Cheltenham Festival 2026 - the betting debrief

Shown below the recorded loss to level stakes (1 point win, 0.5 points each-way) of the blog's highlighted selections, returns calculated to the price taken when the wager was placed.

Outlay: 9 points

Return: 8.5 points

Profit / Loss: -0.5 points

Loss as a percentage of outlay: 5.55%

Jingko Blue (won, 10/1) and Bass Hunter (third, 10/1) provided some transient relief on Wednesday but the other seven selections - El Cairos, Golden Ace, Holokea, Western Fold, Impose Toi, Herakles Westwood and The Jukebox Man - were all soundly beaten. After the Gold Cup trainer Ben Pauling indicated The Jukebox Man had made a respiratory noise - as, indeed, I did myself.

Gaelic Warrior was simply magnificent in the Gold Cup while Lossiemouth was similarly imperious in Tuesday's Champion Hurdle, landing a famous double for owner Mrs S. Ricci.

Willie Mullins was top trainer at the meeting for the eighth consecutive year (eight winners) and Paul Townend the top jockey for the fifth consecutive year (five winners). Ireland won the Prestbury Cup 15-13.

Once again shambolic starts plagued the meeting and, on the Thursday, both Willie Mullins and J P McManus indicated they were unhappy with the amount of watering that had taken place as favourite Fact To File was withdrawn from the Ryanair Chase.

To my untrained eye, it looked like a Festival for layers rather than punters but, to finish on a more positive note, the overall attendance over the four days of 226,223 represents a 3.7% increase on last year's figure of 218,093.

Need anything from Tesco, PG? Of course I do - I've a list as long as your arm...

Cheltenham Festival 2025 - the betting debrief

This year seven of the blog's eight highlighted selections came under starter's orders over the four days - Langer Dan was a non-runner, declared to be suffering from a respiratory infection on the morning of the Stayers' Hurdle.

Shown below the recorded loss to level stakes (1 point win, 0.5 points each-way with each-way returns calculated to one fifth the odds):  

Outlay over four days: 7 points

Return over four days: 1.9 points

Profit / Loss: -5.1 points

Loss as percentage of outlay: 72.86%

Brief notes on individual selections:

Malina Girl (bet struck:14/1 each-way; third in Ultima)

Good run behind Myretown and The Changing Man. Winner impressive.

Herakles Westwood (bet struck: 20/1 each-way; seventh in National Hunt Challenge Cup)

Towards rear; never threatened.

Potters Charm (bet struck: 14/1 each-way; fifth in Turners)

Outpaced by market principals off home bend.

Libberty Hunter (bet struck: 33/1 each-way; fell in Champion Chase)

Four lengths down and creeping into contention when falling three out.

Primoz (bet struck: 20/1 each-way; fourteenth in Grand Annual)

Lost any chance in chaotic start.

Protektorat (bet struck: 6/1 win; fourth in Ryanair) 

Outpaced from three out; winner Fact To File impressive.

Our Champ (bet struck: 50/1 each-way; sixth in County Hurdle)

Led; tapped for toe off home bend, stayed on up the hill. 

The Champion Hurdle set the tone for a dramatic week with the two former winners in the field, Constitution Hill and State Man, both falling, the latter at the last when five lengths clear. Golden Ace, trained by Jeremy Scott, picked up the pieces.

Inothewayurthinkin denied Galopin Des Champs a third victory in the Gold Cup while Fact To File put up an imperious display in the Ryanair.   

Marine Nationale, forever associated with Michael O'Sullivan, proved a fitting winner of the Champion Chase while Bob Olinger denied Teahupoo in the Stayers' Hurdle.

The final result of the Prestbury Cup: Great Britain 8 Ireland 20

Just one British trained runner contested the Supreme and there were no British entries in a final field of seven in the Brown Advisory. 

Once again Willie Mullins was the leading trainer at the Festival, equalling his previous record total of 10 winners. He fielded 11 of the 18 runners in the Triumph and won it with 100/1 shot Poniros who was racing over hurdles for the very first time. 

Shambolic starts and the drop in attendance figures are two topics we're likely to hear more about in the coming days.  

Cheltenham Festival 2023 - the betting debrief

This year the blog's eight highlighted selections over the four days of the Festival recorded a small loss to level stakes (1 point win, 0.5 points each way, with each way returns calculated to one fifth the odds).

