Neil Morrice shares all of his tips and picks for the opening day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
Race 1 SKY BET SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 1)
No8 OLD PARK STAR (Nap)
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville
OLD PARK STAR hasn’t been extended in landing all three starts over hurdles and is unbeaten in his tenure with Henderson. The six-year-old backed up his Kempton and Chepstow successes with a stunning performance in the Grade 2 Rossington Main at Haydock, where he effortlessly put the race to bed to beat a good yardstick in Hurricane Pat by 18 lengths. He then worked well in a racecourse gallop at Kempton to underline that his trainer has him in the A1 position to take out this Festival opener.
TALK THE TALK brings Grade 1 winning form to the table from the Dublin Racing Festival and stands his ground in this when it must have been tempting for Joseph O’Brien to switch him to the longer Turners. That’s because, against the odds, Willie Mullins decided to field MIGHTY PARK in this and the champion trainer can’t say enough good about the former pointer, who he said reminded him of Faugheen when taking the spoils by 38 lengths on his first start over hurdles at Fairyhouse. He’s a fascinating contender, and could be anything.
Prediction: 1st OLD PARK STAR, 2nd Talk The Talk, 3rd Mighty Park
Race 2 SINGER ARKLE TROPHY NOVICES’ CHASE (Grade 1)
No6 STEEL ALLY
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Dylan Johnston
A race named after the greatest jumper of all time can produce one of the highlights of the week from a viewing perspective. In the Arkle, LULAMBA puts a three-race unbeaten record on the line after graduating into Grade 2 level with a visually very authoritative triumph in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury. Only for a few strides when he hit a flat spot early in the straight did the five-year-old give connections a hint of worry, and he was quickly back on the bridle and stormed clear on the run in.
KOPEK DES BORDES is challenging the seven Barrows runner for favouritism but has only limited experience of fences, having taken out a beginners’ chase at Navan despite taking a keen grip. He was an odds-on winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last season and the only time he’s been beaten was when he fell.
KARGESE enjoys the luxury of the 7lb mares’ allowance in her bid to gain a second Festival win. She landed a terrific gamble in the County Hurdle 12 months ago and though beaten in two of her three starts over fences, found only Romeo Coolio her master at the Dublin Racing Festival. She’s a very good jumper and will probably be a target for the others of whom STEEL ALLY has to be respected.
He’s unbeaten in three over fences including the Grade 2 Kingmaker at Warwick. He showed on that occasion that he can operate from off the pace, while his jumping was completely assured. He’s a much bigger price than the first three in the betting, and can cause a minor upset.
Prediction: 1st STEEL ALLY, 2nd Lulamba, 3rd Kargese, 4th Kopek Des Bordes
Race 3 McCOY CONTRACTORS JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE
No9 SARATOGA
Trainer: Padraig Roche – Jockey: Mark Walsh
Owner JP McManus probably holds the key to the former ‘Fred Winter’ with three contenders who each have genuine winning chances. Of the Nicky Henderson-trained pair, MANLAGA is running on the best day, as she will catch the softer conditions that she requires. The former French-trained filly is the choice of Nico de Boinville over MUSTANG DU BREUIL. The latter surrendered his unbeaten record when third in the Grade 2 Dovecote at Kempton, after which his trainer was quick to nominate this race, in which James Bowen takes the reins.
The final McManus contender is SARATOGA, who is yet to win over hurdles but was only narrowly denied at Naas. The grey is probably open to the most progression, and has been very solid in the ante-post market.
At a longer price, it could pay not to discount BIBE MUS, who scored just as he liked at Sandown on Saturday and wouldn’t be running unless he’d come out of it in the way Paul Nicholls hoped. The only negative is that Harry Cobden appears to prefer POURQUOI PAS PAPA.
Prediction: 1st SARATOGA, 2nd Manlaga, 3rd Mustang Du Breuil, 4th BIBE MUS, 5th Pourquoi Pas Papa
Race 4 TRUSTMARQUE ULTIMA HANDICAP CHASE
No4 JAGWAR
Trainer: Oliver Greenall – Jockey: Mark Walsh
There must be a strong chance that those towards the head of the weights fare best in this very good race for betting. I’m struggling to find anything lower in the handicap that can match it with the JP McManus twin spearhead of IROKO and JAGWAR.
The former demonstrated his versatility with an authoritative triumph in a graduation chase at Ascot on a day when many questioned whether he would be effective in such a tactical affair. Having handled it beautifully, his price further hardened for the Grand National.
JAGWAR, a winner here 12 months ago in the Plate, has been kept exclusively to Cheltenham ever since, finishing third in the December Gold Cup and second in the Betfair Exchange Handicap, both over two and a half miles. According to Greenall, his work has been exceptional since a rather unlucky defeat on New Year’s Day when he looked sure to win, but in the end needed another stride.
