Road to the Cheltenham Festival 2026 – 7 weeks to go

It’s that time of year again, where we look ahead to the Cheltenham Gold Cup Festival in March and with two months before the feature race, here is our first post of the year!

For those who haven’t followed Severn Sport during the run up to and the Festival itself, our coverage includes posts at 7,3, 2 and 1 week to go markers, as well as a Tipster League during Festival week – where figures from football in Gloucestershire compete to be crowned our King Tipster.

The reason for it being 7 weeks to go is to allow for last weekend’s Clarence House to be run and it also the week prior to the Dublin Racing Festival – two key big weekends in the pre-Cheltenham calendar.

With that being said, Severn Sport’s Ryan Butler is joined by Tipster League veteran, Damon Highet, and Slimbridge Co-Manager, Tom Deakin, for our first preview post.

At the 7 weeks to go mark, the early betting market is a minefield – so to help you, we are looking at the Best Priced Favourite, Favourite to take on and our antepost Longshot (10/1+)

As always, Severn Sport encourages everyone to bet responsibly and the prices below are taken from Oddschecker at the time of writing, so are subject to change.

As always, let’s start with the Best Priced Favourite:

TD: No Drama This End in the Turners Novices Hurdle. What looks a season of not much depth from the Mullins camp, Paul Nicholls has a good one who showed his class by dismantling the Challow Hurdle field at Christmas.

Gallops and jumps well and I think at 7/2 he still gives you a nice price for a favourite – other notable favourites are Bambino Fever and Final Demand, who are both banker material from what they have done – but they don’t offer the value in the same way No Drama This End Does.

Best Price – 7/2 (William Hill, Bet365, BetFred, Boyle Sports)

DH: With Cheltenham you have to look at those who have proven form at the meeting and Marine Nationale is shaping up to take some beating in the Champion Chase.

After a dramatic, yet thrilling run at Leopardstown over Christmas, you wouldn’t be put off backing him to repeat last season’s win. And when you are looking for a favourite, you also have to consider the opposition.

Majborough wouldn’t scare me and the duo of L’Eau du Sud and Il Etait Temps lack the Cheltenham form to really have me worried.

The race looks like his to lose, unless Jonhon turns up (although the suggestion is he will try the Ryanair) and finally breaks his Cheltenham hoodoo, or even Solness, who continues to win decent grade ones in Ireland.

Best Price – 6/4 (Betway, BetVictor, Bet365)

RB: At this stage last year everyone had a different favourite that was rock solid and nailed on to win. What transpired was only two of the odds-on favourites winning across the week and a tough one for punters. Saying that, one who impressed on the day was Fact To File in the Ryanair Chase.

After the early declarations we know for definite that if FTF runs, he is in the Ryanair and despite a couple of poor showings this season, you have the feeling that if he is on song come March, he could make it back-to-back wins in the race.

A number of his closest rivals in the betting are either untested at that trip or are going to chance their arm at a fairly open Gold Cup, which could make the current 13/8 seem like great value should he go off odds on come race time.

Best Price – 13/8 (Bet365, Betway, BetVictor)

Next up is the Favourite to take on:

TD: The favourite to take on has to be Teahupoo in the Stayers Hurdle. May well have won two years ago, but seems to find one or two better then him in the final strides at Cheltenham.

He looked a penalty kick last year and got caught late and with Honesty Policy and Impose Toi both looking like good options for an owner who seems to find winners for this race, it will be another tough renewal to call.

Best Price – 7/4 (betway, BetVictor, Paddy Power)

DH: I have to agree with Tom, Teahupoo looks really opposable in the Stayers Hurdle. Maybe it is down to the disappointment of being beaten by last year, but he doesn’t feel like the free hit he did this time 12 months ago.

The big question mark about last year’s race was what was the serious opposition? There wasn’t an obvious choice.

The Wallpark was fancied on the day, and Bob Olinger (who went on to win) was always going to get backed due to being a runner people knew, but by the time Home By The Lee unseated, he was already done – but this year there are some serious contenders.

Honesty Policy, Impose Toi and Bob Olinger will all be well supported – as will Ballyburn (I don’t know why!), so there are question marks for sure.

Best Price – 7/4 (betway, BetVictor, Paddy Power)

RB: Incredibly, my favourite to take on is a previous Cheltenham winner in Lossiemouth. At this stage, she either runs in the Champion Hurdle or potentially settles for the Mares Hurdle. For me, I don’t think Willie Mullins settles for the Mares Hurdle without a serious contender in the Champion Hurdle.

Lossiemouth going to the Mares is Willie pinning all of his hops on Anzadam, who isn’t quite up there with Sir Gino, The New Lion or even last year’s winner Golden Ace. There is also talk of El Fabiolo potentially getting a go, but why would you not play your best card in a race like that?

So right now, getting 2/1 for Wodhooh or even 5/1 for Brighterdaysahead looks exceptional value as if Lossiemouth does indeed go for the Champion Hurdle, then those prices will be gone within seconds.

Best Price – 7/4 (Betway, Bet365, Boyle Sports)

And to round off the first post of the season, the boys’ Longshot at this stage – we gave them one rule, a minimum price of 10/1 at the time of writing.

TD: I like the look of Wilful for either the County Hurdle or the Coral Cup. You might struggle to find a price for the Coral Cup at the minute as he has not been priced up for the most part, but it’s one to keep an eye on.

Going well over 2m, but pedigree says he will go just as well over further. Another I do like is Koktail Divin, but after his win at Christmas, he may not be able to run in the Novice Handicap Chase.

Best Price (County Hurdle) – 20/1 (Bet365)

DH: It is time to go big or go home. I Am Maximus in the Gold Cup. There were a number of take homes from the Savills Chase over Christmas and he was one of them.

Flying home at 50/1 having placed in the National in April and having a shorter distance run in November to blow the cob webs away, 25/1 looks like a huge price.

This year’s renewal could be a hugely exciting one and there are a number of “definite” runners at this stage, which is great for the punters and fans of the sport.

Best Price – 25/1 (Betway, Bet365, BetVictor, Paddy Power, Boyle Sports)

RB: The Supreme Novices Hurdle is one that can throw out some odd results and there are a number of eye-catching runners potentially heading for the opener this year and I quite like the look of Idaho Sun.

Finished just behind El Cairos in last year’s bumper and finished ahead of No Drama This End – who is set to go off favourite in the Turners and has gone on to win at Fontwell and Bangor before Christmas, before beating Mydaddypaddy in a race at Aintree on Boxing Day heavily impacted by the removal of the last two fences.

But he showed he has the stamina to push on against decent opposition and at 16/1 offers value for a horse capable of causing an upset to the market.

Best Price – 16/1 (SkyBet, Bet365, Paddy Power)

Next month we will be back with another preview post for the Cheltenham Gold Cup Festival, as Butler starts piecing together this years Tipster League!