Friday 13th March 2026
“Welcome aboard to our fourth and final blog for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. Taking a look back at Thursday’s results, Bambino Fever, our NAP, didn’t feature in the opener, which was very disappointing; however, our each-way pick Charme De Faust got into the placings, finishing fourth, making it a profitable race for us as she was put up at 16/1, and even drifted to 28/1 on the day. We had several other places on the day, Regent’s Stroll, Bob Olinger, and Kim Roque, all placed, and were put up each-way at 5/1, 7/1, and 8/1 respectively. Wodhooh also got the job done in the Mares, which was a winner for us. Disappointments came in the form of Teahupoo in the Stayers and Impaire Et Passe in the Ryanair. Another each-way pick, Bold Endeavour, narrowly missed out on the six places on offer when finishing seventh in the Pertemps, which was frustrating. It was a minor loss on the day for the blog, but we go into the final day in profit and 2-1 up, with everything still to play for.” – Jordan.
The first race on the fourth day of the meeting is the Triumph Hurdle at 1.20, a Grade 1 affair which is contested over two miles. Willie Mullins has trained the last four winners of this race, and he has an incredibly strong hand in this year’s renewal. I think that he can take it again, and I’ve backed two of his in this, firstly with PROACTIF, who’s the mount of Mark Walsh. He’s a very well-regarded sort who has won both of his starts to date, the first coming when trained in France, and then on stable debut at Fairyhouse in January, where he beat the reopposing Macho Man by two and three-quarters of a length. That was an impressive display, as Macho Man is also well-regarded. There’s every chance that this could be another extremely talented one for Closutton, and significant improvement from his debut success is likely.
I’ve actually had an ante-post best on SELMA DE VARY, so she’s going to have to go up as another main selection in the race. You probably could still play both of them at the current prices, with the big field, but it’s not something I’d generally do. I really liked her run at the Dublin Racing Festival when finishing second to the previous favourite of this race, Narciso Has, as she made eye-catching headway in the closing stages to finish second. That was her first run for Willie Mullins, making the run even more impressive, so she should improve significantly coming into her second start here, which makes her a big player. I think she has the potential to be a really nice type.
Selma De Vary (11/4) (Win) (NB) & Proactif (9/2) (Each-Way) – 1.20 Cheltenham.
Next up, it’s the County Hurdle at 2.00, a Premier Handicap that’s contested over two miles and half of a furlong. This is another race of which Willie Mullins has a very strong record, winning three of the last four renewals with some very talented horses. Most recently, he won it with Arkle winner Kargese, as well as Absurde in 2024, and future Champion Hurdle winner State Man in 2022. That suggests that he generally targets the race with a graded performer, and he may well have found another one with KARBAU, who’s the notable choice of Paul Townend. He had some very solid form to his name last Spring as a novice, finishing third in Grade 1 company at Aintree and Punchestown behind Salvator Mundi and Irancy. He made his return to the track at Naas in January when finishing a length second of seven in Grade 3 company behind Glen Kiln, and he had smart types in behind him that day in Farren Glory, Workahed, and Kel Histoire. He could be a fair bit better than this level, and a big run would be no surprise.
Due to the current prices, I’ve decided to play the other Mullins runner as well here, and that’s MURCIA, who’s currently trading at the best price of 7/1 under Danny Mullins. She also has some very strong form to her name, having won the Grade 1 four-year-old contest at Aintree last Spring, before finishing fourth of twelve behind Lulamba at the Punchestown Festival. She’s only a couple of pounds higher here than when she finished fourth of nineteen in a Listed handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out, and she has to be considered as a serious player.
Karbau (9/2) (Each-Way) & Murcia (7/1) (Each-Way) (6 places) – 2.00 Cheltenham.
The third race of the day is the Grade 2 Mares’ Chase at 2.40, and this particular affair is contested over two miles and four and a half furlongs. Last year’s winner Dinoblue will be a warm order at the top of the betting here, and is the one who sets the standard for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh.
I’ve tried to take her on, though, with one at a slightly bigger price, and I’ve done that with the ten-year-old PANIC ATTACK for the Skeltons. She’s a very likeable mare, who has looked better than ever this term despite her advancing years. She won the Paddy Power Gold Cup here in November, then remarkably followed up at Newbury when winning the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury. That is the best form on offer in this race for me, and a repeat of either of those runs could well be enough to topple the likes of Dinoblue here. She’s a big player, and I think that she can go very close.
