Cheltenham Top Jockey Odds

Paul Townend

Paul Townend once again heads to the Cheltenham Festival with a powerful book of rides from the Willie Mullins yard, and the Closutton number one is expected to be at the forefront of the leading jockey market throughout the week. With that being said, he is nowhere near as strong a favourite as he has been in past years due to Mullins’ unusually weak looking batch of novices, Doctor Steinberg excluded.

Even so, Townend’s position as stable jockey to the dominant force at the Festival means he is almost guaranteed a steady flow of high-class opportunities across the four days. If the Mullins team performs to its usual level, it is difficult to see him finishing far away from the top of the standings once again.

Best Chances

1. Lossiemouth - Mares' Hurdle - 1/1
2. Bambino Fever - Mares' Novices' Hurdle - 7/4
3. Doctor Steinberg - Albert Bartlett - 11/4

Mark Walsh

Townend’s chief rival is Mark Walsh, a rider who has been in the news recently for reasons he would likely rather avoid. Come May, Walsh will lose his role as JP McManus’ first jockey to Harry Cobden, a decision which has drawn plenty of reaction given Walsh’s long-standing association with the powerful ownership operation.

In a twist of fate, Walsh’s final Cheltenham Festival as JP McManus’ number one could prove to be his most successful yet, with the owner holding an exceptionally strong hand across the week. With quality chances expected in several of the major races, Walsh looks well placed to mount a serious challenge for the Top Jockey title and could shorten further in the betting as the Festival approaches.

Best Chances

1. Narciso Has - Triumph Hurdle - 6/4
2. Majborough - Champion Chase -13/8
3. Dinoblue - Mares' Chase - 7/4

Jack Kennedy

Jack Kennedy heads to the 2026 Cheltenham Festival as the number one rider for Gordon Elliott, and his chances of featuring prominently in the leading jockey market will largely depend on how the Cullentra House team performs across the four days. Elliott endured a frustrating Festival in 2025, having to wait until the final race of the meeting to register a winner, but there is renewed optimism that a stronger team this time around could see Kennedy firmly in the mix once again.

The standout opportunity for Kennedy may come in the Champion Hurdle aboard Brighterdaysahead, who has emerged as one of the yard’s headline horses after top-level success earlier in the season and is expected to carry strong support heading into the Festival. Beyond the championship contests, Kennedy is likely to be associated with several competitive novice and handicap runners, and his ability to deliver in big-field scenarios means he should not be underestimated if Elliott’s team hits form early in the week. While he may lack the sheer volume of short-priced rides available to some of his rivals, a handful of major winners could quickly propel Kennedy into serious contention for the Top Jockey title.

Best Chances

1. Brighterdaysahead - Champion Hurdle - 3/1
2. Wodhooh - Mares' Hurdle - 3/1
3. El Cairos - Supreme Novices' Hurdle - 6/1

Nico de Boinville

Nico de Boinville is next in the betting as stable jockey to Nicky Henderson’s Seven Barrows operation, which is expected to field a strong Festival team once again. De Boinville will be hoping Henderson’s latest group of headline horses can deliver on the biggest stage, particularly with Constitution Hill no longer viewed as the banker he once was and Jonbon advancing in years.

His backers could be in a rosy position come Tuesday evening, with de Boinville having the favourite in both the Supreme (first race) and the Arkle (second race) as well as the enigmatic Constitution Hill in the feature contest of the day. If Henderson’s leading hopes perform to expectations, de Boinville has the quality ammunition to remain firmly in the mix, although he may require multiple big-race successes to keep pace with the depth of opportunities available to Townend and Walsh.

Best Chances

1. Old Park Star - Supreme Novices' Hurdle - 2/1
2. Lulamba - Arkle Challenge Trophy - 5/4
3. Constitution Hill - Champion Hurdle - 3/1

Other Contenders

Elsewhere, Harry Cobden and Sean Bowen will be hoping to add to their Cheltenham Festival tallies with strong support from their respective yards, while Harry Skelton will again team up with brother Dan in search of winners. All three riders are capable of landing notable successes across the week, but on paper they may lack the overall depth of rides required to mount a sustained challenge for the leading jockey honours.

As things stand, the strength of ammunition available to both Townend and Walsh suggests the race for the Top Jockey title is once again likely to revolve around those two leading contenders.