Ben Pauling had a plethora of options at the meeting for HANDSTANDS, and it can be seen as significant that he’s opted for this race with Windsor’s Fleur De Lys Chase third. The seven-year-old returns from a second breathing operation and also has cheek pieces fitted for the first time.
MYRETOWN landed a big gamble in this race 12 months ago but in three starts this season nothing’s gone right for him and he certainly has a point to prove. JOHNNYWHO might not have performed to the level hoped of him so far this season but he’s dangerous to leave out, especially with the recent surge in form of his stable, and that statement also applies to BLOW YOUR WAD in lieu of how well Gary Moore’s horses are performing at present.
Prediction: 1st JAGWAR, 2nd Iroko, 3rd Handstands, 4th Johnnywho, 5th Blow Your Wad, 6th Myretown
Race 5 UNIBET CHAMPION HURDLE CHALLENGE TROPHY (Grade 1)
No5 TUTTI QUANTI (Each Way)
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Harry Cobden
In a race that to some extent fell apart and especially with the decision not to bring former champion, Consititution Hill, to the party, Irish horses dominate the front of the market along with THE NEW LION. Dan Skelton’s charge is the winner of all but one of his seven career starts and that was when he fell in the Fighting Fifth. He put the record straight in the International Hurdle here, but that was a race he really had to win.
Last year’s shock winner GOLDEN ACE has been kept on ice since chasing home Sir Gino in the Christmas Hurdle, but arrives with solid enough claims as a mare that finds her best form in the spring.
LOSSIEMOUTH will definitely challenge for favouritism after the late decision to bring her for championship glory rather than contest the more straightforward Mares’ Hurdle. She’s the only Mullins runner in the race and has cheek pieces added in this bid to put behind her an Irish Champion Hurdle defeat by BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD. The latter was a convincing winner at Leopardstown, but plenty of the better judges in the Emerald Isle think those placings will be reversed.
In a complicated puzzle for a seven-horse race, I’m siding with TUTTI QUANTI, who annihilated his rivals in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Newbury in the manner of a fast improver. His connections paid to supplement him into the race since when his odds have lengthened. I don’t quite see the logic in that, as my selection should be able to lead, and he won’t mind the ground even if it dries up a tad.
Prediction: 1st TUTTI QUANTI, 2nd Golden Ace, 3rd The New Lion, 4th Lossiemouth
Race 6 SUN RACING PLATE HANDICAP CHASE
No3 NO QUESTIONS ASKED (Each Way)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Ben Jones
Pauling has given off a certain body language that tells me NO QUESTIONS ASKED can earn in this cracking two and a half mile handicap chase. He afforded the novice several entries this week, but enters calculations in this race even more strongly, taking into account the absence of the 2025 winner Jagwar. Although my selection experienced a reverse at Ascot, he bounced back with a Grade 2 success at Windsor and looks dangerous in this first run in a handicap.
BOOSTER BOB makes a return visit here after a slightly disappointing effort at the January meeting, but he’s more than capable of leaving that behind on just a third outing of the season for Olly Murphy. McLAUREY has proved the best backed in the ante-post market and might show up as a blot on the handicap for Emet Mullins, as he’s probably a lot better than he’s shown in four chases through the winter.
Gordon Elliott’s DOWN MEMORY LANE makes just a third start of the campaign and is considered, while the Dan Skelton-trained MADARA is with his fourth trainer, but after a very good run at Kempton last month looks cherry ripe for a podium finish.
Prediction: 1st NO QUESTIONS ASKED, 2nd Booster Bob, 3rd McLaurey, 4th Madara, 5th Down Memory Lane
Race 7 NATIONAL HUNT CHALLENGE CUP NOVICES’ CHASE
No2 PIC ROC (Each Way)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Ben Jones
This race bears little resemblance to its former place as a marathon for amateur riders, but it’s now open to more horses with realistic winning chances, one of whom is PIC ROC. The selection proved costly to follow in his first season over fences and especially when, after a false start, he was slowly away from the standing version and failed to get going in the Jack Richards last year. However, he showed what he could do when pinging the tape at Sandown last time when he never looked like coming back to his field. It’s essential therefore that Jones, who seems to have learned how best to ride him, gets the chestnut away on terms.
ICEBERG THEORY is two from two for Paul Nolan this season and appeals the best of five Irish-trained contenders. BACKMERSACKME has been the subject of a sustained gamble for Emet Mullins while at a big price ONE BIG BANG can also get involved.
Prediction: 1st PIC ROC, 2nd Iceberg Theory, 3rd Backmersackme, 4th zone Big Bang
