Cheltenham Preview Show 2026: Ryanair Chase

The Ryanair picture is a murky one for punters at this stage with so many unknowns. However, Paddy Flood reckons he has found one at 20-1 worth a bet.

Paddy Flood’s Ryanair Chase Tip

I was thinking if the mare went here, Panic Attack, she'd be a great bet at 12 to one. Rarely do you get mares in that good form.

They tend to leave it all on the track. Her form this year has just been top notch and she could go here and run a big race on her way to a National.

She's a filly I really like. Everything she's won, she's won easily this year and every run she's been getting better and better.

She's one that stands out for me as a solid jumper, a good stayer and a classy mare.

Panic Attack - 12-1 with William Hill to win the Ryanair Chase

William Hill’s Sam Norris on the Ryanair Chase Market

Heart Wood, last year’s second, looks the only guaranteed runner for the race. He's seven to one.

The liabilities in the race - Fact To File has been a big loser in the book. He won it last year. I think if they went down this route then he would win it again. I don't think anything could beat him over this trip.

It looks as though Jonbon wants a longer trip these days, but we all know about his Cheltenham form. He's just not as good a horse at Cheltenham. It didn’t sound certain that they'd head here, but you'd imagine if it cuts up they'd probably be fairly tempted to go here.

He's got the option of the Melling at Aintree, which would probably suit him better. So it might be a case that JP does run him here.

We've seen a little bit for Impaire Et Passe as well. He's 12-1 into 8-1. Good comeback run at Gowran last time around in the Red Mills. He didn't show any real rust for his layoff since then, so he's a possibility.

But so much of it hinges on what Fact To File and Gaelic Warrior are going to do. People have latched on to Heart Wood a little bit as the only guaranteed runner.

He might get a walkover at this rate if everything else goes to the Gold Cup! He'll be favoured if he runs.

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