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Cheltenham 2026 Prices

Istabraq said:
This year has once again confirmed this years bumper horses and next years novice hurdle division is one to swerve until the latest possible time.
If the markets were to be believed Kopek was heading to the Turners and Final Demand was heading to the Bartlett right up until the DRF, you need balls the size of hot air balloons to be getting involved with Mullins horses so far out.
As for the King horse we have the even bigger issue in that we haven't seen him come up the hill, so is he a Supreme, Turners or Bartlett horse ?
Or a handicapper ?
Or a right hand bully ?
Who knows.
40/1 I can see the interest but not sure there's a price big enough for me to get involved right now...
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100% and couldn't agree more. If there is one major learning for me too re backing Mullins (at a later point in season)...it's to cover for BOTH the ballymore and supreme regardless if one is talked up.

Being the moron I am, I got stung by backing Ballyburn for Supreme (not Ballymore) in 2024, and this year.....backed Kopek for the Ballymore and not the Supreme....so obviously was almost sick when he crossed the line and the Oles started last week at approx 1.24pm on the Tuesday
 
archie said:
From the Bartlett, I'd be taking Wendigo over Derryhassen Paddy. Wiped out by The Big Westerner after the second last and would, in my opinion, have finished third without that. 25/1 seems about fair given the trainer's comments that he'll be put away now for chasing next season.
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This years Bartlett could turn out to be a decent one, few nice ones in there.
 
archie said:
From the Bartlett, I'd be taking Wendigo over Derryhassen Paddy. Wiped out by The Big Westerner after the second last and would, in my opinion, have finished third without that. 25/1 seems about fair given the trainer's comments that he'll be put away now for chasing next season.
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…I like him too, Archie. I remember earlier in the season a number of posters saying he’d be a chaser to follow and then he ran very well in AB despite meeting so much trouble.
 
Saxon Warrior said:
I've had a bit of the 40s Each Way for the Gold Cup

They dont seem.to think the injury is going to hold him up at the start of the next season.

So given how good he looked. Debuting straight into that Grade 2 at Newburys big winter meeting, then followed it up with a smooth Grade 1 win at Kempton.

Then it's easy to think that horse could've had a massive impact in the BANC (but for his injury), and he could be the staying Novice Chaser to take out of this season with a view to next seasons King George and Gold Cup - at a big price, to soothe the risk of backing an injured horse.

His stablemate Handstands is decent too.

Plus Lecky of course.
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There's a premium article published an hour ago on the Racing Post titled 'Ben Pauling has 2026 Gold Cup aspirations for sidelined The Jukebox Man - plus ground will dictate Handstands Aintree target'.
 
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Ice said:
This years Bartlett could turn out to be a decent one, few nice ones in there.
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I'm not sure personally

That jasmin de vaux was able to win despite jumping poorly again perhaps says as much about the rest of the horses as it does about him

Race IQ has him 14th of 14 finishers in the field for jumping.

He was 20th of 20 for speed lost at obstacles

Juries out for me on that lot

Final demand and the yellow clay look a lot lot better than anything from the bartlett to me. But they are priced accordingly.
 
Sprinter Sacre said:
There's a premium article published an hour ago on the Racing Post titled 'Ben Pauling has 2026 Gold Cup aspirations for sidelined The Jukebox Man - plus ground will dictate Handstands Aintree target'.
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For a moment I considered getting a membership, but surely someone will share it here :barbershop_quartet_member:
 
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FinalFurlong91 said:
I'm not sure personally

That jasmin de vaux was able to win despite jumping poorly again perhaps says as much about the rest of the horses as it does about him

Race IQ has him 14th of 14 finishers in the field for jumping.

He was 20th of 20 for speed lost at obstacles

Juries out for me on that lot

Final demand and the yellow clay look a lot lot better than anything from the bartlett to me. But they are priced accordingly.
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I wouldn't argue the turners lot look much better but i still think there'll be a couple of nice ones from the bartlett for staying novice chases, I've backed wendigo and paddy for the banc so i bloody hope so anyway ! :glee:
 
I really like Jade De Grugy for the Mares Chase next season. Willie says a lot of things but he did mention chasing for her before she had a set back. She looks to me like she wants a fence. Alot would depend on plans for Kargese but I think she will be kept over hurdles next season. 14/1 best price available now seem worth covering. Was some 20/1 up until yesterday.
 
FinalFurlong91 said:
I'm not sure personally

That jasmin de vaux was able to win despite jumping poorly again perhaps says as much about the rest of the horses as it does about him

Race IQ has him 14th of 14 finishers in the field for jumping.

He was 20th of 20 for speed lost at obstacles

Juries out for me on that lot

Final demand and the yellow clay look a lot lot better than anything from the bartlett to me. But they are priced accordingly.
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I'd be cautious of judging the potential ability some of the runners have over fences, by using the race iq data from the Albert Bartlett.

Just as an example, stellar story was 12th of 13 runners (AB 2024) on the same two metrics which you have used above, jumping index and speed lost.
(Ironically, lecky watson finished 1st on both but finished 5th)

Behind him that day he had lecky watson (banc winner) but also behind he had two of the most exciting novice chasers from this season, both unfortunately suffering with bad luck with health, the jukebox man and Gidleigh park.

So essentially I wouldn't be judging those in behind as mediocre because JDV jumped so poorly and they couldn't beat him in a hurdle race, it doesn't necessarily mean they can't become top class over fences.
 
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AaronLad said:
I'd be cautious of judging the potential ability some of the banc runners have over fences, by using the race iq data from the Albert Bartlett.