Outlay over four days: 8 points

Return over four days: 7.8 points

Profit / Loss: -0.2 points

Profit / Loss as percentage of outlay: -2.5%

Each way wager Stage Star won the Turners (15/2 SP used to calculate return after both Banbridge and Christopher Wood withdrawn on account of unsuitable ground) while Protektorat landed place money in the Gold Cup at odds of 18/1.

Those wagers that went awry: Il Etait Temps (Supreme) and The Big Breakaway (Ultima) on Tuesday; Galia Des Liteaux (Brown Advisory) and Elixir De Nutz (Grand Annual) on Wednesday; and Moka De Vassy (Pertemps Final) and Teahupoo (Stayers' Hurdle) on Thursday.

The way in which Constitution Hill demolished the Champion Hurdle field followed by Honeysuckle winning her final race 45 minutes later lit up the opening day and will live long in the memory.

It wasn't plain sailing for Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup but, in the end, he won with the sort of authority his price suggested he would; full credit too to Bravemansgame who came up the hill far better than I had anticipated. We look forward to future clashes with relish. 

Irish domination of the meeting continues but there were still shocks aplenty: 22/1 chance Maskada six and a half lengths ahead of her nearest rival in the Grand Annual; Sire Du Beralis at 33/1 in the Stayers' Hurdle; Faivoir at 33/1 in the County Hurdle; and Premier Magic at 66/1 in the Hunters' Chase. 

The biggest shock of all though was the meekness and timidity - did I detect a certain deference? - shown by the stentorian Matt Chapman when interviewing Zara Tindall in the paddock before the Gold Cup on Friday. We have never seen the like.

I'm sure we'll be back to do it all again next year. 

And, you know, Mrs Tips picked four winners on the first day. If only I had listened... 

Cheltenham Festival 2022 - the betting debrief

Shown below a record of the blog's highlighted selections at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival to a nominal one point level stakes wager (1 point win, 0.5 points each way) with bets settled at advised prices and each way returns calculated to one fifth the odds.

I am pleased to report that, for the sixth time in the past seven years, the blog has returned a profit at the Festival. although this year's performance falls some way short of the outlier recorded last year.

Tuesday

1.30 Supreme Novices' Hurdle

Selection: Constitution Hill

Bet: Win

Advised price: 5/2

Starting price: 9/4jf

Result: Win

Return: 3.50

Profit/Loss: +2.50

2.50 Ultima Handicap Chase

Selection: Kiltealy Briggs

Bet: Each way 

Advised price: 20/1

Starting price: 40/1

Result: Pulled up

Return: 0.00

Profit/Loss -1.00

Profit/Loss Tuesday: +1.50

Wednesday

2.10 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

Selection: Beacon Edge

Bet: Each way

Advised price: 12/1

Starting price: 8/1

Result: Seventh

Return: 0.00

Profit/Loss: -1.00

2.50 Coral Cup

Selection: Gowel Road

Bet: Each way (6 places)

Advised price: 11/1

Starting price: 13/2

Result: Seventh

Return: 0.00

Profit/Loss -1.00

3.30 Champion Chase

Selection: Nube Negra

Bet: Each way

Advised price: 16/1

Starting price: n/a

Result: Non-runner

Profit/Loss: 0.00

Profit/Loss Wednesday: -2.00

Thursday

2.10 Pertemps Network Final

Selection: If The Cap Fits

Bet: Each way (8 places)

Advised price: 40/1

Starting price: 33/1

Result: Sixth

Return: 4.5

Profit/Loss: +3.5

3.30 Stayers Hurdle

Selection: Flooring Porter

Bet: Win

Advised price: 4/1

Starting price: 4/1

Result: Win

Return: 5.00

Profit/Loss +4.0

Profit/Loss Thursday: +7.5

Friday

3.30 Cheltenham Gold Cup

Selection: Galvin

Advised price: 7/2

Starting price: 100/30

Result: Fourth

Return 0.00

Profit/Loss: -1.00

5.30 Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle

Selection: Quinta Do Mar

Bet: Each way (6 places)

Advised price: 40/1

Starting price: 40/1

Result: Twelfth

Return: 0.00

Profit/Loss: -1.00

Profit/Loss Friday: -2.00

Outlay over four days: 8 points

Profit/Loss over four days: +5.0 points

Profit/Loss as percentage of outlay: +62.5% 

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Normal service will be resumed next week.

