The 2025 Cheltenham Festival has just passed, but already, there’s plenty of reason to look at 2026. To aid punters who are looking ahead like me, there’s plenty of ante post markets already open, which is a great sign.
After taking a look through, I’ve got three horses I like at this stage, who could well be a lot shorter in just under 12 months from now.
Brown Advisory Chase – Final Demand (Wednesday)
First up is the Willie Mullins trained Final Demand, who finished an excellent third in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle on the second day of the meeting this year, and he’s all set to be back on the second day next year.
Running over hurdles, he finished third behind The Yellow Clay and The New Lion, the latter of those is definitely going to stay over hurdles according to Dan Skelton and is a Champion Hurdle possibility. The former has both hurdles and chasing as options open, depending how he winters.
But when I watched the race, how they jumped and the size of these horses, Final Demand screams loudly that he’s a chaser in the making. I think it improves him to a new level, and a little further in distance won’t hurt him too.
To get so close to The New Lion over hurdles was an excellent run, next year is the making of him, and the 6/1 available looks a fair price for next year’s Brown Advisory Chase.
Albert Bartlett Hurdle – Gameofinches (Friday)
I’m taking a bit of a punt here, because even if Gameofinches proves himself good enough to get to Cheltenham next year, he’s got this race or the Turners Novices’ Hurdle that he could run in.
A thorough stayer and very imposing, big horse, I’m hoping he comes here, as the stamina test this race brings looks right up his street.
Super impressive in his Irish bumper start, he was thrown into the Champion Bumper picture, but could only finish 12th at the festival, 10 lengths behind the winner. He was thrown into a speedy, two mile contest with plenty of runners, and that’s the exact opposite of what he needs.
Despite this, he was the choice of Paul Townend, which makes me think he must work very well at home, to be his choice.
Hurdling should bring out even more from this exciting youngster, while obviously in the long run, chasing should really be where he thrives. But for now, next season, he’s 20/1 for the Albert Bartlett, and although it’s one of two options for him, I can’t not take him seriously at that price, he’s a horse with a massive future.
Gold Cup – Galopin Des Champs (Friday)
A week before the Gold Cup, Galopin Des Champs was many people’s idea of the banker of the week, a certainty to land three Gold Cups, and tipped by many to go on and win four with the 2026 renewal.
Second on the day though, and now all of a sudden, he’s past it, and not the horse he was. I think it’s bonkers to suggest that. He’s young enough to come back next year in his peak, I don’t think he gave a true account of himself this year, and even despite that, was still good enough for second.
I think its obvious Fact To File and Inothewayurthinkin will be back next year, and provide stiff opposition, but there’s absolutely nothing coming from the novice division to be worried about.
At 8/1, I think he’s as good value as at any other time in his career. Had he won the third Gold Cup last week, he would have been 6/4 for next season. He didn’t get beaten going down hard, he wasn’t himself, should be excused, and is a monster performance away from being favourite again, whether that’s at Punchestown in May, or sometime next season when he’s back.
I’ve got faith in him to come back, and as already said, I just don’t see anything coming out of the top three to challenge them anytime soon.
To round off, I’ll add in that I think Sir Gino is set to take the Champion Chase next year, the two-mile division is waiting for a star and he’s good enough to be it. At just 7/2 though, considering he’s been off the track, he’s way too short to recommend as a bet, but I do think he’s a superstar in the making, and there’s not much depth at all to the division.