Cheltenham 2026 preview: Day 3
12th March 2026
We’re at the halfway stage for the Cheltenham Festival 2026.
Majborough reminded us all of why this game is such a puzzle; he joined a growing list of recent odds-on favourites to have been beaten in the take-no-prisoners Champion Chase. Unfortunately we couldn’t find the winning alternative with L’Eau Du Sud (13/2) as he finished third.
There were two more winners on the tipping front as King Rasko Grey (11/1) and Jingko Blue (9/2) both did the business.
Agonisingly, the nap Jazzy Matty (8/1) was beaten a nose. That was a tough one to take, having been collared by a 66/1 shot.
There has been a significant pace bias for the first two days on the Old Course, with front-runners and prominently-ridden horses absolutely dominating results. We switch to the stamina-sapping New Course on Thursday and Friday, which may see a fairer set of results.
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Regular readers will know that Thursday is my least favourite day of the meeting and I’d tread carefully from a punting perspective.
1:20 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
Bambino Fever will be the popular pick to start the day as a winning favourite. She carried all before her in bumpers last season, but only has a solitary maiden hurdle win (at 1/10) to her name over obstacles.
She may well outclass these, but is passed over at the likely cramped odds.
LA CONQUIERE is interesting. This should be run to suit her running style and she can be seen to better effect in the larger field. Trainer Jamie Snowden knows what it takes to win this race.
CARRIGMORNASPRUCE is rock-solid and double figure prices seem perfectly fair. She should handle this ground and at least be competitive.
Oldschool Outlaw would have been the pick, but she looks a soft/heavy ground mare and this surface may be too quick for her.
2:00 Novices’ Handicap Chase
Trappy.
WESTERN KNIGHT makes most appeal at big prices; he has a nice trends profile and is actually unbeaten over intermediate trips over both hurdles and fences. He’s struggled to make an impact over further, so this drop in trip looks the right move and he may run well at a massive price.
REGENT’S STROLL is another with a nice look about him and connections know how to win this race.
2:40 Mares’ Hurdle
Gordon Elliott is having a tough week but we’ve seen him bounce back in the second half of the festival before, and WODHOOH is fancied to kick-start his 2026 attempt.
She’s a winning machine (9-10 over hurdles) whose only defeat was at the hands of Lossiemouth.
She should be better than this field.
3:20 Stayers’ Hurdle
This is an interesting renewal and hard to weight up.
Tactically, it’s possible that they won’t go very quick and that will turn it into a greater test of speed.
Allowing for that scenario, KABRAL DU MATHAN is the headline pick. He’s a strong traveller who is rapidly improving. This has often gone to younger, progressive types and he fits that bill nicely.
Cover will be applied to MA SHANTOU who himself is a second-season hurdler (as were 7 of the previous 12 winners of this contest). He won the Cleeve which is often the best trial for this, and the ground should hold no fears.
His vanquished rival in the Cleeve, Impose Toi, is very much respected on this surface.
Teahupoo sets the standard, but he’s nine now and this race has been a graveyard for those who have suffered defeat in it previously.
4:00 Ryanair
FACT TO FILE (NAP) would have been my idea of the Gold Cup winner on Friday, but he’s been routed here and should be extremely hard to beat.
Rated a lofty 173, he is clear of his field on that scale and produced a career-best last time at Leopardstown.
A dual Cheltenham Festival winner already, he can prove to be the banker of the meeting.
4:40 Pertemps
It almost pains me to do it but SUPREMELY WEST looks primed to go close.
He’s clearly been laid out for this race as a plot and everything is in place for him to run well.
I struggled to find a proper alternative against him.
5:20 Kim Muir
JERIKO DU REPONET arrives with the perfect profile for this. He’s a young, progressive novice chaser who is totally unexposed.
Hitting the 145-rated ceiling on the head, subsequent Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin did exactly the same in 2024 for owner JP McManus, and dotted up under this rider – Derek O’Connor – who remains without equal in the amateur sphere.
He will take an awful lot of beating if his jumping holds up, which is the biggest concern.
JP’s second strong Waterford Whispers is the biggest danger.