Weekend Winners - Gold Cup Preview

The Cheltenham Gold Cup remains the defining race of the National Hunt season, a contest steeped in history and prestige that has crowned some of the sport’s greatest staying chasers. From Arkle and Best Mate to Kauto Star and Galopin Des Champs in more recent times, victory in the Gold Cup secures immortality.

This year’s renewal has taken on a very different complexion in the final weeks. Two-time winner Galopin Des Champs was forced to miss the race through injury, removing the dominant staying chaser of recent seasons from the equation. Meanwhile, Fact To File, so impressive when landing the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown, has instead been diverted to the Ryanair Chase, further opening up the race.

The result is one of the most open Gold Cups in many years, with the market tightly packed and several legitimate contenders. The intrigue is heightened by the fact that the top three in the betting all finished within half a length of each other in this season’s King George VI Chase at Kempton, setting up a fascinating clash on very different terrain around Cheltenham’s stamina-sapping New Course.

Below, we take a look at each of the eleven runners lining up for the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Gaelic Warrior (4/1)

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend

Gaelic Warrior moved into favouritism once Galopin Des Champs was ruled out and Paul Townend confirmed his allegiance. Winner of the 2024 Arkle, he is a horse of undeniable class and remarkable consistency at the highest level. The question mark surrounds stamina over Cheltenham’s extended three miles, as most of his best performances have come over shorter distances. While he has the quality to go very close, he does have a habit of bumping into something slightly better on the biggest stages.

The Jukebox Man (4/1)

Trainer: Ben Pauling
Jockey: Ben Jones

Unbeaten over fences, The Jukebox Man is the emerging star of the staying chase division. His victory in this season’s King George VI Chase propelled him straight into the Gold Cup picture, but tomorrow’s test will be very different. Kempton rewards speed and slick jumping, whereas Cheltenham places far greater emphasis on stamina. His jumping is a major asset and he could easily prove up to this level, though whether he relishes the relentless stamina test remains to be seen.

Jango Baie (9/2)

Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Jockey: Nico de Boinville

Last season’s Arkle winner, Jango Baie looks particularly well suited to the demands of a Gold Cup. He ran an excellent race in the King George, finishing fourth and beaten only half a length in a blanket finish. In that race, he appeared slightly outpaced late on, suggesting the extra emphasis on stamina here could play strongly to his strengths. With fewer stamina concerns than some of his rivals, he may well prove the most solid contender and arguably deserves to be favourite.

Haiti Couleurs (7/1)

Trainer: Rebecca Curtis
Jockey: Sean Bowen

A relentless stayer, Haiti Couleurs arrives with a formidable record, having won nine of his last twelve starts, including the National Hunt Chase at last year’s Festival over 3m6f. He has also captured both the Irish and Welsh Grand Nationals, underlining his stamina credentials. If the race becomes a true test, few will finish stronger. He bids to become the first Welsh-trained Gold Cup winner since Norton’s Coin shocked the racing world at 100/1 in 1990.

Inothewayurthinkin (15/2)

Trainer: Gavin Cromwell
Jockey: Mark Walsh

The defending champion returns to Cheltenham seeking to repeat last year’s memorable victory, when he produced a superb performance to deny Galopin Des Champs. His three runs this season have been well below that level, but connections have always had this race firmly in mind. A return to his best would put him right back in the mix, and he is far too dangerous to dismiss lightly.

Grey Dawning (12/1)

Trainer: Dan Skelton
Jockey: Harry Skelton

Grey Dawning has had this race as his primary target throughout the season. His most notable performance came when winning the Betfair Chase at Haydock, the opening leg of the staying chase Triple Crown. While the form of that race has been questioned, there is no doubt about his stamina, and he should relish the test of the Gold Cup trip. While others may possess greater class, he looks a very solid candidate to run into the places.

Spillane’s Tower (14/1)

Trainer: Jimmy Mangan
Jockey: Harry Cobden

Ground conditions are the major concern for Spillane’s Tower. His only run on Good ground resulted in a disappointing effort when favourite for last year’s King George. Even allowing for that, he would need to produce a significant career-best performance to win a race of this calibre, and it is difficult to build a convincing case for him winning tomorrow.

Envoi Allen (28/1)

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
Jockey: Darragh O'Keeffe

A magnificent performer for connections and a three-time Cheltenham Festival winner, Envoi Allen has enjoyed a stellar life on the racecourse. Now aged twelve, however, this assignment looks like a formidable challenge at the twilight of his career. His experience and class command enormous respect, but younger legs are likely to prove too strong for him now.

Firefox (33/1)

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Jack Kennedy

Firefox ran with credit when finishing fourth in the Irish Gold Cup last time out, suggesting he isn't disgraced at this level. Even so, it would be a surprise if he were able to improve enough to trouble the principals in this field.

L’Homme Presse (50/1)

Trainer: Venetia Williams
Jockey: Charlie Deutsch

A very likeable and consistent performer, L’Homme Presse has an excellent record at Cheltenham, having won three times at the track. His trainer,, Venetia Williams enjoyed a memorable success earlier in the week when Martador landed a 66/1 shock, but an even bigger upset would be required here. While victory looks unlikely, he is not entirely without place possibilities.

Gold Tweet (125/1)

Trainer: Gabriel Leenders
Jockey: Clement Lefebvre

On form, Gold Tweet faces a monumental challenge in attempting to win this race. He bids to become only the second French-trained winner of the Gold Cup, following The Fellow in 1994. Interestingly, his trainer has an excellent strike rate at Cheltenham, with two wins from just three runners at the course, though this remains a very daunting task.

Verdict

With Galopin Des Champs absent and Fact To File diverted elsewhere, the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup is one of the most open renewals in recent memory. The Kempton form linking The Jukebox Man, Gaelic Warrior and Jango Baie provides a fascinating reference point, but the stamina test of Cheltenham could easily tilt the balance towards Jango Baie, who is the selection in a wide-open race.

It promises to be a gripping contest to close the Festival, and a race that could produce a new star in the staying chase division.