Cheltenham Festival 2021 - the betting debrief

Shown below a record of the blog's highlighted selections at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival to a nominal one point level stakes wager (1 point win, 0.5 points each way) with bets settled at advised prices and each way returns calculated at one fifth the odds. 

Free bet offers utilised during the four days have not been included in the figures.

For the fifth time in the past six years the blog has returned a profit at the Cheltenham Festival. This year's performance beats the previous best on record (2019), falling into the 'scarcely believable' category, and the fifteenth anniversary of that very first post is just a couple of weeks away. With apologies to Bob Dylan: Ah, I was so much younger then, I'm older than that now.

Tuesday

1.20 Supreme Novices' Hurdle

Selection: Soaring Glory

Bet: Win

Advised price: 6/1

Starting price: 10/1

Result: Fourth

Return: 0.00

Profit/Loss: -1.00

3.05 Champion Hurdle

Selection: Sharjah

Bet: Each way

Advised price: 12/1

Starting price: 11/1

Result: Second

Return: 1.70

Profit/Loss: +0.70

Profit/Loss Tuesday: -0.30

Wednesday

1.20 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle

Selection: Bravemansgame

Bet: Win

Advised price: 7/2

Starting price: 4/1

Result: Third

Return: 0.00

Profit/Loss: -1.00

2.30 Coral Cup

Selection: Tea Clipper

Bet: Each way

Advised price: 40/1

Starting price: 33/1

Result: Third

Return: 4.50

Profit/Loss: +3.50

3.05 Queen Mother Champion Chase

Selection: Rouge Vif

Bet: Each way

Advised price: 28/1

Starting price: 20/1

Result: Ninth

Return: 0.00

Profit/Loss: -1.00

 

Profit/Loss Wednesday: +1.50

Thursday

1.55 Pertemps Network Final

Selection: Mrs Milner

Bet: Each way

Advised price: 12/1

Starting price:  12/1

Result: Win

Return: 8.20

Profit/Loss: +7.20

3.05 Stayers' Hurdle

Selection: Flooring Porter

Bet: Each way

Advised price: 12/1

Starting price: 12/1

Result: Win

Return: 8.20

Profit/Loss +7.20

Profit/Loss Thursday: +14.40

Friday

1.55 County Hurdle

Selection: Milkwood

Bet: Each way

Advised price: 25/1

Starting price: 28/1

Result: Third

Return: 3.00

Profit/Loss: +2.00

3.05 Gold Cup

Selection: Al Boum Photo

Bet: Win

Advised price: Not recorded

Starting price: 9/4f

Result: Third

Return: 0.00

Profit/Loss: -1.00

Profit/Loss Friday: +1.00

-----

Outlay over four days: 9 points

Profit/Loss over four days: +16.60 points

Profit as percentage of outlay: 184.44%

-------

Normal service will be resumed next week.

Cheltenham Festival 2020 - the betting debrief

Shown below a record of the blog's highlighted selections at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival to a nominal one point level stakes wager (1 point win, 0.5 points each way) with bets settled at advised prices and each way returns calculated to one fifth the odds.

For the fourth time in the past five years the blog's Festival selections have returned a profit, although this year's modest figure contrasts rather sharply with last year's performance.

To quote my regular life coach and mentor: 'Let's be honest, now, a modest profit beats the thumping loss you usually record over the course of a season.' Withering. What with the whole wellbeing agenda and everything, perhaps it's time I started looking for a replacement...

