Cheltenham Festival 2027

The Cheltenham Gold Cup

admin July 31, 2026

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is, without question, the race of the Festival, and at three miles and two furlongs, asks for a combination of speed, stamina and accurate jumping upon one of the most grueling of all National Hunt courses.

The list of past winners features horses which did more than simply win this prestigious prize once; Golden Miller remains the yardstick, having achieved five consecutive Gold Cup victories between 1932 and 1936; Arkle dominated through 1964 and 1966, while Best Mate claimed three successive wins through 2002-2004, and Kauto Star achieved the unique distinction of winning in 2007, before coming back and regaining his crown at this meeting in 2009.

Other performances can be championed, for reasons in addition to success. In 1986, Dawn Run became the first horse to win both the Champion Hurdle and the Gold Cup, while in 1989, desert Orchid overcame adverse ground conditions, and doubts over his left-handedness when beating Yahoo in a thriller, with Norton’s Coin shocking to land the prize at 100-1 in 1990, the greatest ever shock in Gold Cup history.

These winners have now been joined, too by horses from recent renewals; In 2025, on the back of an expensive £25k supplement to the race entry just six days before; seven-year-old Inothewayurthinkin, trained by Gavin Cromwell, ridden by Mark Walsh and owned by Ritchie McLarty made all the running from the front to beat the dual winner Galopin des Champs by six and a half lengths; he became the first supplemented entry to capture the Gold Cup.

In 2026 it was the turn of Gaelic Warrior. Willlie Mullins’ five-year-old travelling like, and jumping, a dream and pulled clear after the third last fence, beating Jango Baie by a comprehensive eight lengths. Inothewayurthinkin grabbed third, and as such, meant Paul Townend recorded his fifth win in the race, and moved Mullins level with Tom Dreaper in the trainers’ championship with five wins.

Now attention begins to turn to the 2027 Cheltenham Gold Cup; there can be no obvious other candidate if Gaelic Warrior lines up at this meeting in the same order of form, the three mile distance suiting him perfectly if he had the stamina, Jango Baie still a massive rival after his second last year and Inothewayurthinkin proving that the distance is not a problem with his excellent Cheltenham performance in 2025 under soft ground, but the race is rarely won on reputation alone, and stamina and accurate jumping remain key factors in finding the ultimate champion, or alternatively, a surprise winner at this year’s Premier National Hunt meeting.

Trainer and Owners

admin July 31, 2026

Successful Trainers at Cheltenham

Recent Cheltenham Festivals confirm Willie Mullins as the trainer to beat.. His stable is able to contest championship races, novice races and handicaps on all 4 days. Mullins was the leading trainer in 2024 with 9 winners; 2025 with 10 winners and 2026 with 8 winners, thus gaining an eighth successive title.

He has a record of considerable success in the Gold Cup. Galopin Des Champs (2023) and (2024) and Gaelic Warrior (2026) are the respective winners, while the 2026 victory for the latter brought Mullins his fifth success in the race equaling Tom Dreaper’s record as the highest winning trainer of the race. His success is not just confined to the Gold Cup but also to the Queen Mother Champion Chase, won in 2026 by Il Etait Temps and the Champion Hurdle in 2026 by Lossiemouth.

However, he has faced opposition for a trainer’s title with varying degrees of consistency. Gavin Cromwell, particularly in recent years, has made a strong impression. His success with Irish point winner Inothewayurthinkin beating Galopin Des Champs on the way to an impressive 2025 Gold Cup success provides one of the notable results in the history of the Festival. The trainer has also enjoyed success in staying races and the Cross Country Chase, making him one of Ireland’s most reliable operators at the Festival.

Another trainer that requires serious respect is Henry de Bromhead, who has achieved the feat of winning the Champion Chase (2024) with Captain Guinness and the Stayers’ Hurdles (2025) with Bob Olinger. Gordon Elliott also continues to record wins and was the trainer of Teahupoo (2024 Stayers’ Hurdle winner). He is able to compete with Mullins for novices and handicaps.

