Cheltenham Festival Champion Hurdle Tips 2026: Verdict On The Two-Mile Crown

It has been a tumultuous season in the two mile hurdling division, with multiple horses at any given time a short priced favourite for the Champion Hurdle. With just a matter of days until Cheltenham Day One, the confirmed runners and riders are still up in the air, but Billy Grimshaw makes the case that the time is now to back his selection given the domino effect which may ensue once the final field is confirmed... 

Lossiemouth, The New Lion, Constitution Hill, Sir Gino. Two down, one teetering and looking a seriously unlikely runner judging by the latest exchange odds, and one now a favourite almost by default. The 2026 Champion Hurdle market is a microcosm of the most unpredictable National Hunt season in recent memory, which has waxed and waned like no other in the last decade. The biggest shame, of course, is that poor Sir Gino broke down as he looked a solid moral for this race given his stunning return to action and hurdling. He was odds-on across the boards after his Christmas Hurdle romp but sadly the International Hurdle saw his season come to an end. 

The positive is that in the immediate aftermath, it looked like his life let alone his career was in danger. Touchwood, we will see him back on a racecourse at some stage, but one horse it seems unlikely we will ever see jumping again is his stablemate Constitution Hill. Three falls in four for the best hurdler I've ever seen is heartbreaking, but I fully support the team's decision to keep him running on the flat now given his stunning debut success at Southwell. Lossiemouth, on the other hand, is a more disappointing omission. It is now seemingly common knowledge that those at Closutton do not think she is up to this level, but the gorgeous grey surely deserves a crack at it.

In the same silks, they had Annie Power who powered to Champion Hurdle glory when playing super sub for Faugheen. Were the machine not to have got injured, the star Ricci mare would never have won hurdling's greatest prize as she'd never have gotten the chance. In this most open of years, to not give Lossiemouth, a two time Cheltenham Festival hero already, the opportunity is a crying shame. Nevertheless, with every decision both positive or negative, opportunity arises.

Paul Townend will be available to ride a different Mullins contender should Lossiemouth, as expected, divert for the easier Mares' Hurdle. Anzadam is in there but has shown regression this season, so I'd make it long odds-on he plumps for last season's shock Triumph hero PONIROS. Willie Mullins has in recent years treaded carefully with his five year olds, keeping them back throughout the winter before giving them a gentle reintroduction to racing in the spring. Many will view Poniros having just one run this season, and hardly sparkling, as a negative along with the damning record of five year olds in this race, but I am of the opinion his season has gone perfectly to plan thus far in the eyes of the Closutton maestro.

12/1 is still available and if Townend does ride, I would expect Poniros to be close to half that price in this windy looking race. He could even be shorter if the Mullins team somehow win the Supreme and then Kopek Des Bordes does the business in the Arkle. Perversely, even if the Arkle goes the way of the other market leader Lulamba, that will also be seen as a positive for Poniros as he beat that horse in last season's 100/1 Triumph shock! Admittedly, that form was reversed in convincing fashion at Punchestown, but the Cheltenham victory on his stable debut was a mighty fine performance and I do think the credibility of it has been somewhat lost in the furore about his SP on the day.

His sole run this season was not impressive but even in his flat career prior to joining Mullins he never looked to enjoy soft conditions, so finishing way off Brighterdaysahead, who reopposes here, when not given a hard time by Danny Mullins and drifting all morning is nothing to be too worried about. On Brighterdaysahead, she is another who could see cash on the day if Gordon Elliott gets off to a fast start with El Cairos in the Supreme, but for all at her peak I believe she's the best horse in this race I cannot countenance backing her at 7/2 or shorter as she is now given her shocking Cheltenham record. Poniros will hopefully at the very least reverse form with her from Leopardstown and if he does, hopefully that's enough at the very least for some place money.

The home team is headed by The New Lion, and in the aftermath of his Turners win last season no one would be surprised to see him come into this race as favourite. On the day that race looked strong form, but since both Final Demand and particularly The Yellow Clay have let it down and Skelton's charge has shown himself to be vulnerable this campaign. We'll never know if he'd have won the Fighting Fifth if he'd not run out, but running out is itself a negative, and the horse who triumphed that day Golden Ace will return to the scene of her greatest triumph with a mighty chance of, somehow, becoming a dual Champion Hurdler.

Her win in last year's race was fortuitous to say the least but - with a lesson that seemingly falls on some deaf pink and green ears - you've gotta be in it to win it. She was in it, the hotpots fell away, and she won it. I'd prefer backing her each-way once more here than The New Lion win only, but do think Poniros is the value at this point in time. A repeat of his fast finishing Triumph victory will see him bang there and with the way Mullins builds his five year olds to crescendo at Cheltenham, and particularly with the Townend factor in play, it makes sense to recommened the bet now.