an excellent second to Busselton within this sphere in the La Touche Cup at last year’s Punchestown Festival, off just a three-pound lower mark, and has since won a point-to-point and a handicap chase. He was seen to best effect over hurdles at Leopardstown last time out, but he should feel much more at home here, and he should be primed for this.
Last year’s winner Stumpton is an obvious massive danger for Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue, who’s made these races his own in recent times. Gordon Elliott’s Favori De Champdou is another big player following his impressive win on the course on Trials Day.
Desertmore House (9/2) (Each-Way) (4 places) – 3.20 Cheltenham.
We now move on to the feature race on Wednesday at 4.00: the Grade 1 Champion Chase over two miles. This race has been a bit of a graveyard for favourites in recent years; however, I do think that MAJBOROUGH can buck that trend here for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh. He did well to finish as close as he did to Jango Baie in the Arkle last year, given his jumping errors, and made amends for that defeat with a fourteen-length victory in the Punchestown Festival. He was slightly underwhelming in his first two starts of this season; however, bounced back to form in devastating fashion with a hugely impressive victory in the Grade 1 Dublin Chase last time out at the Dublin Racing Festival. If he turns up in that form again here, he’ll be tough to beat.
Willie Mullins also sends Il Etait Temps, who would’ve been close to favourite for this race had he not flopped in the Clarence House. He’s a big player if he returns to the form of his Tingle Creek success, he has struggled to act at Cheltenham in the past, though. L’Eau Du Sud is perhaps another danger for the Skeltons; he was a fourteen-length winner of the Shloer Chase here at the November Meeting.
Majborough (5/6) (Win) – 4.00 Cheltenham.
The sixth and penultimate race on Wednesday is the Grand Annual Handicap Chase at 4.40, which is run over two miles. Another extremely competitive affair, of which I’ve sided with the Ben Pauling-trained VANDERPOEL, who’s the mount of Ben Jones. The yard has had a fine season this term, and this seven-year-old has started to show his class in recent starts. He was a seven-length winner at Ascot on his penultimate outing, before following up with a four and a quarter length victory at Sandown last time out. He’ll need to prove that he can handle the big field here, with those victories coming in smaller sizes; however, the yard thinks a lot of him, and he’s progressing fast.
Be Aware is a big danger at the top of the betting for the Skelton, as he looks tailor-made for the race, and this race looks to have been a long-term plan for Henry De Bromhead’s Inthepocket, who’s another big player.
Vanderpoel (8/1) (Each-Way) (5 places) – 4.40 Cheltenham.
We sign things off on Wednesday with the Champion Bumper at 5.20, a Grade 1 National Hunt Flat Race, over two miles and half of a furlong. This is always a very tricky puzzle to solve; however, it could pay to side with the four-year-old QUIRYN here for Willie Mullins, who’s the choice of Paul Townend, which is notable itself, given the yard has several runners in the race. He’s a four-year-old by Arc winner Sottsass, and created a big impression when winning by nine lengths on debut at Naas in January. He gets weight from a lot of his rivals here, and whilst only Cue Card has won this as a four-year-old since 1995, he does look like a promising sort.
A big mention has to go to Bass Hunter for Chris Gordon; he was close to being my tip, however, I think he may struggle to dominate this race from the front. I still believe he’s a big player, though. Love Sign d’Aunou will be popular with punters in the Ricci silks. He looked very promising when winning assertively on debut for Willie Mullins.
Quiryn (9/1) (Each-Way) (4 places) – 5.20 Cheltenham.
