Cheltenham Festival Tips: Katie Midwinter gives her verdict on some of the current favourites

• Katie Midwinter continues her 2026 Cheltenham Festival series

• This week she gives her verdict on four of the shortest-priced favourites

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Arkle Novices' Chase: 7/42.75 Lulamba - AGAINST

It's a case of being with Kopek Des Bordes rather than against Lulamba in the prestigious Arkle. The current favourite has the benefit of a recent run on his side which perhaps warrants his place at the head of the market, and a Newbury win in open company when last seen has further enhanced his claims.

Lulamba will be bidding for Cheltenham Festival redemption having been just touched off by surprise 100/1101.00 winner Poniros in last year's Triumph Hurdle when sent off at odds of 11/43.75. He was luckless on that occasion but reversed form emphatically with the Willie Mullins-trained winner at the Punchestown Festival to claim a first Grade One success by four-lengths. Nicky Henderson wasted no time with the talented prospect, sending him chasing this term. He did things quite easily at Exeter when beating the likes of Fingle Bridge, subsequent dual Grade Two winner Salver, and Tripoli Flyer, in a race that has been significantly franked by the third. 

Entitled to improve for the run, particularly considering four fences were omitted due to low sun, Lulamba did what was required but wasn't quite as electric as his Irish counterpart at Navan. 

That Navan success is Kopek Des Bordes' sole appearance over fences to date, which is a slight concern coming into such a competitive race. There should be plenty of further improvement to come from him, but for a horse that can be keen, often wearing a hood, and exuberant, he will need to handle the occasion on the day.

Lulamba has certainly achieved more to date and has gained valuable experience, including against his elders, which should hold him in good stead. He is already a Grade One winner over fences, and is the one to beat considering how the season has panned out to date, but Kopek Des Bordes, if at his best, could have too much speed and class for the favourite.

Now read our full race guide to Day One of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival

Champion Chase: 13/82.63 Majborough - WITH 

It was nearly impossible not to be impressed by Majborough in the Dublin Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival. He put 19-lengths between himself and runner-up Marine Nationale, last year's Champion Chase winner, in an emphatic victory.

First-time cheekpieces worked the oracle and he jumped his rivals into submission, putting in an excellent display on a weekend that proved extremely fruitful for all of his connections.

He can put in a sticky jump and is prone to the occasional error, which cost him the Arkle won by Jango Baie last year at the Festival, and, as seen with Jonbon in last year's renewal of this Grade One and El Fabiolo in the past, mistakes can prove difficult to recover from over this minimum trip.

Despite this, it's difficult to see past Majborough if he jumps well and enjoys a favourable trip. This will be his eighth start over fences and it's possible he's still on an upward trajectory, ready to claim his crown as the champion chaser. He's beatable, as shown earlier in the season when second to Found A Fifty and third to Solness in respective contests, but he may be peaking at the right time in his fourth start of the term.

There's plenty to like about the former Triumph Hurdle winner, who is spectacular on a going day, and he's difficult to oppose at odds of 13/82.63 on the Betfair Sportsbook.

Now read our full race guide to Day Two of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival

Stayers' Hurdle: 15/82.88 Teahupoo - AGAINST

Attempting to regain his crown after being beaten by Bob Olinger in last year's renewal, 2024 Stayers' Hurdle winner Teahupoo is a hugely likeable and experienced performer at this level who is proven in this race. He has enjoyed a flawless campaign to date, recording three wins since his defeat here last term, including a seven-length success over Bob Olinger at Leopardstown when last seen.

The Gordon Elliott-trained star comes into this race fresh, which is his usual preference, and should be in the mix, likely to be tough to beat. However, there are some new kids on the block this time around and the younger brigade may be capable of posing the biggest threat to the favourite.

His stablemate Honesty Policy remains unexposed after only one run in open company when a creditable third to Impose Toi in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot. He was an impressive winner at Aintree last term in his first run at Grade One level, before being beaten only by the talented Jasmin De Vaux at Punchestown.

Ma Shantou has shown plenty of progression this term and is impossible to rule out after a brilliant win in the Cleeve Hurdle, but Kabral Du Mathan may be the most interesting of the unproven runners in the race.

The Dan Skelton-trained six-year-old has been a revelation this term, progression from a mark of 140, when winning a Haydock handicap by 12-lengths on Betfair Chase Day, to winning the Relkeel Hurdle comfortably, now rated 154. He has the scope for even further improvement, and, unexposed over this trip clearly possessing a huge amount of ability and potential, may be worth taking on the favourite with at a price of 6/17.00.

Now read our full race guide to Day Three of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival

Ryanair Chase: 5/42.25 Fact To File - WITH

Fact To File must be supplemented for the Cheltenham Gold Cup if heading to Friday's showpiece rather than attempting to retain his crown in this contest over the intermediate distance, and, with plenty of unknowns at this current stage, it's difficult to form a strong opinion either way.

If he does line up in the Ryanair Chase however, he's likely to be extremely difficult to beat. He was a dominant nine-length winner of the race 12 months ago, and put in a spectacular performance in the Irish Gold Cup when last seen over an extended three miles, beating runner-up Gaelic Warrior by five-lengths with Galopin Des Champs a further eight-and-a-half-lengths back in third.

If he can replicate that level of performance, it's difficult to envisage another rival getting near him, but he isn't always the most consistent and has suffered a number of defeats over the past couple of seasons. The nine-year-old did have excuses at Punchestown last term, however, and the King George VI Chase may not have suited.

Otherwise, he has finished second to Galopin Des Champs in the Savills Chase, third to that same rival at Leopardstown, and was only narrowly denied in a memorable John Durkan earlier this term, therefore it's hard to knock him.

Undoubtedly the class angle of the field, with proven form against champions, Fact To File warrants the utmost respect and is likely to be a strong favourite on the day. There may be value in the each-way market come Festival week, but it's difficult to oppose the favourite, who, if lining up in this race, could record another facile success to retain his title.

Now read our full race guide to Day Four of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival

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