Panic Attack (11/4) (Win) – 2.40 Cheltenham.
We move back into Grade 1 company at 3.20, with the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle taking centre-stage over three miles. I’m fairly strong on the chances of DOCTOR STEINBERG here, who represents the all-conquering team of Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. He’s been progressing this term rapidly, and posted one of the performances of the weekend at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out when taking Grade 1 honours by eight lengths. He steps up to three miles here, which is highly likely to bring out further improvement, given how well he kept on last time, and I think he’s a big player. He’s also versatile ground-wise, having won on good and heavy going.
Thedeviluno is also progressive for Paul Nolan and Sean O’Keeffe, and is a player on the back of his five-length success at Doncaster last time out. One at a bigger price who could go well is Spinningayarn for Gordon Elliott, who’s looked impressive in maiden and novice company. There should be more to come from him over this trip.
Doctor Steinberg (7/2) (Win) – 3.20 Cheltenham.
The fourth race of the day is the big one, coming up at 4.00, it’s the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, the showpiece Grade 1 over three miles and two and a half furlongs. It’s one of the best renewals for several years this time around, and I’m siding with GAELIC WARRIOR, who’s a personal favourite of mine for Willie Mullins, who’s the mount of Paul Townend. He’s a very likable and talented horse, he won the Arkle here a couple of years ago, and has since been stepped up in trip, where he’s gone from strength to strength. He won the Group 1 Aintree Bowl last Spring over three miles and a furlong in excellent style, beating Grey Dawning by three lengths, and opened his account this term with a gutsy win over Fact To File in the John Durkan. He lost nothing in defeat to that rival last time out in the Irish Gold Cup when finishing second, as he’s not best suited to Leopardstown. I think that he has a fantastic chance back at Cheltenham, and he can give Willie Mullins another win in the race.
King George winner The Jukebox Man is a clear big player; he got the better of Gaelic Warrior in the King George last time out, and would be a popular winner for Ben Pauling and owner Harry Redknapp. The home challenge has another very live challenger in Jango Baie, who was also involved in the finish in the King George, finishing third. He won the Arkle last year and should appreciate this distance.
Gaelic Warrior (4/1) (Win) (NAP) – 4.00 Cheltenham.
It’s the penultimate race of the meeting at 4.40, and this is the Hunter’s Chase, which is contested over three miles and two and a half furlongs. I think that this could well be fourth time lucky for IT’S ON THE LINE for Emmet Mullins and Derek O’Connor. He’s finished second in each of the last three runnings of this particular race, despite winning the last three runnings of the Punchestown equivalent. He won a hunters chase at Down Royal on his penultimate start on Boxing Day, and he’s remarkably still only a nine-year-old. He’s got a rock-solid profile, and he should give his running once again.
Last year’s narrow winner, Wonderwall, should be on the premises again; he’s won his last four starts, and is a big player once more. Panda Boy is another to note; he was a smart chaser in his day and has won back-to-back hunters’ chases in his last two starts.
It’s On The Line (11/2) (Each-Way) (4 places) – 4.40 Cheltenham.
Signing us off for the week will be the 5.20, and this is the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, over two miles and four and a half furlongs. I’ve actually got a good record in this race from a punting perspective, and I’ve tried my hand in this year’s renewal with two fancies. The first of which is ROC DINO for Willie Mullins and John Shinnick. He’s an unexposed type who makes his handicap debut here, with plenty of improvement likely. He’s had two starts since joining Closutton from France, and has finished behind Mighty Park and El Cairos when finishing second in each of them. He’s supposedly well regarded within the yard, and it would be no surprise to see him play a big role here.
I also like WENDROCK for Gordon Elliott and Carl Millar. Gordon has won the last two runnings of this race with Wodhooh and Better Days Ahead, and this has likely been the plan for this five-year-old. He ran well in the Fred Winter at last year’s meeting when finishing sixth, and that run came off a two-pound higher mark. Notably, he also ran well on his sole try at this distance at Leopardstown on his penultimate start when finishing fifth of sixteen in a competitive Listed handicap. I think he can go well again at a decent price here.
Roc Dino (8/1) (Each-Way) & Wendrock (11/1) (Each-Way) (6 places) – 5.20 Cheltenham
