2026 Cheltenham Festival Tuesday Preview – DS
2026 Cheltenham Festival Tuesday Preview
And so it begins. The build up to this year’s Festival has been even more tiresome than usual. I am already fuming over the fact that Irish Panther is going to the Champion Chase and also that I Am Maximus was scratched from the Gold Cup. Our ante-post e/w L15 is in the bin already. Hopefully our handicaps e/w lucky goes a bit better (read here). My 2026 Cheltenham Festival Tuesday tips are below.
1.20 – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
First of all, it is very important to remember that this week is a marathon and not a sprint. There are 28 races in total and if you don’t pace yourself, it is easy to run out of steam (and funds) by the end of Day 2. Be disciplined and stick to a predetermined staking plan, so if it is a bad week, you won’t lose more than you can afford.
Now, for the Supreme. I had already prepared a write up for this race and I was going to tip up Blake at 80/1. He got stuck in the mud at the DRF but I was convinced he’d run a massive race on the better ground at Cheltenham. However, connections decided to run him on bad ground at Naas on Sunday instead and he didn’t even win. The mind boggles.
Hype Horse
The hype horse this year is the Willie Mullins trained Mighty Park. Beaten in his sole point to point, he ran out an easy winner of a maiden at Fairyhouse on his only start to date under Rules. The horse he beat by 38l into second finished only 3l behind El Cairos on his next start so there is at least some substance to the form.
A close relation to the mad but talented Might Bite and a half brother to Beat That, you’d imagine his future will lie over further than this. It is also not ideal stepping up to the top level in a race like this after just one maiden run so it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the occasion. At odds of 7/2, he isn’t for me.
Stronger Credentials
The likes of Old Park Star, a G2 winner last time out, and Talk The Talk, a G1 scorer at the DRF last time, have much stronger credentials than Mighty Park and at around 5/1, I’d marginally favour the latter. He was going to win at Leopardstown at Christmas when he fell at the last and he dug deep and showed guts to come out on top back there last time at the DRF.
El Cairos is a fast horse but he fell in a Leopardstown maiden at Christmas and he gave his backers a heart attack when nearly coming down at the last at Thurles on his latest start. He ran well in the Champion Bumper here last season so that’s a plus but you’d have to be concerned about his jumping frailties.
Interesting Outsider
This has generally been a race that horses near the head of the market dominate. The last double figure priced winner was Labaik back in 2017. Can anything spring a surprise this time? The likes of Sober Glory and Baron Noir are mildly tempting and Leader D’Allier can’t be discounted given who trains him (and who rides him) but I’m going to take a flyer on a bit of a mad one here.
The bookies give Paul Nolan’s Sageborough absolutely no chance. He’s been completely written off after a poor run in the Royal Bond but I am not sure he was at home on that right-handed track. However, I was really impressed by the way he won at Wexford on his debut and that is a left-handed track.
Off To The Madhouse
Now, it might seem insane to fancy a Wexford maiden winner in a Supreme and maybe I’ll be carted straight off to the madhouse by men in white coats at around 1.25pm on Tuesday. But, in my defence, that Wexford maiden has turned out to be a half-decent race and Sageborough won it with plenty still up his sleeve.
The third home, Sageborough’s stablemate Moulin Rouge, was beaten a similar distance by Lazare De Star at Leopardstown on his next start and that horse is rated in the 130s. Santo Sospir was back in fourth, 9l behind Nolan’s charge, and he won a Punchestown maiden next time and is now rated 132.
Decent Pedigree
Sageborough is by Martinborough, the same sire as Majborough, and his dam is a granddaughter of Maia Eria, a top-class French performer who won at the highest level and who lowered the colours of none other than Kauto Star back in the day. Maybe I am clutching at straws here, but when I watched his Wexford win at the time my gut said ‘this is a nice horse’ and sometimes, you have to trust your instinct.
I think Talk The Talk is the most likely winner but we are in the business of finding horses that might go well at big prices and Sageborough certainly ticks the latter box at odds of 80/1. A small e/w interest is advised, hopefully he outruns his odds.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Tuesday Tip: Sageborough e/w @ 80/1 (4 places)
2.00 – Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
Meh. This race has lost much of its lustre for me after the defection of our ante-post fancy Irish Panther. His connections have clearly fallen for the hype regarding Kopek Des Bordes but for me, he has major questions to answer regarding his jumping.
He was expected to destroy the opposition in the Supreme last year and while he did win, he made hard work of it and he didn’t jump the last hurdle well at all. He then pitched up at Punchestown, where he was soundly beaten at odds of 30/100.
Kopek has only had one chase run, which came at Navan in November, and that was a farcical affair. Even though they went a crawl he didn’t impress me with his jumping and it is also a concern that he hasn’t been seen since. I’m not saying he’s a bad horse, he’s obviously talented, but I wouldn’t back him with stolen money at his current odds.
Stayer
Lulamba, who was mugged by Poniros in last year’s Triumph, has a more appealing profile. He has been flawless since then and he has more experience over the bigger obstacles, having run (and won) three times. The only thing that could be seen as a negative for him is that at times, he has looked more of a stayer than a speed horse but in this company, his class will probably see him through.
