2026 Cheltenham Festival Wednesday Preview – DS
2026 Cheltenham Festival Wednesday Preview
The first two races were a bust for us on Tuesday, hopefully that’s not a sign of things to come. What made it even worse was Kargese winning the Arkle because on a line through Romeo Coolio, Irish Panther would have been bang there. Dave Stevos’ 2026 Cheltenham Festival Wednesday tips are below.
1.20 – Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
I’m not sure if this is a record sized field for this Grade 1 novice but it’s the biggest I can remember. A full complement of 22 have been declared and as you might imagine, it is absolutely wide open.
No Drama This End is the 5/1 fav for Nicholls and Cobden and I am a fan. I really like how he goes about his business and it will not surprise me in the slightest if he wins this for the home team.
Elliott and Mullins both run multiple horses. The main hope for Cullentra looks to be spearheaded by Ballyfad, who is preferred by Jack Kennedy. Elliott also runs Skylight Hustle, who is single figure odds, and Riskaway, who is a 66/1 poke.
Willie Mullins runs six and Townend prefers King Rasko Grey. I get the sense that Mullins hasn’t really got a top-class horse for this division like he has had in previous years and he’s flinging as much shite at the wall as possible and hoping that some of it sticks.
Bigger Odds
The one that appeals most at bigger odds is the Ben Pauling trained and Harry Redknapp owned son of Poet’s Word, Taurus Bay. With a rating of 135, he will clearly need to improve to feature here but he’s only had three runs over timber, so that is more than possible.
This horse made a flawless start to his career. A point-to-point winner, he kicked off with an 8.5l win in a 2m novice hurdle at Stratford (gd-sft). He then followed up under a penalty in another novice hurdle at Aintree (2m1f, soft) where he beat the subsequent Morebattle Hurdle winner Captain Hugo quite comfortably.
Ben Pauling stepped his charge up in grade and trip on his last start at this track (soft) and he lost no caste in defeat, going down by a short head to the Albert Bartlett bound Kripticjim. He travelled sweetly for a long way that day and came there swinging on the home turn but he didn’t ping the last and while he stuck to his task well, he just missed out in a head bobbing finish.
It’s always hard to assess the strength of the English horses’ form relative to the Irish form but Taurus Bay finished almost 4l ahead of Open Secret and he went on to be narrowly denied in a G3 at Thurles on his next start. Miles back in fifth was Heads Up and he won a Listed race at Punchestown on his next outing and had previously got to within 3l of No Drama This End. I’d say it was a decent race.
At odds of 33/1, Taurus Bay is the each way pick.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Wednesday Tip: Taurus Bay e/w @ 33/1 (4 places)
2.00 – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
Romeo Coolio is at the head of the market for this 3m novice. He wears a hood for the first time and this will be his first run beyond 20.5f. On his last two starts he has been put to the pin of his collar over 2m1f at Leopardstown and he had an especially tough race there last time on desperate ground. If that hasn’t left a mark, and if he stays (mixed messages in pedigree) he should run well but 4/1 looks skinny enough.
Final Demand is next best in the betting. There had been signs in his previous chase runs that his jumping was suspect and he duly jumped like a bag of hammers when soundly beaten at the DRF. I thought they might try a hood or cheekpieces on him but they have decided to stick a tongue tie on, which suggests he may have wind issues as well as jumping issues. He’s a risky proposition.
Go West
Western Fold hasn’t got the profile of a typical Brown Advisory winner but he’s a horse I like and he’s going to love this ground. He cleaned up over the summer, winning big pots in the Mayo National at Ballinrobe and the Galway Plate at Ballybrit.
After a break he returned to beat the Gold Cup bound Affordale Fury at Gowran and he then ran a blinder behind that rival and Envoi Allen in the Down Royal Champion Chase. The son of Westerner was given another three-month break before he ran a blinder at the DRF, chasing home Kaid d’Authie on ground he would have hated (Final Demand 8l behind him in third).
The return to better ground is a huge plus for this horse and while he hasn’t got the sexy profile of some of his less exposed rivals, he’s got proper form in the book and has huge experience for a novice. I was surprised to see him chalked up at 16/1 when I clicked into this race and at those odds, he is well worth chancing e/w.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Wednesday Tip: Western Fold e/w @ 16/1 (4 places) NB
2.40 – Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier)
Two of my old favourites run here. Colonel Mustard, who ran a blinder to finish fifth last season, is now an 11yo and is 2lb higher so, as much as it pains me to say it, he probably has a minor place chance at best.
In 2023, after a dire week of betting, I tipped up Buddy One for the Martin Pipe and for a fleeting moment, it looked like he was going to win. He did keep on for a close third behind Iroko and No Ordinary Joe and he confirmed his liking for this venue by winning a 3m handicap off 147 back here in November later that year.
