The 2026 Cheltenham Festival kicks off on Tuesday, 10th March, with the four-day meeting kicking off with the prestigious Grade One Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. You can find a rundown of the action on Day One of the Festival here.
Grade One Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
A competitive field of 12 will go to post for the opening race of the Cheltenham Festival, with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle betting headed by Nicky Henderson-trained Old Park Star. The six-year-old is a previous winner at the track, and was eye-catching when improving his record to three-from-three when landing the Grade Two Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle.
Grade One Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase
The first novice chase of the Festival is the Grade One Arkle, where the betting pits the British and Irish as direct rivals. Nicky Henderson’s Lulamba has done little wrong over fences, winning four from four. However, the five-year-old could yet be better suited to a longer trip.
McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
The first handicap at the Cheltenham Festival is for juveniles, with a distance of 2 miles 4 furlongs being covered. J P McManus' horses dominate the betting, with Saratoga and Manlaga likely to battle for favouritism.
Ultima Handicap Chase
Next up is a competitive renewal of the Ultima Handicap Chase, with Myretown bidding to record successive wins in the race. Quebecois is a solid chance to give Paul Nicholls a first win in the race after impressive performances over fences on four starts this season.
Champion Hurdle
The feature on Day One of the Festival is the Grade One Champion Hurdle, where Lossiemouth finally takes her chance. The Willie Mullins mare is a three-time Festival winner, and will be suited by track conditions.
Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase
The penultimate race on Day One of the Festival is a competitive edition of the Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase, featuring a field of 23 runners. Madara looks mapped out for a strong run for Dan and Harry Skelton, having shown his ability in handicaps when landing a big purse at the Dublin Racing Festival in 2024.
National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase
The racing on day one draws to a close with the National Hunt Cup, run under handicap conditions for the second straight year.