With the Cheltenham 2025 Festival wrapped up, let's take a look at who punters are already backing next year.
The 2025 Cheltenham Festival provided plenty of drama and memorable moments across its four days.
The highlight came in the Gold Cup, where Inothewayurthinkin, trained by Gavin Cromwell and ridden by Mark Walsh, pulled off a major upset at 15/2 odds.
The six-length victory denied Galopin Des Champs a historic third consecutive win, adding a bittersweet note to Willie Mullins' otherwise successful week.
Mullins secured multiple wins across the festival, including a surprise triumph in the Champion Hurdle, where Constitution Hill—previously unbeaten and the heavy favourite—was unexpectedly beaten by a Mullins-trained horse at 6/1 odds.
Ireland’s dominance in the Prestbury Cup continued, with Mullins and other Irish trainers securing the majority of wins.
The ongoing rivalry between British and Irish stables was once again a key storyline, but Ireland’s recent superiority showed no signs of fading.
Rachael Blackmore delivered a standout performance with a double on 13 March, winning the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and Stayers’ Hurdle on Air Of Entitlement and Bob Olinger.
With another successful Festival behind us, punters are already looking ahead to next year, let's take a look at who is being backed already.
William Hill
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Cheltenham 2026 Tips
Fact To File - Cheltenham 2026 Gold Cup
Fact To File has 36% of bets to win the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Fact To File is already emerging as a popular bet for the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup following his dominant victory in the 2025 Ryanair Chase.
Trained by Willie Mullins, the seven-year-old has proven his class at the festival with two Grade 1 wins, including the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase in 2024.
His nine-length triumph in the Ryanair Chase highlighted his speed and jumping ability, and jockey, Mark Walsh said afterwards that he had more in the tank, raising confidence that he could handle the step up in distance for the Gold Cup’s testing 3 miles 2½ furlongs.
With his proven Cheltenham form and Mullins’ impressive record in this race he could be the one to watch for the 2026 Gold Cup.
Inothewayurthinkin - Cheltenham 2026 Gold Cup
Inothewayurthinking has received 20% of bets to win the 2026 Gold Cup.
Inothewayurthinkin looks well-placed to complete a Gold Cup double in 2026 after his dominant six-length victory over Galopin Des Champs in 2025.
Trained by Gavin Cromwell, the seven-year-old has shown the stamina and class needed for back-to-back wins. His campaign will depend on how he comes through the Grand National where he looks to become only the second horse after Golden Miller in 1934 to complete the Gold Cup-Grand National double in the same season. With proven form at Cheltenham, he remains a leading contender for next year’s renewal.
Bet365
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The New Lion - Cheltenham 2026 Champion Hurdle
The New Lion (7/1 with bet365) has received 36% of bets to win the 2026 Champion Hurdle.
The New Lion’s unbeaten record over hurdles, highlighted by its dominant win in the Turners Novices' Hurdle at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, has made it a strong prospect for the 2026 Champion Hurdle.
Trained by Dan Skelton and owned by JP McManus, the six-year-old also impressed in the Group 1 Coral Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury, beating Wendigo by five lengths.
Skelton has already expressed hopes that The New Lion will develop into a Champion Hurdle contender next season, with owner Darren Yates also hinting at its potential versatility for both the Champion Hurdle and even the Gold Cup.
While the Champion Hurdle’s shorter two-mile distance will test its adaptability, The New Lion’s past success over 2 miles 1 furlong suggests it has the necessary speed and turn of foot.
History is on its side too, with former Turners winners like Istabraq, Hardy Eustace, and Faugheen all going on to win the Champion Hurdle, adding weight to The New Lion’s credentials.
Sir Gino - Cheltenham 2026 Champion Chase
Sir Gino (7/2 favourite with William Hill) has received 68% of bets to win the 2026 Champion Chase.
Sir Gino’s potential for the 2026 Queen Mother Champion Chase remains strong despite the setback that forced him to miss the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
Trained by Nicky Henderson and owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly, the six-year-old has already proven his class, remaining unbeaten in his first five starts over hurdles and fences, including an impressive seven-and-a-half-length victory over Ballyburn in the Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton.
While injury ruled him out for the rest of the 2025 season, Henderson’s record with top two-mile chasers like Altior and Shishkin suggests Sir Gino could follow a similar path.
At six years old, he fits the profile of a rising chaser with scope for improvement, even though most recent winners have been aged between seven and nine.
His proven speed and jumping accuracy over two miles, coupled with Henderson’s expertise in conditioning young chasers, position Sir Gino as a leading contender for next year's Champion Chase if he returns to full fitness.
Betfred
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Kopek des Bordes - Cheltenham 2026 Arkle
Kopek des Bordes (5/1 favourite with Sky Bet) has received 32% of bets on the 2026 Arkle.
Kopek des Bordes looks like a leading contender for the 2026 Cheltenham Arkle after an outstanding hurdling campaign that included a dominant win in the 2025 Supreme Novices' Hurdle under Paul Townend.
Trained by Willie Mullins, the six-year-old remains unbeaten over obstacles, having also stormed to a 13-length victory in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown—a performance so impressive it drew comparisons with the legendary Golden Cygnet.
Mullins has expressed confidence in Kopek des Bordes' ability to make the transition to fences, highlighting his strong jumping under pressure and a pedigree that includes chase success through Utopie des Bordes.
However, switching from hurdles to chasing always carries some uncertainty, and his ability to adapt to the demands of two-mile novice chasing will be tested.
Mullins' track record with Arkle winners like Douvan and Altior's similar Supreme-to-Arkle path suggest Kopek des Bordes is well-positioned to follow suit.