British trainers have also managed to record respectable success. In 2024, Dan Skelton was the runner up to Mullins with 4 winners, while Jeremy Scott trained Golden Ace to a surprise 2025 Champion Hurdle victory at 25-1.

When studying a Cheltenham Festival, past records have some value but should be considered with caution. The present stable form of the runners, their course experience and suitability for the race as well as the trainer’s overall strength of team are a far more reliable guide for the serious reader or amateur punter.

Successful Owners at Cheltenham

It is difficult not to associate successful ownership at Cheltenham with JP McManus whose familiar green and gold silks appear at many a festival fixture. Not only was he leading owner in 2023 but he recaptured the top spot in 2025 with 6 winners, including the Gold Cup hero Inothewayurthinkin. Spread amongst various good trainers, his horses are well represented in the championship races, novice races and handicaps.

Rich and Susannah Ricci have had tremendous success with trainer Willie Mullins and their colours have adorned the backsides of 2026 Champion Hurdle winner Lossiemouth as well as Gaelic Warrior providing Rich Ricci with his first win in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2026.

The dual Gold Cup winning Galopin Des Champs was owned by Greg and Audrey Turley while the colours of Gigginstown House Stud also represent a strong influence in ownership terms. Ultimately successful owners are likely to combine investment with intelligent planning and a close working relationship with their trainer.

Horses

admin July 31, 2026

The Cheltenham Festival has produced a number of this sport’s ultimate performances, showcasing the world’s best against a notoriously demanding course, deep fields and pressure to perform.

Golden Miller established the early benchmark with five straight Cheltenham Gold Cup triumphs between 1932 and 1936 – a record that remains. Arkle matched this feat with three consecutive wins between 1964 and 1966, Performances that etched him into steeplechasing legend. Many of those years later, Best Mate created a modern benchmark, landing the Gold Cup three times in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

It isn’t just the Gold Cup that has provided Cheltenham Festival immortality. Dawn Run stands alone as the only horse to have won both the Champion Hurdle and the Gold Cup, landing the former in 1984 before completing the more elusive of double successes in 1986. Quevega etched her name into history with six consecutive Mares’ Hurdle wins (2009-2014). Kauto Star’s story is a remarkable one – the only horse to reclaim the Gold Cup in 2007 having previously won it in 2009.

Recent Festivals have offered just as many unforgettable spectacles. Constitution Hill produced a near flawless 2023 Champion Hurdle triumph with a nine-length gap, while Galopin Des Champs took both the 2023 and 2024 Gold Cups. Inothewayurthinkin landed an almighty blow in the 2025 Gold Cup, before Gaelic Warrior stormed clear in the 2026 running.

Lossiemouth was another dominant figure in 2026, romping home in the Champion Hurdle and recording a fourth Festival success consecutive.

The enduring power of experience was illustrated by the 11-year-old Home By The Lee overcoming his past travails to win his fifth attempt at the Stayers’ Hurdle.

The focus will inevitably be on the 2027 Festival, which will take place from March 16-19. There is no better place to start in Gold Cup analysis than Gaelic Warrior, although defending the title is a notoriously difficult undertaking. Lossiemouth can once again be expected to feature at the head of the Champion Hurdle, with her formidable Cheltenham record offering reassurance for bettors.

It will be interesting to see how the younger generation progress to The Festival, with winners of recent events Old Park Star (Supreme Novices’ Hurdle), Kargese (Arkle) and King Rasko Grey (Turners’ Novices’ Chase) all worth keeping a close eye on throughout the 2026-27 season. Their targets and trajectories are often subject to change, and when winter form, the distance of a race and a horse’s fitness take precedence over early-season predictions, then it will be time to pay serious attention. While Cheltenham invariably demands proven class, this sport has always had the capacity to produce an outlier worthy of challenging that, on the big stage, once again.