Kargese is a decent mare but she was involved in a gruelling battle on desperate ground at the DRF when going down by a neck to Romeo Coolio. That was just over a month ago and you’d have to worry that the race may have left a mark.
Jax At A Price
Given that I have picked a few holes in the market leaders, I have to take a chance on one at a price. I did consider Steel Ally but my concern for him is that his soft ground form is streets ahead of anything he has achieved on a sounder surface. The one that fits the bill is the Lucy Wadham trained Jax Junior. Bar a blip at Ascot, when he bled, this lad has won his other three chase starts in fine style.
He took the scalp of Jeriko De Reponet at Kempton, he denied us a big winner when winning a valuable handicap at Sandown and he made his mark at Grade 2 level at Kempton last month. All four of his chase starts have come on right-handed tracks but he won at this venue over hurdles so he should be fine going left-handed.
All ground seems to come alike to the son of Jack Hobbs too so he ticks a couple of boxes and while the fact he has burst blood vessels before has to be considered a negative, there is almost always going to be an issue or two when you are backing a horse at 22/1. If he doesn’t burst, hopefully he can run into the money.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Tuesday Tip: Jax Junior e/w @ 22/1
2.40 – Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Premier)
When I was studying this race for my handicaps e/w lucky, I couldn’t make head nor tail of it. Now that declarations have been made, I still can’t. After the wet winter we have had, this will be the first time that quite a few of these run on faster ground so I’m going to back one whose pedigree suggests he’ll appreciate a sounder surface.
The one that makes most appeal at a big price is the Willie Mullins trained Mino Des Mottes. He sneaks in here off a mark of 126 after three runs at Punchestown. He was entitled to need the first one when beaten 10.5l on yielding ground in late December and he was then soundly beaten on soft to heavy in January. The son of It’s Gino did shape better when a 2.5l second there on his last start a month ago, again on soft to heavy, but he could improve plenty for this better ground.
When he won his AQPS race in France, it was on good to soft ground. His dam, Ulyssa Des Mottes, won on good ground and his sire It’s Gino’s progeny tend to have a liking for nice ground. Obviously, this isn’t one to be having the farm on but at 33/1, a small e/w interest is advised.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Tuesday Tip: Mino Des Mottes e/w @ 33/1 (6 places)
3.20 – Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier)
I have already stuck Leave Of Absence up for this race and with the weather conditions as they are, I’m happy to stick to my guns with him.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Tuesday Tip: Leave Of Absence already advised e/w @ 20/1 (6 places) NAP
4.00 – Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
When I heard Lossiemouth was running here my first thought was that Golden Ace might drift to double figure odds. That hasn’t quite materialised yet but even so, Jeremy Scott’s stable star, the reigning and defending champion hurdler, is the one I’d prefer to be on.
Lossiemouth is obviously an extremely talented mare but she’s arguably at her best over further than this. The New Lion was all out to beat Nemean Lion and Brentford Hope (rated 138) by less than 2l here in January and his jumping is suspect. Brighterdaysahead has met Golden Ace twice and has been beaten by her twice so why she is 9/2 and Golden Ace 8/1 is beyond me.
Triumph Winner
Poniros won the Triumph here last year and wasn’t disgraced when Lulamba turned the tables on him at Punchestown. He didn’t run that badly on bottomless ground on his seasonal reappearance at the DRF and there was a bit of a market move on him last week, though he has drifted back out to a bigger price now.
The likes of Alexei and Tutti Quanti have been running well in lesser races than this but they’ll need to step up massively to make an impact here. Anzadam has ability but he is a headcase who needs to learn to settle better if he is to fulfil his potential.
For me, the most solid option by far is Golden Ace and while she is just a tad too short for the blog, she’s the one I’ll be cheering home. No bet.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Tuesday Tip: No bet
4.40 – Plate Handicap Chase (Premier)
We are on Midnight It Is at 25/1 (read here) and there’s been a few sharks nibbling at him already. He’s now a best price of 20/1, hopefully he runs a big race.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Tuesday Tip: Midnight It Is already advised e/w @ 25/1 (5 places)
5.20 – NH Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase (Class 2)
An exceedingly tricky contest to end the day. Stamina will be at a premium in this 3m6f marathon and the one that looks a shade overpriced to my eye is the Mickey Bowen trained Holokea.
This 7yo son of Diamond Boy shed the maiden tag over fences on his seasonal return at Ffos Las back in October (25.5f, soft). Following that win he placed in staying contests at Uttoxeter (3m2f), here (25.5f) and at Windsor where he stayed on nicely to finish second over an extended 3m4f.
When he ran here in January the usually imperious Sean Bowen probably hit the front too soon but I liked how Holokea responded when the eventual winner came upsides and he ran through the line fairly strongly. That gives me real hope that he’ll see out this marathon trip and that particular piece of form has worked out well too.
Now, it must be said that Holokea ran a stinker on his most recent start at Haydock but as you know, I am always willing to forgive a horse one bad run. With Shane Fenelon’s 5lb claim he’s effectively just 1lb higher than when running so well here in December and effectively 2lb lower than he was when finishing second at Windsor. At odds of 40/1, Holokea is the each way selection.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Tuesday Tip: Holokea e/w @ 40/1 (5 places) NB
Other Cheltenham Previews
Stayers’ Hurdle Stats That Matter
Champion Chase Stats That Matter
