The 2026 Cheltenham Festival had it all across four days at Prestbury Park: history-making performances, big-priced shocks, a Prestbury Cup that went to the wire, and an emotional farewell that moved the stands. Fans following the current market leaders race by race were treated to one of the most memorable festivals in years.
Lossiemouth Rewrites the Record Books
The Champion Hurdle itself delivered something extraordinary. Lossiemouth, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, went to post at 7/5 having been switched from the Mares’ Hurdle at the last minute and she made the decision look inspired.
Wearing first-time cheekpieces, she settled beautifully behind the pace before powering six and a half lengths clear of Brighterdaysahead up the famous hill. It was her fourth Cheltenham Festival win from four starts, having previously taken the Triumph Hurdle in 2023 and the Mares’ Hurdle in both 2024 and 2025, and it made her only the eighth mare in history to win the Champion Hurdle.
Townend Makes Gold Cup History
By the time Friday came around, Paul Townend had already produced a masterclass on Il Etait Temps in the Champion Chase. But it was his Gold Cup ride on Gaelic Warrior that cemented his place in the record books. Townend settled the Mullins-trained 11/4 joint-favourite in fourth, hugged the inside rail, and only moved when Haiti Couleurs blundered four out. From that point there was only one winner, with Gaelic Warrior crossing the line eight lengths clear of Jango Baie. It was Townend’s fifth Gold Cup victory, making him the most successful jockey in the history of the race, and his sixth leading jockey title at the Festival in total. Townend’s wins with Lossiemouth, Il Etait Temps, and Gaelic Warrior meant he also became the first jockey to achieve a hat-trick of victories in three major races throughout the week.
The shocks That Killed the Accumulators
Away from the Grade Ones, the handicaps and novice races were brutal for punters. Home By The Lee landed the Stayers’ Hurdle at 33/1, White Noise took the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at 40/1, and Apolon De Charnie produced the shock of the week by winning the Triumph Hurdle at 50/1 for Patrick Mullins. Martator won the Grand Annual at 66/1 wearing first-time blinkers after 15 consecutive runs in cheekpieces. It was that kind of week.
The Prestbury Cup Finally Had a Fight In It
Ireland held on to win the Prestbury Cup 15-13, but this was as close as the competition has been since Britain and Ireland tied in 2019. Going into the final day, just one race separated the two nations, and it was only sealed when Air Of Entitlement won the Martin Pipe for Henry de Bromhead in the very last race of the week. Willie Mullins claimed the top trainer title for a ninth time, finishing with eight winners from the meeting, but Britain’s trainers will leave Cheltenham feeling they are closer to closing the gap than they have been in years.
