Ten tips for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival is here again. Months and months of will he, will she, won't he, won't she; this stable is flying, I've heard this, I've heard that. That horse is better than this horse.

You hear everything, whether it's at a racecourse, whether you look at your phone and look at social media, it's all Cheltenham focused.

The gallop mornings have taken place, the horses have arrived. The videos coming through social media of different horses having a roll, having a pick of grass, are here. And tomorrow at 1:20pm, the famous roar will start and the week of carnage, happiness, sadness, excitement, disarray, and anticipation all begins, and we're into the rock and roll stuff.

El Cairos - Supreme Novices' Hurdle 9/1 - Tuesday

I'm going to start with the first race, and it's a horse that I've been sweet on since he took a fall, and that's El Cairos. He was a point-to-point winner, and since then he was trained by Gary Moore and ridden by amateur jockey David Maxwell, who owned the horse.

But in his dispersal sale, he sold the horse and the 'Keeping The Dream Alive' syndicate bought El Cairos.

What he did in Leopardstown that day to two good horses in Doctor Du Mesnil and Murat blew my mind.

He went past them like nothing was there and had a complete freak accident after the last flight. He then went on to Thurles and easily defeated the Willie Mullins-trained Roc Dino. It was a very impressive performance and his jumping sharpened up throughout the run. But again, a final flight error nearly cost this horse.

It's clear that the way to ride this fella is with patience. I suspect in tomorrow's Supreme Novices' Hurdle there's going to be a burn-up, up front with plenty of pace.

Horses like Sober Glory, Too Bossy For Us, Old Park Star, and Mighty Park will look to dominate this event. I think it'll be run quite quickly, which would suit a horse like El Cairos.

I can imagine Jack Kennedy has already run through this race 10 to 20 times, and each time I'd say the proposition of just delivering this fella with one push after the last is all he wants to do, just to make sure he gets over safely so there can be no hard luck stories.

He's a fantastic horse with a huge change of gear and I don't think we've seen the best of him this season.

He is my pick for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and at 9-1 and I feel it is a very fair each-way price.

Kopek Des Bordes - Arkle Novices' Chase 13/8 - Tuesday

My second pick is going to come from a favourite of mine, which is Kopek Des Bordes. He's an outstanding six-year-old son of No Risk At All and I feel he could actually be one of the most talented horses in training.

We saw him land onto the scene in Fairyhouse on the 31st of March in 2024 when he decimated the field and won by 13 lengths in the famous George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper.

Since then he has progressed through the ranks and looked like an absolute superstar. He won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle last year and made his chase debut in Navan on the 17th of November, which I was very lucky to play a small part in that day when linking up with the owners of the horse for a video which featured on irishracing.com.

Since then he's been met with a slight setback, which meant he was out of the Christmas Festival in Leopardstown and out of the Dublin Racing Festival. But through looking at social media, clips arose of him schooling in Punchestown and Fairyhouse, and we've heard all the comments from the likes of Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh who have said that this horse was electric that day and they were extremely impressed.

It looks a tough race with the likes of Kargese, who is a fabulous mare. Steel Ally and Jax Junior are good jumpers, and you have Lulamba who will definitely appreciate further in time.

My worry with Lulamba is that it's 13 fences in the Arkle they have to jump, and I'm not sure if he'll have warmed up by the sixth fence.

I feel if he is too far back he could find himself in a similar situation to Jango Baie last season, where he looked like he was struggling to come home before final flight errors from Majborough gifted him the race and allowed him to win the Arkle.

I do think Lulamba has more speed than Jango Baie, but I just think this will be a bit of a burn-up of a race, quite similar to when Dysart Dynamo, Jonbon, and El Fabiolo ran in the Arkle years ago.

I believe on pure ability, and at the trip that Kopek Des Bordes is the one to beat still.

I'm willing to take his ability over the experience. He's a fantastic horse who has built up a popular fan base, and I feel it would add to the hype around him if he was to go and win this race. It would be one hell of a training performance from Willie Mullins, who nobody can ever doubt in situations such as this.

