2026 Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival: the runners, the odds, the verdict

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The Unibet Champion Hurdle (4.00) is the big race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival and a stellar cast of nine runners will do battle over 2m½f. Who will win the headline event on Tuesday? Read on for our runner-by-runner guide.

• Full racecard: 4.00 Cheltenham: Unibet Champion Hurdle

1 Alexei

Acts on any ground; impressive in major handicap over course and distance in November; made harder work of justifying favouritism in the Kingwell (1m7f Grade 2) at Wincanton most recently, wandering under pressure to boot, and this is a stiffer assignment, but he's a broadly progressive contender who is 5-9 over hurdles and may rate higher still; possibilities in a year where some big names have dropped out.

Trainer: Joe Tizzard
Jockey: Brendan Powell
SP forecast: 20-1

2 Anzadam

Looked very promising in completing a Grade 3 double in great style upon joining Willie Mullins; has lost his unbeaten record since upped to Grade 1 level, beaten by Golden Ace in the Fighting Fifth then only fourth twice at Leopardstown (headstrong on penultimate start); however, this first taste of the Cheltenham Festival may facilitate a bigger effort, with the possibility of an ideal pace set-up and precise priming for this day.

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Patrick Mullins
SP forecast: 20-1

Get 60-1 on Lulamba or Kopek Des Bordes to win the Arkle 

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3 Poniros

Belied his 100-1 odds with a remarkable success in the Triumph at this meeting (2m1f, good to soft) last year on hurdles debut, collaring Lulamba who subsequently reversed placings with him at Punchestown and is a leading contender in the Arkle; ran below expectations at Royal Ascot but ran promisingly, with a view to this race, in the Irish Champion Hurdle on return from layoff (got detached in the back straight, ending up with plenty to do, then stayed on for third of five); could be open to plenty of further improvement with that outing under his belt and given his very low mileage in this sphere; very interesting back at Cheltenham.

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Danny Mullins
SP forecast: 14-1

4 The New Lion

Bids to emulate Istabraq, Hardy Eustace and Faugheen by winning the Champion Hurdle a year after landing the 2m5f Grade 1 novice hurdle at this meeting; held a length lead, still not under maximum pressure, when falling two out in the Fighting Fifth on reappearance; unbeaten otherwise and is better than the bare form he showed in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham (2m1f, soft) last time when the steady pace wasn't conducive to an ideal test; still has plenty of potential in open company and commands respect, especially with a stronger gallop seemingly on the cards.

Trainer: Dan Skelton
Jockey: Harry Skelton
SP forecast: 5-2

5 Tutti Quanti

Never-dangerous sixth in the Supreme on this card 12 months ago but ran well on bare figures despite a big change in tactics (normally leads or races prominently); took his strike-rate to 4-9 with wins in notable handicaps at Newbury (2m, soft/heavy) in November and February, last time defying top weight and proving thoroughly dominant in the race that fellow front-runner Make A Stand won in 1997 before following up in the Champion Hurdle; improving hurdler who is worth a crack at this prize in a reasonably open year and has been duly supplemented at a cost of £18,000.

Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Jockey: Harry Cobden
SP forecast: 20-1

6 Workahead

Lightly raced eight-year-old; dropped away from the top of the hill in the Supreme on this card 12 months ago, having raced freely and done too much up front; achieved best RPRs when scoring impressively at Leopardstown (strong maiden form) in December 2024 and good second in Grade 3 at Gowran Park (again over 2m; heavy) last time; faces a stiffer assignment and competition for the lead.

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
Jockey: Darragh O'Keeffe
SP forecast: 40-1

7 Brighterdaysahead

Has form on most types of ground; hasn't lived up to expectations at this meeting for the last two years, beaten by Golden Ace in the Grade 2 novice hurdle in 2024 and only fourth (weakening when hampered) in this contest in 2025; otherwise a very smart mare and produced one of her best performances in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown (2m, heavy) most recently, reversing December placings with Lossiemouth and registering a fourth Grade 1 success; leading contender, provided she transfers the form to this venue.

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Jack Kennedy
SP forecast: 9-2

8 Golden Ace

Record of 3-4 at Cheltenham features two Festival wins, beating Brighterdaysahead in the Grade 2 novice hurdle in 2024 then admittedly fortuitous (left in lead when State Man took a late fall; odds-on Constitution Hill exited earlier) when 25-1 in this race last year; also had fortune on her side in this season's Fighting Fifth as the front two in the market, including The New Lion, failed to complete; ran creditably on Boxing Day when last seen; largely consistent and should go well but may require further luck to retain her crown.

Trainer: Jeremy Scott
Jockey: Lorcan Williams
SP forecast: 13-2

Get 60-1 on Lulamba or Kopek Des Bordes to win the Arkle

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9 Lossiemouth

Versatile as regards ground; prolific and highly talented mare whose record of 13-17 features nine Grade 1 wins, including three at this meeting (Triumph and two Mares' Hurdles); 4-4 at this venue overall; failed to justify favouritism in the Irish Champion Hurdle most recently but ran creditably without managing to confirm December placings with Brighterdaysahead; has less to prove than that rival back at Cheltenham and holds a big chance at the weights; wears headgear for the first time.

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
SP forecast: 15-8f

Supreme Novices' Hurdle: the verdict

By Steve Boow, Spotlight tipster

A somewhat depleted Champion Hurdle with Sir Gino, Constitution Hill and State Man ruled out in advance due to various woes. However, it's still quite a deep field with some familiar names remaining and some unexposed/progressive types adding interest. The New Lion (second pick) is in a strong position to become the new champion, being unbeaten in completed starts and still promising after just two attempts in open company. However, Poniros looks a plausible alternative with his own ceiling not yet established. It takes some doing to land the Triumph on a first attempt over hurdles and the selection, who has raced only three times under this code, appears open to any amount of further improvement back at the Cheltenham Festival with the post-layoff DRF run under his belt.

Read more . . .

2026 Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival: the runners, the odds, the verdict  

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