Jake Price casts his eye over this week's Cheltenham handicap entries & provides two ante-post tips for festival.
Cheltenham Festival 2026
With just three weeks to go until the Cheltenham Festival it is an extremely exciting time of year, and this week’s Ante-Post article is going to focus in on the Handicap entries which were made on Tuesday. Be sure to report back next week too for full coverage on the Handicap weights, where I will detail how the Irish horses have been treated by the assessor.
HANDICAP ENTRIES
The biggest news on Tuesday came in the form of a horse who was not entered, as Ante-Post favourite for the National Hunt Chase THE WALLPARK was not given any entries at the Cheltenham Festival. Whether or not the BHA would have let him run in a 0-145 event is academic now, but it looks like his sights will be set on the Irish National (7/2 favourite) at Fairyhouse instead, with Gordon Elliott needing every bit of prize money to hold onto his Irish Trainer’s Championship lead.
Speaking of the National Hunt Chase, one horse has learnt his 0-145 fate already, with BLAZE THE WAY assigned a mark of 146 for the Grand National. That will rule him out of not just this race but the Kim Muir as well, and another horse likely to join him on the ‘expunged’ list is ARGENTO BOY. He received an entry for the 3m6f contest, but his Irish handicap rating of 144 should see him rated too high to get a run for the Willie Mullins team. Our selection NEWTON TORNADO safely got his entry, and I fancy him even more now.
Perhaps one that after entries I don’t fancy quite so strongly is SARATOGA, who is in the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle, but it looks like quite a good race. I haven’t been put off him by any means, but the likes of a MANLAGA (130) who emerged over the weekend clearly has a squeak. It will be interesting to see who Willie Mullins ends up sending to the race too, as SELMA DE VARY, MADNESS D’ELLE, and BURTUTEA all have the option. Some of the horses not given the option however were IN MY TEENS, NORTH SHORE and ONE HORSE TOWN.
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On Wednesday the Cross County Chase received another low entry of just 31 runners. The usual suspects such as BUSSELTON, MISTER COFFEY, PLACENET, and ICEO MADRIK were all missing, but for the French horses you would imagine the new BHA rule on running out of the handicap played its part. The Cross Country only has a 20lbs weighting band from top to bottom as it is, and the new BHA rule says that no horse can run more than 15lbs out of the handicap. That means that any horse wanting a run here is going to have to be within 35lbs of Stumptown, who will be rated in the 160s. That means even the likes of a J’ARRIVE DE L’EST, who was entered, is unlikely to get a run.
In the Jack Richards Handicap Chase there was an improved entry of 61, but plenty of the fancied types were ruled out. JP McManus has a whole host of entries including MCLAUREY, but as such he has decided to leave exciting types PURE STEEL, LOVELY HURLING and SHUFFLE THE DECK at home. Willie Mullins did not enter JIMMY DU SEUIL either, and that rules him out of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival altogether.
In the Kim Muir Ante-Post favourite JERIKO DU REPONET was only given this option, and it is all systems go. A few horses surprisingly not given the option were WILL THE WISE and BACKMERSACKME, with the former only given options over intermediate trips, and the latter looking set to run in the National Hunt Chase.
There weren’t too many surprises in the County Hurdle outside of KARBAU being entered for us and ALEXEI not being given the option, but there are more talking points in the Martin Pipe. SON OF ANARCHY, SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY and KOVANIS were not given the option, but one horse who was entered is KAZANSKY. He held an entry in the Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Thurles on Thursday, but did not take that engagement up, therefore is not qualified for Cheltenham handicaps due to the five-run rule. OPEN SECRET does run in the race however, and that will get him qualified. Elsewhere in the race, our selection THE PASSING WIFE was safely entered, and as one of only a few Novices in the race, he has to have a huge chance.
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL ANTE-POST SELECTIONS
I love the Ultima Handicap Chase, but this looks far from a vintage renewal with plenty of horses having questions to answer. Jagwar is very short and still has the option of the Plate instead, whilst stablemate Iroko is also entered and surely the yard wouldn’t send both. Wendigo looks set for the Brown Advisory albeit he would have huge claims if turning up here, whilst King Of Answers and Backmersackme are both looking more likely to go to the NH Chase.