The Short Go - Ultima Handicap Chase 20/1 - Wednesday

Another big-price horse that I fancy is The Short Go in the Ultima Handicap Chase.

Unfortunately the Irish do not have a good record in this race, but I feel this horse does have a good squeak and he definitely has the experience to run well.

The Short Go, trained by Henry de Bromhead, was fifth in this race last year off 132, so he's six pounds higher this year, but he's been to Cheltenham twice this season and he has run well on both occasions.

I just think that if things go his way on the day, 20-1 could look like a big price.

Henry de Bromhead is unbelievable at getting horses to run well at the Cheltenham Festival and with Darragh O'Keeffe on board I'd be more than happy to take 20-1 that he could run himself into a place.

Iceberg Theory - National Hunt Chase 9/1- Tuesday

The next horse that I'm looking at is a horse called Iceberg Theory in the National Hunt Chase, the last race on Tuesday. Still only a seven-year-old, I think he has some brilliant form in the book already.

I look back to when he ran in a handicap hurdle in Navan on the 7th of December, and in front of him that day were Backmersackme, Flicker Of Hope, and Oscar's Brother, who have gone on to further success since.

On the 17th of March he made his chase debut in Wexford where he was a length and a quarter behind Majestic Force, who was just narrowly beaten by Spindleberry, who is going in as the second favourite into the Mares' Chase this week.

He has looked like the improvement in trip has suited him down to the ground and in Cork on his latest start he beat a horse called O'Toole by six and a half lengths, and O'Toole has since gone on to frank the form by winning a handicap chase at Leopardstown.

Conor Stone-Walsh takes three pounds off this horse and I feel the further step up in trip and the form of trainer Paul Nolan's horses will have this horse in a great place for the race. I think at 9-1 again he is an extremely fair each-way bet.

It looks a very smart race on paper and I think this horse can go on to improve again and again.

Ballyfad - Turner's Novices' Hurdle 13/2- Wednesday

Taking a look at Wednesday and looking at the Turners Novice Hurdle, Ballyfad I think is another great selection. At 13-2 he looks a great each-way play.

It's a brilliant renewal of the Turners Novice Hurdle and there'll definitely be bookmakers playing four places with plenty of runners.

Ballyfad has kept improving this season and with two bumper wins, a maiden hurdle victory at Christmas that you could only describe as devastating, along with a battling performance at the Dublin Racing Festival when just pipped on the line by Supreme Novices' Hurdle second favourite Talk To Talk, I feel this step up in trip will definitely suit Ballyfad.

He's always shaped as a horse that wants further in trip and I think it will play to his strengths. All he wants to do is fight and stay. When you have a horse willing to stick his neck out like him I think it's brilliant for a race like this.

Gigginstown owned and Gordon Elliott trained a horse called Don Cossack who always gave his all, and I feel this horse is the next Don Cossack. I rate him that highly and I think he has a superb chance in this race.

I'll be eager to see how he gets on, and I say next year if he's over a fence he'll be even better.

Jasko Des Dames - Grand Annual 16/1- Wednesday

On Wednesday we have the Grand Annual and a horse that I've been looking at for quite some time is Jasko Des Dames. He is a seven-year-old trained by Henry de Bromhead who will be ridden by Darragh O'Keeffe, and I don't think we've seen the best of this horse yet.

Last year he looked very promising over fences and was fifth in this race, and I feel with the drying ground this horse could have a massive say in the race.

On his opening start this season he was beaten fair and square by Calico, a horse who always does well fresh. Calico then went on to win a highly rated and respected handicap chase in Ascot where he beat JPR One, who is rated 160.

I think that off a rating of 136, Jasko Des Dames at 16-1 each way could be a bet to have on side.

He likes travelling with the pace and there's plenty of pace on show here with the likes of Be Aware, Jazzy Matty, and Addragoole, along with Personal Ambition and also Touch Me Not, definitely horses that will want to go out in front and stake their claim.

