Blink, and you miss it. We have somehow arrived at the final day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
Three days of relentless drama, brilliant performances, and the usual Cheltenham heartbreak have flown by, and there are now just seven races left before the curtain falls on another unforgettable week at Prestbury Park.
Friday is all about the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the race that defines the Festival. With two-time winner Galopin Des Champs not lining up and defending champion Inothewayurthinkin arriving in dismal form, this year’s renewal feels wide open.
The stage is perfectly set for a new name to be etched into Cheltenham Festival folklore.
Before the Gold Cup takes centre stage, however, the action begins with the JCB Triumph Hurdle, the traditional curtain-raiser on Gold Cup Day.
Cheltenham Festival Day Four Tips
- 1:20 Macho Man 7/1 (each-way)
- 2:00 Karbau 5/1 (each-way)
- 2:40 Dinoblue 13/8
- 3:20 Spinningayarn 12/1 (each-way)
- 4:00 Gaelic Warrior 7/2
- 4:40 Panda Boy 7/1 (each-way)
- 5:20 Roc Dino 8/1 (each-way)
*Odds are subject to change
Cheltenham Festival 1:20 – Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle (2m1f)
Last year’s Triumph Hurdle will still sting for plenty of punters after the 100/1 shock Poniros snatched victory from Lulamba right on the line on what was his first start over hurdles.
The absence of Narciso Has has blown the race open, leaving the juvenile division without a clear standout performer.
That leaves the door open for something to step forward, and Macho Man looks ready to do exactly that.
Proactif beat him previously and understandably heads the market, but the excuses for Macho Man that day have been well documented. The Willie Mullins camp shared that he had a small issue, and now that that issue has been ironed out, he could easily reverse the form.
His debut success in France caught the eye and suggested there is plenty of raw ability there to be unlocked. Add in further experience and the famous Mullins Festival preparation, and it’s easy to see why he appeals at the prices.
With nine runners from Closutton, something from that powerful team will likely be involved, but Macho Man looks the one who could still have a chunk of improvement left to show.
Minella Study is the obvious danger. His smooth course-and-distance win last time confirmed that he handles Cheltenham well, and he’s improving quickly over hurdles for his young trainer.
But if Macho Man runs to the level many believe he is capable of, he can start Gold Cup day with a bang.
- Selection: Macho Man 8/1 (each-way)
- Danger: Minella Study 7/1
Cheltenham Festival 2:00 – William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (2m1f)
Trying to solve the County Hurdle can often feel like trying to crack a safe, but one trend is impossible to ignore, Willie Mullins dominates this race.
The champion trainer has landed three of the last four renewals and once again brings a powerful team.
Former winner at the Festival, Absurde is back for another crack and certainly has the class to be competitive again, although he does have to defy a much higher handicap mark this time around.
However, the runner who leaps off the page is Karabu, and the jockey booking only adds to his appeal.
This is Paul Townend’s only handicap ride of the entire Festival, and that rarely happens by accident.
Karbau’s run in last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle can be safely ignored, but what he did afterwards paints a much clearer picture of his ability. Strong placed efforts at both Aintree and Punchestown showed he belongs in good company.
His seasonal return at Naas came on testing ground that didn’t suit, yet he still shaped well enough to suggest the run would bring him forward.
With better conditions expected and Townend in the saddle, Karbau looks primed to run a massive race.
- Selection: Karbau 5/1 (each-way)
- Danger: Absurde 12/1
Cheltenham Festival 2:40 – Grade 2 Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (2m4½f)
Few horses have enjoyed a renaissance quite like Panic Attack this season.
Under the guidance of Dan Skelton, the ten-year-old mare has rediscovered her spark and rattled off a series of impressive victories.
But stepping into the Festival against the best mares in training is a very different test.
And the mare she must beat is the defending champion Dinoblue.
Dinoblue has always been a class act, and Cheltenham clearly suits her. She finished second in this race in 2024 before returning twelve months later to win it with authority.
Her performances this season suggest she arrives here in peak condition, and perhaps more importantly, she is a straightforward ride, something that can make all the difference in a race like this.
Dinoblue sets a very high standard and will be tough to beat.
Panic Attack may well give her something to think about, but the champion mare still looks the safest option.
