2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup preview, tip and ratings

Galopin des Champs has started a short-priced favourite for the last three years, but the former dual winner has been ruled out of this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup which looks one of the most open renewals for years. Last year’s winner Inothewayurthinkin (181?), who denied Galopin des Champs his hat-trick twelve months ago, does return to defend his title, but is the enigma of the race given his lack of form this season. He was beaten a long way in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase and the Savills Chase and was toiling again when he came down at the last in the Irish Gold Cup last time. He tends to come good at this time of year and recent home reports have been upbeat, but it’s best to look elsewhere for this year’s winner.

In Galopin des Champs’ absence, Willie Mullins will be relying solely on Gaelic Warrior (183) who tops the ratings. The Arkle winner two years ago, he missed Cheltenham last year but ended his campaign with wins in the Bowl Chase at Aintree and the Oaksey Chase at Sandown. The pick of his efforts this season came when getting the better of stablemate Fact To File by a neck in the John Durkan on his reappearance, and while he couldn’t uphold that superiority in the Irish Gold Cup last time, he ran creditably to finish five lengths second to Fact To File with Galopin des Champs back in third.

In between, Gaelic Warrior was a shade below his best when pipped in a thrilling finish to the King George VI Chase that also involved the two main British hopes, The Jukebox Man (179p) and Jango Baie (178p), both progressive second-season chasers. Jumping soundly, The Jukebox Man knuckled down well to beat the previous year’s winner Banbridge and Gaelic Warrior in a finish of noses, in the process taking his unbeaten record over fences to four out of four. Just half a length behind the first three, last year’s Arkle winner Jango Baie took time to warm to his jumping but kept on from the last, giving the impression another couple of furlongs will suit.

The most proven stayer in the field will be Haiti Couleurs (177), winner of the National Hunt Chase at last year’s Festival before following up in the Irish Grand National. He showed his stamina again with a dominant display under a big weight in the Welsh Grand National, but that win on unusually dry ground for Chepstow in the winter showed he’s no sluggard, and he put up a top-class effort back at just short of three miles when giving a seven-length beating to L’Homme Presse (174) in the Denman Chase at Newbury last time.

Fourth in the 2024 Gold Cup, L’Homme Presse had also finished second to Spillane’s Tower (177) in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January, conceding 6 lb to the winner who beat him less than a length. The third, Grey Dawning (177), ruined his chance with a late mistake but he too meets Spillane’s Tower on better terms here. A Festival winner in the Turners Novices’ Chase in 2024, Grey Dawning was three lengths behind Gaelic Warrior at Aintree last season and won the Betfair Chase at Haydock on his reappearance.

Senior runner Envoi Allen (175) has a terrific record, making his eighth consecutive appearance at the Festival where he has won three times before, including the Ryanair Chase in 2023. Also placed in the last two renewals of that race, he won the Champion Chase at Down Royal for the third time and has been kept fresh since the autumn, though this will be much tougher.

Firefox (172) looks to have plenty on his plate judged on the balance of his form over shorter trips, even if he did seem to excel himself when coming from well off the pace to take fourth in the Irish Gold Cup last time on a first try over three miles.

French challenger Gold Tweet (158) has caused a minor surprise at Cheltenham before, when he won the 2023 Cleeve Hurdle, but it will be a shock on a much bigger scale if he can get competitive here as he hasn’t won for nearly two years (that was over hurdles) and his chase form at home is only smart at best.

Timeform weight-adjusted ratings

183 Gaelic Warrior

181? Inothewayurthinkin

179p The Jukebox Man

178p Jango Baie

177 Grey Dawning

177 Haiti Couleurs

177 Spillane’s Tower

175 Envoi Allen

174 L’Homme Presse

172 Firefox

158 Gold Tweet

Timeform analyst’s verdict

An open-looking renewal, with preference for JANGO BAIE who ran as well as ever when a close fourth in the King George, despite the track not looking ideal for him. Upped further in distance, he is taken to reverse the Kempton form with Gaelic Warrior, who is respected given his Festival record for his leading trainer, while The Jukebox Man is unlikely to give up his unbeaten record over fences without a fight.