'The Willie Mullins bingo horse' - The Tuesday Cheltenham Festival Acca

It's finally here, the 2026 Cheltenham Festival begins on Tuesday afternoon following months of anticipation and weeks of speculation and previews.

The action gets underway with the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at 1.20pm and will feature a trio of Grade 1 contests headlined by the Champion Hurdle at 4.00pm.

My day one Cheltenham acca is below and it could be a big afternoon for one particular birthday boy!

Cheltenham Tuesday Acca, March 10

• Mighty Park — Supreme Novices' Hurdle @ 3/1
• Winston Junior - Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle @ 7/1
• The New Lion — Champion Hurdle @ 2/1
• Guard The Moon - National Hunt Challenge Cup @ 16/1

Acca pays @ 1,631/1

Mighty Park — Supreme Novices' Hurdle

The 'Willie Mullins bingo' horse for this year's Grade 1 novice hurdles has been Mighty Park The Turners was long favoured but, in the end, connections have settled on the Supreme for the French import that won by 38-lengths at Fairyhouse on his stable debut in a race that has worked out well.

He lacks experience but clearly Mullins rates him highly — he compared him to Faugheen — and this looks an ominous bit of targeting as the Closutton chief bids for his record-extending ninth Supreme win.

Owner JP McManus has a record 84 successes at this meeting already and, on the occasion of his 75th birthday, Mighty Park can kick-start a major afternoon for the green and gold hoops.

Winston Junior - Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle

Trainer Faye Bramley has an above average performer on her hands in Winston Junior the aptly-named son of Churchill. He was winless on the Flat but ran to a mark of 89 in that sphere for Jessica Harrington.

He took runners-up medals on his first two starts over timber, including in a Triumph Hurdle Trial here in December behind Minella Study when he was a bit keen and met some trouble in running before staying on well for a clear second.

He scored with any amount in hand at Ascot in January and an opening handicap mark of 131 could be well within his range.

The New Lion — Champion Hurdle

The McManus silks could be to the fore again in the day one feature where The New Lion is taken to win the Champion Hurdle for Dan and Harry Skelton, allowing the former to get his first taste of success in a Championship race at this meeting.

A Grade 1-winning novice at this meeting 12 months ago in the Turners, that proven stamina bodes well for the Champion Hurdle. His Newcastle mishap in November was banished with a Trials Day success here in January and there remains plenty of scope for better on what is just his seventh start over obstacles.

The generous pace expected here with the likes of Tutti Quanti in the field should help and The New Lion can give McManus his 10th victory in this two-mile showpiece after the likes of Istabraq (1998, 1999, 2000), Binocular (2010), Jezki (2014), Buveur D'air (2017, 2018), Espoir d'Allen (2019) and Epatante (2020).

Guard The Moon - National Hunt Challenge Cup

Nigel Twiston-Davies' Guard The Moon is 2-3 over fences and could have more to offer. He made a juddering error at Newbury in December and was soon pulled up but he responded by winning at Windsor over an extended three-miles in January.

Again, his jumping posed one or two minor concerns but that looks an experience thing as much as anything and going over this longer trip should suit. He has scope for better and a 4lb nudge in the ratings isn't prohibitive for Sam Twiston-Davies' partner.