Cheltenham Festival Day 2: Most Popular Bets on Oddschecker

In this article, we detail the most popular bets for all seven races on Day 2 of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival placed through Oddschecker between January 1st - January 19th 2026. 

Race 1: Turners Novices' Hurdle

The Turners' Novices' Hurdle gets Day 2 of the 2026 Festival underway over 2m 5f. Paul Nicholls' No Drama This End is the 7/2 favourite when writing, with the second favourite in the market priced up at 12/1. 

Despite the strong favourite in the market, Gordon Elliot's Skylight Hustle is the most popular bet on Oddschecker, taking 14% of the bet share. 

Oddschecker Verdict: Skylight Hustle (0.5pts Each-Way)

Odds last updated at 09:45, Tuesday 20th January.

Race 2 - The Brown Advisory Novices' Chase 

The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase is one of the standout contests on Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival, run over 3 miles and traditionally seen as the key staying novice chase of the week. The market is dominated by Final Demand, who is the clear 5/4 favourite at the time of writing and has been heavily backed to land Festival glory.

That support is reflected strongly in the Oddschecker bet share, with Final Demand taking 33% of all bets since January 1st — a huge figure for a race that often attracts a wide-open field. While the favourite has been the main focus for punters, there has also been interest further down the market, with Wendigo and Western Fold both attracting double-digit support at 20/1, suggesting bettors are still keen to find each-way value against the short-priced jolly.

Oddschecker Verdict: Final Demand (1.5pt Win)

Odds last updated at 09:52, Tuesday 20th January.

Race 3: Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle

One of the toughest puzzles of the entire Cheltenham Festival, the Coral Cup is a big-field handicap hurdle over 2m5f, and it rarely takes long for the market to spread out. There’s no standout favourite dominating this race at the time of writing, with punters clearly taking a “hunt for value” approach as prices remain generous across the board.

That’s reflected in the Oddschecker bet share, where the top three most-backed runners are all available at 16/1 or bigger. East India Express is the most popular selection so far, taking 13% of bets since January 1st at 20/1, but he’s only narrowly ahead of Lanesborough (12% at 33/1) and Nurse Susan (11% at 16/1). In a race where trends and profiles often matter as much as raw ability, that spread of support suggests bettors are expecting another wide-open Coral Cup rather than a market-led result.

Oddschecker Verdict: Lanesborough (0.25pts Each-Way)

Odds last updated at 09:58, Tuesday 20th January.

Race 4: Cross Country Chase

The Cross Country Chase is always one of the Festival’s most unique spectacles, run over Cheltenham’s specialist banks course where experience, stamina and agility are more important than conventional form. This is a race that often attracts repeat performers, and punters clearly have a very strong view on the 2026 renewal based on the betting trends so far.

Stumptown has been backed heavily and is a standout in the Oddschecker bet share, taking a huge 52% of bets since January 1st — an eye-catching number for any Cheltenham market. Priced at 5/2, he’s clearly become the go-to selection for bettors looking to keep things simple in a race that can be notoriously tricky. Further down the market, Vanillier has attracted 18% support at a big 33/1, suggesting there’s still confidence in an outsider with the right profile, while Desertmore House (12% at 6/1) rounds off the top three as a more obvious each-way contender in a race where course suitability can quickly trump raw ability.

Oddschecker Verdict: Stumptown (1pt Win)

Odds last updated at 10:03, Tuesday 20th January.

Race 5: Queen Mother Champion Chase

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is the feature race on Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival and the ultimate test for the very best two-mile chasers in training. With championship pace and slick jumping required from flagfall, this is always one of the most intense contests of the week — and the 2026 market is already taking shape around a clear top of the betting.

At the time of writing, Marine Nationale heads the market at 6/4 and is also the most popular selection on Oddschecker, taking 37% of bets since January 1st. That level of support suggests punters are confident the current favourite can deliver in the Festival’s premier speed chase. Further back, Il Etait Temps is the second most backed runner with 14% of bets at 8/1, while Majborough completes the top three at 5/1, drawing 10% of the bet share — indicating there’s still plenty of belief in his chances despite Marine Nationale dominating the market.

Oddschecker Verdict: Il Etait Temps (1pt Win)

Odds last updated at 10:07, Tuesday 20th January.

Race 6: Grand Annual Handicap Chase

The Grand Annual is the penultimate race of Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival in what is always one of the most competitive handicaps of the week. Run over 2 miles on the Old Course, this race is traditionally a fast-run, high-drama contest where jumping accuracy is absolutely crucial — and the betting for 2026 is already shaping up as a proper wide-open market.

Unsurprisingly for a race of this nature, there’s no runaway favourite, and the Oddschecker bet share shows punters are spreading their money across bigger prices. Vanderpoel is currently the most popular selection, accounting for 25% of bets since January 1st at 14/1, marking him as the clear early punt in the market. Further down, Davids Well (13% at 20/1) and Jazzy Matty (12% at 16/1) complete the top three, with both attracting strong each-way support — the kind of profile bettors often look for in a chaotic handicap where the smallest mistake can decide the outcome.

Oddschecker Verdict: Vanderpoel (0.25pts Each-Way)

Race 7: Champion Bumper

Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival concludes with the Champion Bumper, a race that always attracts huge attention from punters looking to spot the next superstar before they head hurdling. Run over 2 miles (NH Flat), it’s often a contest where reputation meets raw potential — and unsurprisingly at this stage, the 2026 market still looks wide open.

There’s no dominant favourite in the betting, with the Oddschecker bet share suggesting punters are leaning towards value plays rather than short prices. Quiryn is the most popular selection so far, taking 19% of bets since January 1st at 12/1, while Maximillian Lady has emerged as a notable outsider punt with 14% of bets despite being priced at a big 33/1. The Irish Avatar completes the top three most-backed runners, also at 12/1 with a 10% share, indicating a split of support in the market and plenty of uncertainty — exactly what you’d expect in one of the most unpredictable races of the entire week.

Oddschecker Verdict: The Irish Avatar (0.5pts Each-Way)

Odds last updated at 10:19, Tuesday 20th January.