Tuesday
2.50 Ultima Handicap Chase
Selection: The Conditional
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 9/1
Starting price: 15/2
Result: Win
Return: 6.40
Profit/Loss: +5.40

3.30 Champion Hurdle
Selection: Cornerstone Lad
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 33/1
Starting price: 33/1
Result: Pulled up
Return: 0.00
Profit/Loss: -1.00

Profit/Loss Tuesday +4.40

Wednesday
2.10 RSA Chase
Selection: Copperhead
Bet: Win
Advised price: 9/2
Starting price: 6/1
Result: Fell
Return: 0.00
Profit/Loss: -1.00

2.50 Coral Cup
Selection: Alfa Mix
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 11/1
Starting price: 14/1
Result: Seventh
Return: 0.00
Profit / Loss: -1.00

4.50 Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
Selection: Zoffee
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 16/1
Starting price: 16/1
Result: Pulled up
Return: 0.00
Profit/Loss: -1.00

5.30 Champion bumper
Selection: Israel Champ
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 12/1
Starting price: 8/1
Result: Seventeenth
Return: 0.00
Profit/Loss: -1.00

Profit/Loss Wednesday: -4.00

Thursday
2.10 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle
Selection: Third Wind
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 14/1
Starting price: 12/1
Result: Fourth
Return: 1.90
Profit/Loss: +0.90

2.50 Ryanair Chase
Selection: Min
Bet: Win
Advised price: 11/4
Starting price: 2/1
Result: Win
Return: 3.75
Profit/Loss: +2.75

3.30 Stayers' Hurdle
Selection: Penhill
Bet: Each way
Advised price:14/1
Starting price: 10/1
Result: Pulled up
Return: 0.00
Profit/Loss -1.00

Profit/Loss Thursday: +2.65

Friday
2.10 County Handicap Hurdle 
Selection: Thatsy
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 14/1
Starting price: 8/1
Result: Seventh
Return: 0.00
Profit/Loss: -1.00

3.30 Gold Cup
Selection: Lostintranslation
Bet: Win
Advised price: 17/2
Starting price: 10/1
Result: Third
Return 0.00
Profit/Loss: -1.00

Profit/Loss Friday: -2.00

----
Outlay over four days: 11 points
Profit/Loss over four days: +1.05 points
Profit as percentage of outlay: 9.54%
----

Cheltenham Festival 2019 - the betting debrief

Shown below a record of the blog's highlighted selections at this year's Festival to a nominal 1 point level stakes wager (1 point win, 0.5 points each way) with bets settled at advised prices and each way returns calculated to one fifth the odds.

For once, it all makes for half-decent reading and ranks as the blog's best performance on record with the thirteenth anniversary of that fateful first post just a couple of weeks away.

Readers are strongly advised to make use of the contextual footnotes provided.

Tuesday

1.30 Supreme Novice's Hurdle
Selection: Elixir De Nutz
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 8/1
Starting price: N/A
Result: Non-runner / no bet

2.50 Ultima Handicap Chase
Selection: Lake View Lad
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 20/1
Starting price: 25/1
Result: Third
Return: 2.50
Profit/Loss +1.50

Profit/Loss Tuesday +1.50

Wednesday

1.30 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle
Selection: Brewin'upastorm
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 9/1
Starting price: 11/1
Result: Fourth
Return 0.00
Profit/Loss -1.00

2.10 RSA Novices' Chase
Selection: On The Blind Side
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 10/1
Starting price: 14/1
Result: Pulled up
Return: 0.00
Profit/Loss -1.00

3.30 Champion Chase
Selection: Sceau Royal
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 14/1
Starting price: 16/1
Result: Third
Return: 1.90
Profit/Loss: +0.90

5.30 Champion bumper
Selection: Master Debonair
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 11/1
Starting price 12/1
Result: Twelfth
Profit/Loss: -1.00

Profit/Loss Wednesday -2.10

Thursday

2.50 Ryanair Chase
Selection: Frodon
Bet: Win
Advised price: 15/2
Starting price: 9/2
Result: First
Return: 8.50
Profit/Loss +7.50

Selection: Aso
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 33/1
Starting price: 33/1
Result: Second
Return: 3.80
Profit/Loss: +2.80

3.30 Stayers' Hurdle
Selection: Sam Spinner
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 40/1
Starting price: 33/1
Result: Second
Return: 4.50
Profit/Loss: +3.50

Profit/Loss Thursday +13.80

Friday

3.30 Cheltenham Gold Cup
Selection: Anibale Fly
Bet: Each way
Advised price: 25/1
Starting price: 22/1
Result: Second
Return: 3.00
Profit/Loss +2.00

Profit/Loss Friday +2.00

-----
Outlay over four days: 9 points
Profit/Loss over four days: +15.2 points
Profit as percentage of outlay: 168.88%
-----

Footnote 1:
Do not be deceived - this performance is demonstrably atypical and unlikely to be repeated in the next ten years. Normal service will be resumed next week.