Just as an example, stellar story was 12th of 13 runners (AB 2024) on the same two metrics which you have used above, jumping index and speed lost.
(Ironically, lecky watson finished 1st on both but finished 5th)

Behind him that day he had lecky watson (banc winner) but also behind he had two of the most exciting novice chasers from this season, both unfortunately suffering with bad luck with health, the jukebox man and Gidleigh park.

So essentially I wouldn't be judging those in behind as mediocre because JDV jumped so poorly and they couldn't beat him in a hurdle race, it doesn't necessarily mean they can't become top class over fences.
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I agree with this. Also, RaceIQ downgrades you for inefficiency. Paul was deliberately letting Jasmin pop hurdles around the first circuit and a bit to get him warmed up. Completely inefficient way of jumping but was what he needed to use his engine later on. I’d be interested to know his score over the last four hurdles as he seemed much more effective at those.
 
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What does anyone think the future holds for Ballyburn? Saw some talk of reverting to hurdles but not sure about that myself. If he did his only realistic festival target would be the stayers and Willie doesn’t really target that race from a long way out, his runners tend to default there during the season.

He jumped well at the DRF and saw out that trip strongly. Was very well supported for the BANC, I got the impression Willie felt they should have let him jump off and ridden him more positively. Never found his rhythm and his race was more or less over after clattering the 5th or so. I think they’ll persevere over fences and staying trips. This would narrow his festival target down to the Ryanair or Gold Cup.

If you can forgive the BANC (and put it down to the tactics) then 40/1 for the Gold Cup seems a generous price for a horse that was 1/2 on for the BANC.
 
jrjr said:
What does anyone think the future holds for Ballyburn? Saw some talk of reverting to hurdles but not sure about that myself. If he did his only realistic festival target would be the stayers and Willie doesn’t really target that race from a long way out, his runners tend to default there during the season.

He jumped well at the DRF and saw out that trip strongly. Was very well supported for the BANC, I got the impression Willie felt they should have let him jump off and ridden him more positively. Never found his rhythm and his race was more or less over after clattering the 5th or so. I think they’ll persevere over fences and staying trips. This would narrow his festival target down to the Ryanair or Gold Cup.

If you can forgive the BANC (and put it down to the tactics) then 40/1 for the Gold Cup seems a generous price for a horse that was 1/2 on for the BANC.
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He only jumped OK at the DRF he was losing ground at most of the fences

He's just slow from A to B and seems to have little enthusiasm for fences

If they keep him over fences he could end up like ahoy senor. A horse that doesn't jump well enough to fulfill his enormous potential that could've mopped up the staying hurdles had he gone back to the smaller obstacles.

I suspect punchestown will be key. If he loses again hurdles becomes a realistic possibility next season if he wins they will persist.

Though Willie can be quite stubborn and will probably keep him over fences.

I'm not sure he's actually a quick enough jumper to be ridden forward against good horses.
 
I don’t think Ballyburn improved at all from last season to this, and so don’t think he’ll come back a better horse next season either. I couldn’t touch him for any open Grade 1 at the Festival.
 
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Maybe we should consign every non staying novice hurdler from 23/24 to the bin, they’re all dross…
 
Before having a little break until Aintree just wanted to make a couple of points as had seen Fact To File mentioned for the Champion Chase.

His price varies from 16/1-10/1 which isn’t proper bad compared to others I’ve seen but I suppose the only reason anyone should be touching that imo is if he is a guaranteed runner at Punchestown. Given he’s just romped home in the Ryanair it’s probably not certain he goes 2m at Punchestown but we’ll see, there’s not many other options for him.

The second point is he is very very much like Allaho for me. Tried over further, keen, strong stayer at the mid-trip but has a little boot. As a bumper second I’m not sure dropping to 2m would be his bag against proper 2milers. Also WPM tried Allaho over 2m and Chacun put him away with ease that day, will they make the same mistake? JP’s team may fancy a crack now Maj disappointed in the Arkle but I’m not sure Maj is wanting much further yet in his career as a 5 going 6 year old, plenty time for that imo.
 
Craigy14 said:
Before having a little break until Aintree just wanted to make a couple of points as had seen Fact To File mentioned for the Champion Chase.

His price varies from 16/1-10/1 which isn’t proper bad compared to others I’ve seen but I suppose the only reason anyone should be touching that imo is if he is a guaranteed runner at Punchestown. Given he’s just romped home in the Ryanair it’s probably not certain he goes 2m at Punchestown but we’ll see, there’s not many other options for him.

The second point is he is very very much like Allaho for me. Tried over further, keen, strong stayer at the mid-trip but has a little boot. As a bumper second I’m not sure dropping to 2m would be his bag against proper 2milers. Also WPM tried Allaho over 2m and Chacun put him away with ease that day, will they make the same mistake? JP’s team may fancy a crack now Maj disappointed in the Arkle but I’m not sure Maj is wanting much further yet in his career as a 5 going 6 year old, plenty time for that imo.
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Any other owner and I think F2F simply goes for an obvious repeat win in the Ryanair. However JP was uncharacteristically open about the fact that there were 5 races he had never won at the Festival before this years renewal and was hoping to tick at least two off this year (Arkle and QMCC the obvious two). As it was he won the Plate with Jagwar so I think he has 4 outstanding. The fact that he mentioned the races he hasn't won implies that it is something that he wants to achieve and so I think the 4 races he hasnt won need close consideration for potential JP runners and Fact to File definitely has the potential to come here particularly if Sir Gino doesnt come back and Jonbon and Majborough for whatever reason arent looking likely winners.

*I'm sorry but I cant remember what the other two races (other than Arkle and QMCC) that JP hasnt won actually are - does anyone know?
 
I don't see the problem in Ballyburn being a potential Ryanair horse. All his best form is over the middle distance.
 
…..Maughreen 33-1 Mares Chase, love to know plans for her, clearly well thought of and left at the start in MNH.
 
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