The horse who flew straight to the top of my shortlist after the entry stage was KONFUSION, and he looks to have a brilliant profile for the race. This horse has improved hand over fist this season, winning at Wetherby on the 1st November before then being sent off a short priced 9/4f for the 3m1½f Handicap Chase at Haydock on Betfair Chase day. He unfortunately unseated at the 11th flight on that occasion, but just 7 days later he absolutely bolted up in the Premier Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle – beating Deafening Silence by 15 lengths.
Despite a 10lbs rise for that victory, punters really did not care – as he was next sent off 8/11f for the Premier Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day. Now admittedly it was not the strongest of races compared to previous renewals, but once again our selection bucked out in front and bolted up – being eased towards the finish when beating last time out winner Marble Sands (147) by 7 lengths.
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We last saw KONFUSION having his fifth run in 77 days at Haydock, where last month he ran in the Peter Mash Handicap Chase. This Premier event was certainly the stiffest task he had faced all season, but despite being kept busy he still ran a very nice race. Something I particularly liked was the fact that despite making pretty much all on his previous two victories he was happy to let Myretown go on – and although he still raced prominently, he didn’t try and take that horse on too soon.
Turning for home Callum Bewley asked him for his effort, and when they got to the third last he hit the front following Myretown’s customary mistake when put under pressure. He probably hit the front a bit too soon in a race which developed into a relative sprint to the line (the first five home all had finishing speed percentages above 105%), but to only be beaten 2.25 lengths by Imperial Saint (144) in a race where he had both Myretown and Johnnywho behind clearly highlights that a mark of 145 is not beyond him.
I think the biggest factor in finding further improvement is the fact that connections have given him a 52-day break between Haydock and Cheltenham, but the likely truer run affair at Cheltenham should also play to his strengths. His prominent racing style and slick jumping should be an asset on the Old Course, and whilst he is yet to try Presbury Park, I don’t see any reasons why it should hinder his chances. As an 8yo off a mark of 145 he ticks a lot of the trend boxes, and I would not be surprised to see some sort of headgear chucked on too (which would be another box ticked), as he did have a good look at the stands at Haydock.
KONFUSION – Ultima Handicap Chase – 1pt EW @ 20/1 NRNB (888sport)
The other horse who I want to add into the portfolio this week is LOSSIEMOUTH, who is surely the only bet in the current Champion Hurdle market. She is clearly a different animal at Cheltenham considering she is 4/4 at the track, and that is very much contrasting to Brighterdaysahead’s record of 0/2. As such I don’t think she will have much trouble in reversing the Irish Champion Hurdle form at Leopardstown where she did not look quite right. You can also compare their Leopardstown records too, with the grey 2/5 in Dublin, and Gordon Elliott’s Mare 2/3.
Overall, in receipt of the 7lbs Mares allowance I believe LOSSIEMOUTH is the most talented horse entered in the field, and you have to remember that she has already won two of the three Champion Hurdle Trials over in Ireland. Willie Mullins mentioned in his stable tour that they would have to be very happy with her if she is to turn up here rather than the Mares, and that would almost be a tip within itself. As such she has to be worth chancing NRNB as she would surely go off at least half the current odds available if declared.
LOSSIEMOUTH – Champion Hurdle – 1pt Win @ 4/1 NRNB (4/1 with betway)
2026 CHELTENHAM BETS SO FAR
HONESTY POLICY – Stayers Hurdle @ 16/1 – Now 7/2
ACT OF INNOCENCE – Supreme @ 20/1 – NR
MANGE TOUT – Triumph @ 10/1 – Now 16/1
LA CONQUIERE – Mares Novice @ 12/1 – Now 14/1
JONBON – Ryanair @ 16/1 – Now 9/2
DOCTOR STEINBERG – Albert Bartlett @ 16/1 – Now 3/1
SARATOGA – Fred Winter @ 14/1 – Now 5/1
NEWTON TORNADO – NH Chase @ 14/1 – Now 7/1
BALLYFAD – Turners @ 8/1 NRNB – Now 8/1 NRNB
KARBAU – County @ 16/1 NRNB – Now 16/1 NRNB
THE PASSING WIFE – Martin Pipe @ 12/1 NRNB – Now 10/1 NRNB
KONFUSION – Ultima @ 20/1 NRNB – Now 20/1 NRNB
LOSSIEMOUTH – Champion Hurdle @ 4/1 NRNB – Now 4/1 NRNB
