Cheltenham Tips 2026: An Each-Way Lucky 15 Across The Cheltenham Festival

With the Cheltenham Festival now less than 24 hours away, punters are able to access plenty of the extra places that can be the difference between winning and losing each-way bets. With this in mind, Billy Grimshaw has been tasked with providing us an each-way lucky 15, with four horses at minimum odds of 5/1 that could outrun their odds.

He makes the case for his Cheltenham Tips, all in handicaps, below and recommends the multiple bet in the hope for four places or even a few winners...

Handstands – Ultima Handicap Chase

HANDSTANDS looks to have an excellent profile for the Ultima Handicap Chase, a race that traditionally rewards progressive staying chasers who travel strongly through their races. Ben Pauling’s gelding has been one of the most exciting young staying prospects in Britain last season but has lost his way a touch this campaign. His trainer, however, has reported he is back in rude health and if that is the case he could make a mockery of this handicap. His blend of cruising speed and accurate jumping makes him particularly well suited to the relentless test posed by this Festival handicap, with the Ultima often run at a searching gallop and that should play right into his strength.  

If he settles early before creeping into contention down the hill. has the pace to get past the early pacesetters up the Cheltenham hill. His form beating Jango Baie is what draws me to him, as I fancy that horse to run well in Friday's Gold Cup.

Storm Heart – BetMGM Cup

The artist formerly known as the Coral Cup, the BetMGM Cup has developed into one of the most competitive handicaps of the week, but even with the ferocious nature of the race I really like the chances of the market leader STORM HEART. He looks the perfect type of improving runner who can take a big step forward on this stage, even with a big weight on his back and no Paul Townend. Well beaten as 7/2 favourite in the 2024 Triumph Hurdle, he was given a typically light campaign at five for a Mullins youngster, being sighted just once when just a length off McLaurey - short for a handicap chase on Tuesday this week - attempting to give the winner a stone and a half.

He suffered a setback in that handicap and was not sighted again until Christmas last year but has won in facile manner on his two starts and clearly is a horse with plenty of upside left in the locker. Mullins has an exceptional record with handicap hurdlers at this meeting and while he is not exactly a dark horse given he heads the market, I think it'll take a stroke of bad fortune to see him out of the frame. He has an excellent chance of winning, too.

Slade Steel - Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase

I cannot decide how I feel about this race typing this piece on Monday afternoon. On the one hand, I am delighted to see SLADE STEEL declared and clearly the Henry De Bromhead first string, with stablemate Koktail Divin heading for a Grade 1 instead. This is the perfect scenario really, as although I really fancied Slade Steel before that news, I did think the other De Bromhead runner rated his chief threat. I am, however, in a bit of a sulk as I have resisted backing my fancy all week due to worrying about him being the horse diverted to another target, rather than his stablemate. Now I must settle for 7/1 rather than the double figures which had been widely available about Slade Steel. Ah well, a 7/1 winner is still a 7/1 winner!

There is no better trainer for bringing his horses to the boil just in time for Cheltenham and I'm in little doubt Henry De Bromhead will have been putting a red circle around this race in the calendar for Slade Steel all winter. This horse is a Supreme winner, after all, so clearly has Cheltenham Festival form - and while that was hardly Altior's Supreme, it was still a fine achievement. Running in a handicap chase as a second season novice, the big weight of 11st6 will hold no fear for him and with the ground set to be nigh on perfect on Thursday, this is my each-way NAP of the meeting. If he's out of the frame barring incident, I'll be flabbergasted.

Sinnatra – County Hurdle

In eight of the last ten seasons this race has been won by either Mullins or Skelton and I cannot see that domination stopping anytime soon - certainly not in 2026 when my leading fancy is from Skelton's yard but the horse I fear most resides at Closutton! Dan Skelton looks to have pulled another rabbit from the hat in getting SINNATRA smuggled into this race off a mark of just 133. He was just eight lengths off Turners hope Act Of Innocence on his penultimate start at Huntingdon when not given a hard time of things, and won in a canter at Warwick last time out, with a motionless Harry Skelton onboard cruising to a five length success.

The build up could not have gone more perfectly if they had tried and with this race taking place on Friday, if the Skelton team have had a big week don't be surprised to see this lad's price collapse. Murcia currently heads the market for Willie Mullins and has an obvious chance on the back of her fast finishing fourth at the Dublin Racing Festival. She rates the big danger, but it is notable Paul Townend is not taking many handicap rides this week and if he swerves this race too, she could drift.