Footnote 2:
Mrs Tips states: 'I picked my own winners on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. I started off full of enthusiasm but by Thursday I was picking names I didn't even like or care about. On Friday I picked Pentland Hills for the first race because I thought they were in the Cotswolds. I still picked more winners than PG's Tips.'

Cheltenham Festival 2018 - a brief debrief

Two of the twelve highlighted selections on the blog obliged this year (Presenting Percy win in the RSA Chase on Wednesday and Delta Work each-way in the Pertemps Final on Thursday) recording a modest profit of +1.25 points at advised prices over the week.

Regular contributor TW picked out Mohaayed in the County Hurdle and Le Prezien in the Grand Annual on Friday to record a very healthy Festival profit of +34.9 points.

Amongst the also-rans tipped, Burbank caught the eye, finishing seventh in the Coral Cup behind Bleu Berry, beaten just seven lengths on ground he didn't like. Prior to the race trainer Nicky Henderson indicated he would have really fancied the horse's chance if underfoot conditions had been more suitable.

Ireland had the Betbright Cup in the bag by Thursday evening; a late flurry from the home side on Friday brought a hint of respectability to the 17-11 scoreline but there should be no doubt questions remain for those based on the British side of the Irish Sea.

The first Festival in a generation to be run on soft / heavy ground saw a number of front runners beaten in the closing stages; Top Wood, Gino Trail and Fabulous Saga are three that come to mind from the final day. Of course, Native River proved the exception to that rule in his epic duel with Might Bite in an unforgettable Gold Cup.

The going on the members' lawn on Ladies' Day could be described as heavy, impassable in places.

This year we purchased Club enclosure tickets (full price £90) rather than Tattersalls tickets (full price circa £50); naturally conversation centred around value for money. Viewing is certainly better in Club, with the balcony over the paddock a particular boon, but for those who crave the cut and thrust of the betting ring the atmosphere was distinctly sanitised.

There were several opportunities to wander into random champagne bars and pay upwards of £154 a bottle but such temptations were easily resisted. In time-honoured fashion, after racing we retired to our regular haunt in Tatts (Guinness £5.50 per pint) where we swapped our perennial hard-luck stories and threw away unwanted betting slips.

The wind almost reached gale force on Wednesday too - at times I felt I was on platform 7 of Birmingham New St station waiting for the delayed Cross Country service from Edinburgh; several ladies had their hats returned by chivalrous gents.

A walk into the infield for the cross country race proved a mistake. As we stood next to the Cheese Wedges fence and waited patiently for the runners to pass, we sank, almost imperceptibly, further and further into the mud. All I could do was ignore the old adage 'Don't wear brown in town' as my black footwear changed colour before my very eyes; at one point there was a worry one member of the party would require 4x4 assistance to cross the track and return back to the main enclosures...

Highlights of the week for me - Native River's Gold Cup victory and Presenting Percy's commanding performance in the RSA. Will they take each other on in next year's Gold Cup? And a word too for Summerville Boy who overcame plenty of trouble in running before beating Kalashnikov a neck in the Supreme, the very first race of the meeting. It seems like half a lifetime ago now.

I'm sure we'll do the same again next year - but probably in Tatts.

Derby day debrief

So, finally, Dettori has laid to rest his Derby day hoodoo. Authorized's victory looked exceptional. After an inauspicious start, it was clear Frankie had plenty of horse beneath him, at one point taking time out to look around and check the runners behind. As they came into the home straight, the horse appeared a little further back in the field than would have been ideal, but it was of little consequence as Authorized showed a commanding turn of foot.

I felt the BBC coverage tended to concentrate excessively on the personalities involved rather than highlighting the achievements of the horses concerned. In truth, Dettori's reaction appeared a bit of a mixed bag, a 'going through the motions', a 'playing to the media'. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that's due to the pressure, but it looked as much a reaction of relief as anything else.

With a roaming camera following the victor back into the inner sanctum of the weighing room, we were treated to a couple of pardonable expletives and then, much to Mrs Tips' amusement, a quick full frontal of an unsuspecting jock getting ready for the next. The result in our house was that Mrs Tips had to go for a lie down and me and the kids had to wait for our tea... Good job it only happens once a year.