Cheltenham Festival Day One Tips: 'Ammes made a seamless transition to hurdles'

The wait is over as the 2026 Cheltenham Festival gets underway on Tuesday with a fantastic seven-race card, three of them Grade 1s and four hugely competitive handicaps.

The action kicks off at 13:20 and runs through to the finale at 17:20 and our expert, Marcus Buckland, has provided selections and analysis for three of the races on the card.

Tuesday’s Cheltenham Tips

A smart bumper horse for Gary and Josh Moore last season, finishing fifth of 17 behind Bambino Fever in the Grade 1 Champion Bumper here and second at the Punchestown Festival, El Cairos has taken well to hurdles for Gordon Elliott this term and fits the bill in a cracking renewal of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

The six-year-old has been spoken of glowing terms by his new connections since fetching an eyewatering £410,000 at David Maxwell’s dispersal sale in October, Jack Kennedy reporting him to be fastest horse he’s sat on - a list that includes Labaik, who won this race in 2017.

He was set to win impressively on his hurdling debut at Leopardstown on Boxing Day when coming down at the last and gained a confidence-boosting success at Thurles in January on ground far softer than ideal.

He wasn’t great at the final flight on that occasion either, but he’s got a tremendous cruising speed and will take plenty of beating if putting in a clear round.

14:40 Cheltenham - Ammes

An opening handicap mark of 128 very likely underestimates James Owen’s Ammes, who prior to his defeat in the Listed Wensleydale Hurdle at Wetherby in October, was towards the top of the betting with most firms for the Triumph Hurdle.

The four-year-old showed useful form in handicaps from 1m4f to 1m6f last summer, including when finishing sixth in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot off 86 and runner-up off the same mark at Glorious Goodwood.

He made a seamless transition to hurdles, winning in effortless style at Sedgefield and Chepstow before losing out by less than a length to Minella Study at Wetherby when sent-off at odds of just 2-5f.

The winner followed up in a Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham and is a leading fancy for that race here on Friday, so the form looks strong.

16:40 Cheltenham - Booster Bob

Ollie Murphy’s Booster Bob faded steadily from the second-last when only fifth behind Donacha on the New Course here in January, but he has reportedly been treated for ulcers since then and could well bounce back under Sean Bowen in what is a wildly competitive Plate Handicap Chase.

The selection finished with a wet sail to win the Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury off a mark of 126 a little over a year ago and he’s run only twice since, including a win in the Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase over an extended 2m6f back at the Berkshire track in November off 132.

Up another 9lb here last time, he didn’t run at all badly to be beaten 14.5 lengths, especially considering the underlying health problems which have now been treated.