I feel turning in this horse could still be travelling well and, if seeing out the trip on this dry ground, he could have a big say. I'm expecting him to run quite a good race.

Bambino Fever - Mares' Novices' Hurdle 4/5 - Thursday

On to Thursday and we have the Mares' Novice Hurdle, and for me I think the favourite Bambino Fever could be the Irish banker of the week.

She's a six-year-old mare who was unbeaten in her bumper season, capping off a victory at the Cheltenham Festival with one at Punchestown.

She was beaten by Old School Outlaw in Naas in December, but at a time when Willie Mullins' horses weren't firing to their usual extent and looked as if they needed a run.

She seemed to enjoy herself more in Fairyhouse on her next start and I just think coming into this race she will improve further again, while I'm not sure the same improvement can come from Old School Outlaw.

I'd be extremely wary of Carrigmoorna Spruce from the Declan Queally yard. James Bowen has been booked to ride and she has Grade 1 form, so she looks a lovely horse in that race.

But I just think Bambino Fever has the highest ceiling in this division and I think she'll go on to victory.

Minella Academy - Triumph Hurdle 25/1- Friday

Looking at Friday, I think there's a horse in the Triumph Hurdle that could be going slightly under the radar.

The Triumph this year definitely has a different look to it and there's not much experience on show. Narciso Has had looked the form horse coming into the race but unfortunately he has been met with a setback and is ruled out of the event.

I feel for the HOS Syndicate they have a real-life chance in new recruit Minella Academy.

He was a winner of a Cork maiden hurdle where he was well punted that day from huge prices into 4-5 favourite, where he was ridden confidently by Daniel King. He jumped exceptionally well that day and travelled like a very good horse.

I just feel that in a race like this where they're sure to go fast he could be one that will enjoy that, and he is definitely less exposed as well.

He was sold for £370,000 and will look to be a high-class jumps and flat horse for the HOS Syndicate and Willie Mullins.

At 25-1 I feel this horse could have an each-way chance in a race that's highly competitive.

Espresso Milan - Albert Bartlett 12/1 - Friday

Looking again at Friday and the next race is the Albert Bartlett.

A horse that I've been singing the praises of since he won his maiden hurdle in Punchestown is Espresso Milan. I've tipped him up through some Irish Racing

Cheltenham Festival content while doing various preview nights and preview videos, and he's a horse I just think could fit the conditions of this race still.

He was a good winner in Punchestown, as I already mentioned, and I feel he can improve again, especially off his latest start in Thurles where he stepped up from two miles to two miles six furlongs.

He looked all the way that he was gaining experience and learning how to race properly.

The Albert Bartlett is a race where there are no guarantees. We've seen some big-priced winners over the years with the likes of The Nice Guy and Stay Away Fay.

So it's definitely one that can suit a horse that is still developing.

Doctor Steinberg is a worthy favourite, but I would just be slightly hesitant on him as I feel the way his racing style is might not suit the demands of this race.

I feel Espresso Milan has the profile that he will stay further than this trip in time, and I feel he's a horse with plenty of potential that we might not have seen the end of yet.

It's On The Line - Hunter's Chase 11/2- Friday

I like the chances of It's On The Line in the Hunters' Chase.

He's a horse who has been to the Festival three times and three times he has finished second in this race, which is quite an achievement. He definitely has his quirks, but he also has plenty of talent as well.

They have changed up his usual route and he has bypassed a Naas Hunter's Chase, which I feel will definitely help him, as that race in Naas can be tough on horses, although it gives them great experience as well.

But I think this could be the year for It's On The Line. He's another year older and on his reappearance in Down Royal I thought he shaped impressively that day and it was not his usual performance where he's constantly off the bridle.

I think if travelling just that bit sweeter and having something to aim at up the straight it'll give him a big chance.

At 11-2 I feel it's a good price as I actually think he'll go off potentially shorter than 4-1, maybe 7-2 on the day, as I feel punters will latch on to this horse as it's the end of the festival.