Champion Hurdle: Katie Midwinter's runner-by-runner guide and 1-2-3 prediction

• Katie Midwinter provides a runner-by-runner guide to the Champion Hurdle

• Nine confirmations for the Grade 1 contest on Tuesday

• The feature on the first day of the Festival includes defending champion Golden Ace

• Lossiemouth, The New Lion and Brighterdaysahead also line up in the race

• Bet £10 get £10 on racing multiples every day of Cheltenham Festival

• Check out our Betfair Tipsters' Best Bets for the Festival

• Read our in-depth guide to the first day of the Cheltenham Festival

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Racing... Only Bettor. Listen to our Cheltenham Festival preview now.

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Cheltenham Day 1 Superboost Winner

The Cheltenham Festival got off to a flyer for the 31,000 backers of the Betfair Sportsbook Superboost as Old Park Star won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. See details of the offer below and look out for more Betfair Superboosts at the Festival.

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The Betfair Sportsbook have a fantastic Superboost to commence the 2026 Cheltenham Festival in the shape of Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Old Park Star.

The six-year-old has never been out of the first three in all of his six career starts and he's won all three of his races for new trainer Nicky Henderson this season. He was 1/31.33 to finish in the top four in Tuesday's curtain raiser, but you can now back him at the super-boosted price of 1/12.00.

To take advantage of this generous Superboost, click on the odds in the below Bet Banner to go to the pre-loaded bet slip.

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Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham, 16:00, Tuesday March 10

An intriguing renewal of the Champion Hurdle awaits on the opening day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. Former champions Constitution Hill and State Man are both sadly absent this time around, but the reigning champion Golden Ace will attempt to defend her crown for Jeremy Scott following another Grade One success in the Fighting Fifth earlier this term.

Some might say both of her top level wins have been fortuitous, but jumping is the name of the game and she deserves tremendous credit for her victories, beating a number of talented rivals on both occasions too.

Constitution Hill will be sorely missed on Tuesday, but his future lies on the Flat, with plenty of exciting days still to come for him, and racegoers will be able to see him at Cheltenham at least, as he's set to parade pre-racing. The race has become an open one without him, with the lack of a clear favourite the standout difference to recent renewals.

A new champion hurdler could be crowned at Cheltenham, or last year's heroine may prove that lightning can strike twice. Whatever the outcome may be, it's a fascinating race.

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Lossiemouth

2/13.00 favourite to win the Champion Hurdle

Champion Hurdle or Mares' Hurdle? This has been the question throughout the season regarding the talented Lossiemouth.

The absence of Constitution Hill has surely made the Champion Hurdle a more enticing proposition, and, although Lossiemouth was beaten at the Dublin Racing Festival, she's a Grade One winner over the minimum distance and warrants her place towards the head of the market considering the talent she has shown throughout her career.

On only one occasion has the eye-catching grey failed to finish outside of the first two when a luckless faller at Leopardstown last year. Her record is almost faultless otherwise, with 13 wins to her name as well as three second-placed efforts at the top level.

Whilst it's possible she's most effective over an extra half-a-mile, and could be seen to best effect against her own sex at the Festival, this is the perfect opportunity for her to land this prestigious prize.

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The New Lion

9/43.25 to win the Champion Hurdle

An impressive winner of the Challow Novices' Hurdle last season before being purchased by JP McManus, The New Lion achieved Cheltenham Festival glory in his first start in the green and gold, impressing to win the Turners Novices' Hurdle for Dan Skelton.

This term, he has made two starts, when falling in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle, and when landing the International Hurdle on Trials Day in a race marred by the injury to Sir Gino. He wasn't electric in his latest run, but the dynamic of the race changed once the favourite was pulled up, and it may not have suited The New Lion, who had to use his speed to beat Nemean Lion and Brentford Hope, late on in the race.

Three winners of the Baring Bingham during their novice hurdling campaigns have gone on to win the Champion Hurdle in future and The New Lion would be able to add his name to the illustrious list which includes Istabraq, Hardy Eustace and Faugheen with victory on Tuesday. 

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Brighterdaysahead

5/16.00 to win the Champion Hurdle

Brighterdaysahead is bidding to make it third time lucky in the Cheltenham Festival having finished second Golden Ace in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle two years ago, before managing only fourth when sent off at odds of 5/23.50 in last year's Champion Hurdle. She had excuses late on last year, having been badly hampered by the fall of State Man at the last flight, but looked booked for second at best following the incident, with Golden Ace travelling best of the rest at the time.

Cheltenham hasn't yet been a lucky venue for the talented mare, but she comes into the race in good form having shown progression from her first start in December, when beaten a length by Lossiemouth, comfortably reversing that form at the Dublin Racing Festival to win convincingly. Her season has started slightly later than usual and if she can take another step forward from her Leopardstown appearance, she has to hold a leading chance in this race.

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Golden Ace

15/28.50 to win the Champion Hurdle

Last year's heroine Golden Ace will aim to prove the events of twelve months ago was no fluke as she attempts to join an illustrious list of multiple winners of the race.

