Can Lossiemouth and Paul Townend win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham 2026. Check out our preview for the race here.
Champion Hurdle Betting
The 2026 Cheltenham Festival is fast approaching and the Champion Hurdle is the feature race on the Tuesday of the festival - and now is the perfect time to start researching for the best Cheltenham Free Bet Offers.
The wait is over, and the "Cheltenham Roar" is just around the corner, with the Champion Hurdle less than 24 hours away.
At the time of writing, Paul Townend's Lossiemouth is the betting favourite with The New Lion, Brighterdaysahead, and Golden Ace closely following in the betting.
Check out our preview for the race including declared runners, latest odds, race trends, and our expert tipsters' opinions on who is going to win the race.
Champion Hurdle Runners & Riders
Champion Hurdle Runners & Confirmed Jockeys
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Lossiemouth – Paul Townend – Willie Mullins (19/10)
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The New Lion – Harry Skelton – Dan Skelton (10/3)
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Brighterdaysahead – Jack Kennedy – Gordon Elliott (5/1)
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Golden Ace – Lorcan Williams – Jeremy Scott (11/1)
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Poniros – Danny Mullins – Willie Mullins (16/1)
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Alexeig – Brendan Powell – Joe Tizzard (20/1)
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Anzadam – Patrick W. Mullins – Willie Mullins (22/1)
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Tutti Quanti – Harry Cobden – Paul Nicholls (25/1)
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Workahead – Darragh O'Keeffe – Henry De Bromhead (80/1)
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Who's favourite to win the 2026 Champion Hurdle?
Lossiemouth - 19/10
Lossiemouth heads into the Champion Hurdle as one of the leading contenders after connections opted to target this race instead of the Mares’ Hurdle. A three-time Cheltenham Festival winner, she has proven top-class ability over hurdles and arrives after finishing second in the Irish Champion Hurdle. The Willie Mullins-trained mare will also wear cheekpieces for the first time, which could help sharpen her performance in what looks set to be a highly competitive renewal.
The New Lion - 10/3
The New Lion brings strong Cheltenham credentials and looks well prepared for the championship test. His Grade 2 victory at the track earlier this season highlighted his ability to handle Cheltenham’s demanding undulations, while his tactical speed and stamina make him well suited to a strongly run Champion Hurdle. Trainer Dan Skelton has aimed him at this race for some time, and his profile suggests he should be a major player.
Brighterdaysahead - 5/1
Brighterdaysahead arrives in excellent form following a decisive victory in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown, where she reversed earlier form with Lossiemouth. Despite previous disappointments at Cheltenham, connections believe there were genuine reasons behind those defeats. With multiple Grade 1 successes to her name and proven ability at the highest level, Gordon Elliott’s mare has the class to mount a serious challenge if she can translate her Irish form to the Festival stage.
2026 Champion Hurdle Odds
| Horse | Best Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Lossiemouth | 19/10 | AKBets |
| The New Lion | 10/3 | William Hill |
| Brighterdaysahead | 5/1 | PricedUp |
| Golden Ace | 11/1 | AKBets |
| Poniros | 16/1 | Ladbrokes |
2026 Champion Hurdle Most Backed Bets
Lossiemouth - 31%
The New Lion - 25%
Brighterdaysahead - 13%
Golden Ace - 7%
Tutti Quanti - 7%
Champion Hurdle Race Trends
- 11 of the previous 12 winners were aged between 6 and 8
- 11 of the previous 12 winners won last time out
- 11 of the previous 12 winners had at least one previous run at Cheltenham
- 10 of the previous 12 winners had already won a Grade 1
- 9 of the previous 12 winners were rated 161 or higher
- 8 of the previous 12 winners were favourites/ joint favourites
Champion Hurdle Betting Tips
Here is the summary from one of Oddschecker's expert tipsters on who they believe will win the Champion Hurdle.
Jake Price:
This really is not the strongest Champion Hurdle we will ever see, with the likes of State Man, Sir Gino and Constitution Hill all unfortunately falling by the wayside this season, but the classiest horse in the race for me is easily the Willie Mullins Mare, and she will take all of the beating in receipt of the 7lbs – especially as The New Lion is a horse I have been against for this race all season, and I don’t think he has done anything in the interim period to prove he is up to this level over two miles.
