Cheltenham Festival: The Ultimate Guide - 27 Feb 2026
IT’S JUST AROUND THE CORNER . . . THE BIGGEST FOUR DAYS IN SPORT
It’s time to rejoice as we all come together to celebrate everything that’s good in our sport
Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase
JCB Triumph Hurdle William Hill County Handicap Hurdle Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase Albert Bartlett Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle
Our expert panel with tips on every race
Thursday, March 12 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
Friday, March 13
Patrick Mullins Ben Pauling interview
Expert Jury: featuring Jane Mangan and Nick Scholfield The handicaps: Keith Melrose, Conor Fennelly and Tom Park 20
Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase Weatherbys Champion Bumper
Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase
James Willoughby
Tom Segal’s best bets for each day
Upping The Ante
It’s time to rejoice as we all come together to celebrate everything that’s good in our sport
‘Jukebox showed everything we could’ve wished for in the King George.
Mighty Park could be our knight in shining armour
‘Jukebox showed everything we could’ve wished for in the King George.
ACE IN THE PACK
TUESDAY
Thinking smartly is the only edge that endures
Regent’s Stroll looks a big player – he’s probably got a few pounds up his sleeve
Johnny Dineen and David Jennings, stars of Racing Post Youtube show Upping The Ante, answer your questions
Watch Upping The Ante
Cheltenham punting tales
It’s almost here and I cannot wait – this is some of what I’m looking forward to . . .
It’s almost here and I cannot wait – this is some of what I’m looking forward to . . .
Around the training centres
I love betting on the festival so much the bookies labelled me Cheltenham Man
Why there’s no Konfusion when trying to unravel the Ultima Leopardstown form to fore in juvenile test
BEST BETS
BEST BETS
Celt can deliver mighty performance for festival handicap maestro Skelton
BEST BETS
Talk The Talk can walk the walk
PAUL KEALY TOM PARK
Home or away?
HARRY WILSON
MADDY PLAYLE
JOHNNY DINEEN Leader D’allier
MATT WILLIAMS
Tuesday 1.20 Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
Hail another Henderson supremo
Henderson can make it nine wins
PAUL KEALY TOM PARK
Home or away?
HARRY WILSON
MADDY PLAYLE Lulamba
MATT WILLIAMS
JOHNNY DINEEN Lulamba
Tuesday 2.00 Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase
ARKLE CHASE FORM
Pyke the value pick for Mullins
Tuesday 2.40 Mccoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
Tuesday 3.20 Trustmarque Ultima Handicap Chase
Lion can roar again at the festival
This year’s challenge
MATT WILLIAMS
PAUL KEALY
HARRY WILSON
TOM PARK Lossiemouth
MADDY PLAYLE Lossiemouth
JOHNNY DINEEN
Home or away?
CHAMPION HURDLE FORM
Poniros to pounce at big odds again
Tuesday 4.40 Sun Raciny Plate Handicap Chase
Tuesday 5.20 Princess Royal National Hunt Challenue Cup
Skylight Hustle the one to side with
PAUL KEALY TOM PARK
This year’s challenge
HARRY WILSON
MADDY PLAYLE Skylight Hustle
JOHNNY DINEEN Mighty Park
MATT WILLIAMS
Home or away?
King Rasko Grey to wear crown
CAN PAUL NICHOLLS BREAK HIS DUCK?
It could be a big day for Westerner
PAUL KEALY TOM PARK
Home or away?
HARRY WILSON
JOHNNY DINEEN Wendigo
MADDY PLAYLE Wendigo
Wednesday 2.00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
MATT WILLIAMS
BROWN ADVISORY CHASE FORM
Western Fold solid for Elliott
Wednesday 3.20 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
Majborough can back up DRF win
PAUL KEALY TOM PARK
Home or away?
Wednesday 4.00 BETMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase
MADDY PLAYLE L’eau Du Sud
HARRY WILSON
JOHNNY DINEEN Majborough
MATT WILLIAMS
CHAMPION CHASE FORM
Temps to put best foot forward
Wednesday 4.40 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual H’cap Chase
Wednesday 5.20 Weatherbys Champion Bumper
Thursday 1.20 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
Thursday 2.00 Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase
Thursday 2.40 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle
Speciality bets explained
Experience can benefit Teahupoo
PAUL KEALY
Home or away?
MADDY PLAYLE Honesty Policy
JOHNNY DINEEN
HARRY WILSON
This year’s challenge
Thursday 3.20 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle
MATT WILLIAMS
STAYERS’ HURDLE FORM
Shantou strike on the cards
Warrior on the charge for Mullins
This year’s challenge
MATT WILLIAMS
HARRY WILSON
PAUL KEALY
JOHNNY DINEEN
1 Fact To File 2 Impaire Et Passe 3 Heart Wood
TOM PARK Fact To File
Home or away?
RYANAIR CHASE FORM
This is the perfect race for Gaelic
HOA TO . . . READ NEXT RUN
Thursday 4.40 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle
Thursday 5.20 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup
Proactif another Closutton star
PAUL KEALY
Home or away?
JOHNNY DINEEN Proactif
MATT 6ILLIAMS Selma De Vary
HARRY 6ILSON
MADDY PLAYLE Maestro Conti
TRIUMPH HURDLE FORM
Selma can pounce for Mullins
Friday 2.00 William Hill County Handicap Hurdle
Friday 2.40 Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase
Doctor can deliver for Closutton
This year’s challenge
PAUL KEALY
JOHNNY DINEEN Sortudo
MADDY PLAYLE Thedeviluno
HARRY WILSON
MATT WILLIAMS
TOM PARK Spinningayarn
Friday 3.20 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Home or away?
Steinberg clear pick for Mullins
Jukebox to play a winning tune
Home or away?
TOM PARK Gaelic Warrior
MADDY PLAYLE Jango Baie
PAUL KEALY
JOHNNY DINEEN
MATT WILLIAMS
HARRY WILSON
CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP FORM
Dawning of a new Gold Cup era?
Friday 4.40 Festival Challenge Cup Hunters’ Chase
Friday 5.20 Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle
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