Although the race eventually panned out favourably for the Jeremy Scott-trained mare last year, things weren't completely straightforward for her either as she was forced to avoid Constitution Hill as he fell, and then had to maneuver around State Man when he came down at the last.

Since her exploits at Cheltenham last March, Golden Ace has added another top level accolade to her record, taking advantage when Constitution Hill and The New Lion both fell at Newcastle in the Fighting Fifth. She still had to repel the threat of Anzadam, and did so in good fashion to record another surprise Grade One success at odds of 22/123.00.

Considering she has been there and done it, with proven form in her favour coming into the race as the reigning champion, Golden Ace may be the horse who represents the most value in this field. She shouldn't be overlooked as she has shown how tough she is, and how much talent she has.

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Tutti Quanti

14/115.00 to win the Champion Hurdle

Supplemented for the race following an emphatic 15-length success off top weight at Newbury, now 151-rated Tutti Quanti doesn't have a huge amount to find from his revised rating. His latest run was in testing conditions but he coped with the challenge well, carrying a hefty weight, and deserves to take his chance at a higher level.

The Ditcheat representative, who is four from nine over hurdles during his career to date, finished a length second to Rubber Ball in novice company last term, the form of which has been franked, before managing sixth when a 125/1126.00 chance in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. He has been seen solely in handicaps this term, impressive in both of his latest runs and rising up the weights as a result.

Whilst he does need to prove his credentials at this level, Tutti Quanti is far from a forlorn hope in an open enough contest, and could be able to take advantage should others fail to fire.

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Poniros

16/117.00 to win the Champion Hurdle

Another shock winner at last year's Festival was 100/1101.00 hurdling debutant Poniros, who landed the Triumph Hurdle for Willie Mullins by beating Lulamba. He was beaten four-lengths by the runner-up when they met again at Punchestown, before finishing down the field when sent off at 3/14.00 for the Ascot Stakes.

This term, the Closutton youngster has only been seen once over flights when a staying on third behind Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth at Leopardstown. Entitled to come on for his reappearance effort, the five-year-old warrants respect if he can produce a similar level of form to his success at the meeting twelve months ago.

Whilst his claims are less compelling than some of his shorter-priced rivals, he remains unexposed making only his fourth start over obstacles, is clearly a talented performer with plenty of speed, and could have plenty of further progression to come.

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Alexei

20/121.00 to win the Champion Hurdle

Joe Tizzard-trained Alexei recorded a course-and-distance win when successful in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle last November, and has risen from an opening mark of 132 to his current rating 148, slowly upped in class to his latest Grade Two success in the Kingwell Hurdle.

The six-year-old gelding has shown snippets of useful form on the Flat in Germany before making a successful start over obstacles with a 25-length victory in a Taunton maiden hurdle. He doubled up at that venue in his subsequent run, before failing to finish his debut campaign for his current yard with a flourish. This term, however, he has bounced back to form in good fashion.

An unfortunate second to Celtic Dino in the Welsh Champion Hurdle, Alexei then recorded a facile win at Ascot before winning a competitive handicap at Prestbury Park by six-lengths which resulted in a 13lb rise.

He could still be on an upward trajectory and is a dark horse coming into the race, holding each-way claims if able to show further improvement and having amassed some valuable experience to date, including at this venue.

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Anzadam

22/123.00 to win the Champion Hurdle

Anzadam was an exciting prospect when joining the Closutton yard following two wins in France. He recorded a comfortable win over Kala Conti in a Fairyhouse Grade Three on Irish debut for Willie Mullins, when requipped with a first-time hood, before landing another success at that level, striding to an 11-length victory at Naas in his subsequent start.

Absent for 307 days before making his return in the Fighting Fifth, Anzadam didn't appear to be the most straightforward ride. He travelled strongly into the race at Newcastle, but couldn't get past eventual winner Golden Ace, failing to show any acceleration in the closing stages.

He has been well beaten in both of his latest two outings too, in races won by Lossiemouth and Brighterdaysahead respectively, and winning a Champion Hurdle with that preparation seems unlikely, however, the best could be yet to come from him. 

The six-year-old doesn't quite look like the finished article yet, and could be able to spring a small surprise if settling well and getting into a good rhythm.

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Workahead

33/134.00 to win the Champion Hurdle

Eight-year-old gelding Workahead makes only his sixth career start in very deep waters as he lines up in the Champion Hurdle for Henry de Bromhead. 

On his earlier form, the son of Workforce is far from a forlorn hope, but his latest efforts fall shy of a true Champion Hurdle hope. He has improved with each run this term, and could be capable of taking another step forward, but will need to show significant improvement if he is to land a blow on his more proven rivals.

A convincing seven-length defeat of now 156-rated hurdler, last year's Supreme runner-up, in a Leopardstown maiden would suggest he possessed plenty of potential. Now 151-rated chaser Jacob's Ladder also featured in that field, and, if Workahead can return to similar form and show he has progressed, it would be no surprise to see him outrun huge odds for a team who landed the 2021 and 2022 renewals with brilliant mare Honeysuckle.

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Katie Midwinter's Champion Hurdle Prediction

1. Lossiemouth

2. The New Lion

3. Workahead

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