Stayers’ Hurdle Form
In March 2024 he pitched up in the Stayers’ Hurdle and again ran an excellent race in fourth. He proved that was no fluke next time at Aintree where he chased home Strong Leader in the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle. Last March, he ran another creditable race in the Stayers’ Hurdle, finishing fifth, and since then he has won on the Flat and run well in the Galway Plate over fences.
In his prep run for this race, he ran in the G2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran where the heavy ground wouldn’t have suited him. Given his record here, I’d imagine Paul Gilligan has had this race in mind for some time and on his peak efforts in Grade 1s, he’s more than capable of going well in this company and he’s just 2lb higher than when winning here in 2023.
This is probably his last chance of winning at the Festival, hopefully he makes it fourth time lucky at odds of 50/1.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Wednesday Tip: Buddy One e/w @ 50/1 (6 places)
3.20 – Cross Country Handicap Chase (Class 2)
I like watching this race but I certainly don’t like betting on it. No opinion and no bet.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Wednesday Tip: No Bet
4.00 – Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1)
The bad news is that Solness doesn’t run. And, to add insult to injury, Irish Panther does. The Hartys think that taking on the 174 rated Majborough, the 172 rated Il Etait Temps, the 163 rated L’Eau du Sud and Quilixios is an easier task than taking on Kopek Des Bordes, who has only run once over fences, and Lulamba.
Now, the aforementioned horses do have some questions to answer and given how erratically Majborough jumped in the Arkle last year, I would definitely be willing to take him on. However, it is hard to imagine that all of the higher rated horses will run below par and that’s likely what Irish Panther will need to happen if he is to win. Personally, I’d have gone to the Arkle but that’s probably my now empty pocket talking.
Last Year
In last year’s renewal, Quilixios was in the process of running a massive race when falling at the last. I’m not sure he would have won but if he had stood up, surely he would have got a place at least. However, he hasn’t been seen since and while Henry De Bromhead can ready one, it would be an unbelievable training performance if he were to win this after a year off the track.
In last year’s race we backed Libberty Hunter and he sprawled on landing at the third last when still well in touch with the leaders. The10yo son of Yorgonnabelucky has failed to complete at Cheltenham twice now but when he has got around, he has posted form figures of 121.
Quiet Start To Season
After a very quiet start to this season, Libberty Hunter shaped much better when finishing third behind Lulamba at Newbury last month. Sean Bowen was on board for the first time and I’d imagine the aim was a confidence boosting clear round. That’s exactly what transpired.
Bowen has retained the ride and I’d guess the plan will be to take his time, hunt around and try to come into the race late. If they go lickety split from the outset, which is often the case in this race, that should suit Libberty Hunter and he’ll hopefully be staying on stronger than most in the closing stages if he can put in a clear round of jumping.
As I mentioned earlier, none of the market leaders here look bulletproof and with odds of 80/1 on offer, I’m going to go back to the well one last time with Libberty Hunter. Hopefully, he gets around, sneaks into the first three and earns some money for Evan Williams to spend on legal fees.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Wednesday Tip: Libberty Hunter e/w @ 80/1
4.40 – Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Premier)
Last year’s winner Jazzy Matty will be trying to extend his unbeaten Cheltenham Festival record to three and while his form this year has been poor, he’s surely been campaigned with this race in mind. He is 8lb higher than last year though, he has had a wind op and he’ll need a big career best if he is to defend his crown.
This is a race where, more often than not, it pays to be close to the pace. You need a good jumper with a high cruising speed and you need to stay too. Most of the last dozen winners had winning form at beyond 2m, including Jazzy Matty who has won over 2m5f around Sligo.
Ticks The Boxes
The one horse that ticks all three of those boxes at a decent price is last year’s fifth, Jasko Des Dames. Trained by Henry De Bromhead, he’s 5lb higher this year but this horse is only a 7yo so it is likely that we haven’t seen the best of him yet.
By It’s Gino, whose progeny usually relish nice ground, I’d imagine this race has been a long-term plan and while he didn’t fire on his latest run this season at the DRF, bottomless ground would not have been his bag.
Back in the Autumn, Jasko Des Dames ran a fine race at Listowel on his seasonal return on ground that would have been plenty soft for him. He then chased home Calico over this C&D off a mark of 136, and he races off the same rating today. The more the ground dries out, the more it will suit this lad and he’ll have the assistance of the excellent Darragh O’Keefe in the saddle. At odds of 16/1, he’s the e/w NAP of the day.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Wednesday Tip: Jasko Des Dames e/w @ 16/1 (5 places) NAP
5.20 – Champion Bumper (Grade 1)
I’ve never had a bet in this race and I won’t be changing the habit of a lifetime.
2026 Cheltenham Festival Wednesday Tip: No Bet
Other Cheltenham Previews
Stayers’ Hurdle Stats That Matter
Champion Chase Stats That Matter