- Selection: Dinoblue 13/8
- Danger: Panic Attack 9/2
Cheltenham Festival 3:20 – Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (3m)
The Albert Bartlett is notorious for producing surprises and regularly throws up winners at big prices.
This year’s renewal once again looks wide open to the eye.
Doctor Steinberg heads the market after his impressive success in the Nathaniel Lacy at the Dublin Racing Festival, but that victory came over 2m6f; he was extremely keen that day and will need to conserve his energy over this gruelling three miles.
If he settles, he will be extremely dangerous, but that’s a significant “if”.
With that in mind, Spinningayarn makes plenty of appeal at the prices.
His maiden win was impressive, and he followed up with a front-running success in a novice hurdle that has already started to work out well.
The step up in trip looks certain to suit, and he gives the impression of a horse who will thrive in a true stamina test.
Gordon Elliott’s Festival may not have gone entirely to plan, but this improving hurdler could easily put a well-needed smile on his face.
- Selection: Spinningayarn 12/1 (each-way)
- Danger: King’s Bucks 25/1
Cheltenham Festival 4:00 – Grade 1 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (3m2½f)
This is it. The race every owner, trainer, and jockey dreams of winning. The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the ultimate prize in jump racing.
Defending champion Inothewayurthinkin arrives here after three underwhelming runs this season, and supporting him would require a serious leap of faith.
The King George VI Chase form at Kempton could prove crucial, with several of the leading contenders re-opposing.
The winner that day, The Jukebox Man, looks every inch a Gold Cup horse. He’s already proven around Cheltenham after finishing runner-up in the 2024 Albert Bartlett, and his chasing career has been flawless so far.
Jango Baie, last season’s Arkle winner, also shaped like a horse crying out for this longer trip when finishing strongly behind The Jukebox Man. But the horse with the most raw talent in the field might just be Gaelic Warrior.
He chased home Fact To File in the Irish Gold Cup last time, a run that looks far better than it may appear on paper, given that Leopardstown has never played to his strengths, and he did overrace on top of that.
Back at Cheltenham, over a trip that could unlock even more improvement, he looks ready to deliver the performance of his career.
With Paul Townend back in the saddle, Gaelic Warrior could arrive late and claim the sport’s most prestigious prize.
- Selection: Gaelic Warrior 7/2
- Danger: The Jukebox Man 9/2
Cheltenham Festival 4:40 – Princess Royal Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase (3m2½f)
The Hunters’ Chase, often called the amateurs’ Gold Cup, is one of the most unique races of the week.
In a race like this, the jockey can make just as much difference as the horse.
Its On The Line has gone close in this race before but has twice failed to get the job done, including last year when he was beaten by Wonderwall.
That vulnerability at Cheltenham opens the door for something new, and Panda Boy looks like a strong contender.
The former handicap chaser has taken extremely well to hunter chases and has looked revitalised in his recent runs.
His victories at Thurles and Naas suggested he still has plenty of ability, and his bold front-running style could be a major asset here.
If he gets into a rhythm early, Panda Boy could prove very hard to reel in once again.
- Selection: Panda Boy 7/1 (each-way)
- Danger: Its On The Line 11/2
Cheltenham Festival 5:20 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (2m4½f)
And suddenly, we reach the final race of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
Galopin Des Champs famously won this race in 2021 before becoming a Gold Cup hero, but is there another Galopin Des Champs lurking in the shadows? There may not be, but this year’s race looks just as competitive as ever.
Air Of Entitlement, last season’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle winner, has been looked after this season and could be about to hit new heights today.
East India Express has solid Cheltenham credentials but faces a tougher task from a higher handicap mark than when well beaten in the last season.
The most intriguing runner, however, is Roc Dino.
The lightly raced Willie Mullins five-year-old has been brought along steadily since arriving from France, and his quiet preparation suggests this race has been the plan for some time.
His handicap mark looks workable and, like many Mullins runners in this race, he could still have far more ability than the handicapper has accounted for.
If that proves to be the case, Roc Dino could be sending the Irish home with yet another winner.
- Selection: Roc Dino 8/1 (each-way)
- Danger: Air Of Entitlement 17/2
