Cheltenham Festival Best Bets: Ultimate Preview Night

The Cheltenham Festival begins on Tuesday, and experts from our Ultimate Cheltenham Preview Night have come forward with their best bets for the week.

Racing Post+ Ultimate subscribers had first access to this series and can read the final instalment with our top tipster Tom Segal.

Tom Segal: 'He has a lot of strong Cheltenham Festival form and is undeniably well treated in the Kim Muir'

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David Jennings

Desertmore House

Cross Country Chase, 3.20 Wednesday

Stumptown will be giving him lumps of weight, as will Favori De Champdou, and the way Desertmore House scooted around Punchestown in November blew me away. He has some back class, winning the Kerry National in 2023, is trained by a master in Martin Brassil and seems to absolutely adore his new game.

Desertmore House15:20 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Martin Brassil

Patrick Mullins

Bambino Fever

Mares' Novices' Hurdle, 1.20 Thursday

She was beaten on her debut by a good mare who had the advantage of a run beforehand, and ours weren’t really firing at the time. The New course should suit her better again than the Old course, which she won on last year. She jumps well, has won at the festival, is a straightforward ride and I expect her to avenge that Naas defeat to Oldschool Outlaw.

Bambino Fever13:20 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: W P Mullins

Cheltenham Festival 2026 offer: get 33-1 on Sean Bowen to ride a winner

Steve Lewis Hamilton

Bob Olinger

Stayers' Hurdle, 3.20 Thursday

Bob Olinger and Teahupoo are the two proven form horses, with Teahupoo running very close to his best when beating Bob Olinger at Leopardstown over Christmas. I expect Bob Olinger to get much closer to Teahupoo at Cheltenham and in my view the market has them priced too far apart. Bob Olinger was superior to Teahupoo in this race last year, so at the odds on offer you could consider Bob Olinger to be my strongest fancy.

Bob Olinger15:20 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Henry De Bromhead

Keith Melrose

Newton Tornado

National Hunt Novices' Handicap Chase, 5.20 Tuesday

He is second favourite in most lists now, but is still so much more appealing than a few of those at the same sort of price. He showed both class and the ability to hang tough at Doncaster last time, which is what you need in this contest. Being trained by Rebecca Curtis helps in this race, too.

Newton Tornado17:20 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Rebecca Curtis

Davy Russell

Ballyfad

Turners Novices' Hurdle, 1.20 Wednesday

I love the way he goes about his business and 7-1 about him winning the Turners looks like value to me. He's a serious specimen and is going to make a smashing chaser next season.

Ballyfad13:20 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Gordon Elliott

Paul Kealy

Koktail Divin

Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, 2.00 Wednesday and Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase, 2.00 Thursday

I thought the Irish handicapper would give him a mark in the mid-150s at least for his latest success, but he plumped for just 149 and the BHA assessor, as usual with horses already rated quite highly, didn't go overboard, adding only 1lb to that. That's got to be a mighty tempting handicap mark, but he's in the Brown Advisory and that's the race Henry de Bromhead said he preferred. If that's still the case now De Bromhead knows what a nice rating he has for a handicap, I'm going to take that as a big vote of confidence and follow him in.

Johnny Dineen

The New Lion

Champion Hurdle, 4.00 Tuesday

if he avoids bad luck I can't see him being beaten. People are saying he's not a world-beater. Maybe they're right, but in my opinion he won't need to be anything close to a world-beater to win a poor Champion Hurdle. He's been trained all season with this race in mind and his win at the track in January was little more than an education to ensure he put in a clear round. There's far more upside to him than anything else.

The New Lion16:00 Cheltenham

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Jky: Harry Skelton Tnr: Dan Skelton

Richard Johnson

Lulamba

Arkle Novices' Chase, 2.00 Tuesday

He seems to have all the right attributes. Nicky Henderson is very good with these good horses, doing enough so that he's got some good experience but he still goes there as a fresh horse. He looks pretty solid to me.

Lulamba14:00 Cheltenham

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Jky: Nico de Boinville Tnr: Nicky Henderson

Donn McClean

Jango Baie

Gold Cup, 4.00 Friday

He could be this year’s young improver. The Arkle can be a good pointer to the following year’s Gold Cup. Kicking King ran in the Arkle and so did War Of Attrition and Sizing John. Best Mate would have run in it had foot and mouth not intervened.

Jango Baie16:00 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Nicky Henderson

Harry Wilson

Minella Study

Triumph Hurdle, 1.20 Friday

I’ve been all over him for the Triumph since he bolted up in the trial over course and distance at the December meeting. The time and form of that contest look rock-solid and he’d be favourite if handled by one of the bigger trainers in Britain or Ireland.

Minella Study13:20 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Adam Nicol

Ross Brierley

Heart Wood

Ryanair Chase, 4.00 Thursday

He is the exact type of horse I like to back small win, big place. If he runs the same race as last year, he’s impossible to throw out and he’s older, better and, crucially, this will be his second visit to the track, so he will almost certainly improve.

Heart Wood16:00 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Henry De Bromhead

Gary Wiltshire

Panda Boy

Princess Royal Open Hunters' Chase, 4.40 Friday

A pal of mine, who is a good judge and knows the form of these hunter chasers far better than I do, has been talking about this horse for a while. The money is coming, but there's still 15-2 around in a place. Because it comes after the Gold Cup, it's always a good race to take a bet on for the bookies.