Cheltenham 2026 Champion Hurdle Preview: Runners, Odds and Tips Guide for Tuesday’s Feature Race
The 2026 Champion Hurdle now looks as much a betting race as a championship contest, with Lossiemouth and The New Lion battling for favouritism and several live players at double‑figure prices.
With final declarations in, nine runners stand their ground for Tuesday’s Unibet Champion Hurdle at 4:00pm, and the odds tell a clear story about how fans view the race.
Most firms have Dan Skelton’s The New Lion and Willie Mullins’ Lossiemouth on very short odds, closely followed by Brighterdaysahead and defending champion Golden Ace, before the market opens out to the teens and bigger.
The shape is classic modern Champion Hurdle: a small field, two or three grabbing attention, and a cluster of unexposed or underestimated types further down the list.
Lossiemouth’s Switch and Price
Lossiemouth’s confirmed tilt at the Champion Hurdle, rather than a third Festival success in the Mares’ Hurdle, is what really tightened this market.
After Sir Gino’s setback earlier in the season, she was pushed to the top of the lists at around 2/1, before some firms briefly eased her when it looked as though connections might favour the mares’ route.
Once Willie Mullins and owner Susannah Ricci committed her to Tuesday’s feature, bookmakers had to re‑cut her in below 3/1, putting her on a par with The New Lion.
From a betting perspective, she is now priced less as a “Festival banker” and more as a genuine challenger in a race with depth.
Her profile – a dual Cheltenham winner with Grade 1 form against her own sex – means she rarely goes off at a backable price, so those siding with her are effectively betting on class and track record over proven open two‑mile form.
Cheltenham 2026 Champion Hurdle odds
*Odds from Betfred correct at time of publishing
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lossiemouth | Paul Townend | W P Mullins | 2/1 |
| The New Lion | Harry Skelton | D Skelton | 11/4 |
| Brighterdaysahead | Jack Kennedy | G Elliott | 9/2 |
| Golden Ace | Lorcan Williams | J Scott | 8/1 |
| Poniros | Danny Mullins | W P Mullins | 14/1 |
| Alexei | Brendan Powell | J Tizzard | 20/1 |
| Anzadam | Mr P W Mullins | W P Mullins | 22/1 |
| Tutti Quanti | H Cobden | P F Nicholls | 22/1 |
| Workahead | Darragh O'Keeffe | H De Bromhead | 66/1 |
The New Lion And The Main Principals
The New Lion goes into the race doing something punters always like: turning up as a solid, uncomplicated favourite based on recent wins and reliable sectionals.
He has tightened into the 7/4–2/1 bracket after his latest success around Cheltenham, and several tipping columns have put him up as their main bet, describing him as the “likeliest winner” if the race unfolds straightforwardly.
He appeals to those who prefer a trusted yard, strong recent form, and a no‑nonsense run style, even if there is not a huge amount of juice left in the price.
Brighterdaysahead and Golden Ace form the next layer, sitting between a short price and each‑way territory.
Brighterdaysahead comes in on the back of an Irish Champion Hurdle success and a perception that she is still improving, while Golden Ace won this race last year.
Tipsters have described Golden Ace as the “best price” option among the front rank, arguing that she is slightly underestimated given her proven Festival temperament and last year’s win.
Outsiders and Each‑way Value
The real interest for many punters lies in the band between roughly 8/1 and 20/1, where several horses look capable of running into the places if the favourites falter. Remember State Man from last year??
Poniros sits around 14/1 and has been flagged in multiple previews as the each‑way angle, combining an eye‑catching Triumph Hurdle win with a hold‑up style that might be suited to a smallish field run at a solid gallop.
One video analyst even went as far as calling double‑figure quotes “a crazy price” for a horse with his Cheltenham profile, recommending him each‑way with a view to him being produced late.
Just behind him, Alexei and Tutti Quanti in the low-20s are attracting support from those looking for “second wave” value.
Alexei’s Kingwell win saw his price cut in February, while commentators noted that a small, tactical field at Cheltenham might test his maturity but not necessarily rule him out of a placing.
Tutti Quanti, meanwhile, has quietly shortened on the back of progressive handicap and minor graded form.
Historical Trends
Based purely on the main historical trends, The New Lion looks marginally the most likely winner, with Lossiemouth the most solid candidate to at least hit the frame.
- Age: 9 of the last 10 Champion Hurdle winners were aged 6–8, which suits The New Lion (7), Lossiemouth (7), Brighterdaysahead (7), and Golden Ace (8).
- Market position: 8 of the last 12 winners were favourite or joint‑favourite, and 9/12 were in the top three in the betting, so you are statistically drawn towards the front of the market.
- Last run: 11 of the last 12 winners won last time out, and all had run within 78 days.
- Class and ratings: 9 of the last 12 were rated 161+, and 10/12 had at least one previous Grade 1 win.
Those filters narrow the field mainly to The New Lion, Lossiemouth, Brighterdaysahead, and Golden Ace.
If you focus on hitting the frame rather than just winning, Lossiemouth comes out extremely well on trends.
Her proven Festival temperament and course form, which is not strictly a “trend” point but repeatedly highlighted in stats‑based previews, is another positive for place chances.
On that basis, trend analysis suggests:
– Most likely winner (by profile): The New Lion
– Most likely to place (top 3): Lossiemouth.
Looking Ahead to the Champion Hurdle
Viewed through the lens of prices rather than reputations, this Champion Hurdle offers a clear set of choices.
Backers of The New Lion, with Harry Skelton on board, and Lossiemouth, with jockey Paul Townend, are being asked to play at the front of the book on the assumption that class and recent graded form will tell, accepting relatively tight odds for that comfort.
Those drawn to Brighterdaysahead or Golden Ace can argue that they are getting a touch more value for not much extra risk, especially given what both mares have already shown in top company.
Further down, horses like Poniros, Alexei, Tutti Quanti, and Anzadam give the race depth for each‑way and place markets, and allow punters to build positions that do not depend on picking the outright winner.
Whichever camp you fall into, this is a Champion Hurdle where the odds board tells a nuanced story: no unbeatable star, several believable favourites, and enough double‑figure chances to keep value‑hunters interested right up until the tapes go up on Tuesday afternoon.
BETFRED
