Gear up for the highlight of the jumps calendar with a wide range of promotions on our Cheltenham Free Bet Offers page.

With 113 Cheltenham Festival winners to his name, Willie Mullins stands as one of — if not the — greatest jumps trainers of all time.

As ever at this point in the season, Mullins-trained runners dominate the Oddschecker most‑backed lists for the Festival — and 2026 is no exception. At the time of writing, seven of the eight most popular horses in punters’ Cheltenham Festival accumulators come from the Closutton yard.

In this article, we break down the top four in that list and highlight the 12/1 four‑fold bookmakers will be desperate to dodge.

Horse 1 - Majborough

Race: The Champion Chase
Current Best NRNB Odds: 5/6 (William Hill)

Majborough is one of four odds‑on favourites at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, currently trading at 5/6 for Thursday’s Champion Chase.

Willie Mullins’ six‑year‑old is the single most popular accumulator selection on Oddschecker, featuring in 20% of all Festival multiples. A former Triumph Hurdle winner and third in last year’s Arkle, Majborough was already prominent in the market — but his price dipped below evens following the news of Marine Nationale’s injury withdrawal on Tuesday.

Since then, 43% of all Champion Chase single bets have backed Majborough, underlining his status as the cornerstone of countless punters’ accumulators heading into next week.

Horse 2 - Bambino Fever

Race: Mares' Novices' Hurdle
Current Best NRNB Odds: 4/5 (bet365)

Last year’s Champion Bumper winner at Cheltenham, Bambino Fever sits second on our list, featuring in 17% of all Festival ante‑post accumulators.

Currently priced at 4/5 for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle, Bambino Fever has attracted 46% of all ante‑post single bets in the race since last year’s Festival, underlining her popularity with punters.

Bookmakers, however, will be hoping for a repeat of December’s Naas clash, where Bambino Fever was beaten 1/2 length by the current second favourite, Oldschool Outlaw.

Horse 3 - Kopek Des Bordes

Race: Arkle Chase
Current Best NRNB Odds: 6/4 (bet365)

Kopek Des Bordes is another name punters are gravitating towards, featuring in 17% of all Cheltenham Festival accumulators — matching Bambino Fever’s popularity in multiples.

Installed as the 6/4 favourite for the Arkle Chase, Kopek Des Bordes has been one of the most talked‑about novice chasers in the build‑up to the Festival. Since the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, he has accounted for 36% of all ante‑post bets on the Arkle, a clear indication of just how strongly punters have latched onto him as the likely winner. That sustained support has made him a go‑to selection for those anchoring early‑week accumulators around the Tuesday card.

With the Arkle traditionally a cornerstone race for Festival multiples, Kopek Des Bordes represents another major liability for bookmakers. If he delivers on expectations, he could keep a huge volume of Cheltenham accumulators alive — exactly the scenario layers will be hoping to avoid.

Horse 4 - Fact to File

Race: Ryanair Chase
Current Best NRNB Odds: 4/6 (Ladbrokes)

Fact To File is another key piece in punters’ Festival multiples, featuring in 13% of all Cheltenham accumulators despite some lingering uncertainty over his target.

Currently priced at 4/6 for the Ryanair Chase — and as short as 4/7 in places — Fact To File has been heavily backed for the intermediate contest, even with connections yet to fully commit between the Ryanair and the Gold Cup. That ambiguity hasn’t deterred punters, with many clearly siding with the Ryanair as his most likely destination based on current market strength.

If he does line up on Thursday, Fact To File will represent another major bookmaker headache. Short‑priced, widely backed and central to thousands of Festival multiples, his participation — and performance — could have a significant impact on how the week shapes up for layers.

The four-fold of Majborough, Bambino Fever, Kopek Des Bordes and Fact To File pays a best price of 12/1 at the time of writing.

Most Popular Cheltenham Festival Accumulator Legs

(% of accumulators included in)

  • Majborough – Champion Chase – 20%
  • Bambino Fever – 17%
  • Kopek Des Bordes – Arkle Chase – 17%
  • Fact To File – Ryanair Chase – 13%
  • Dinoblue – Mares' Chase - 12%
  • Mighty Park – Supreme Novices' Hurdle - 11%
  • The New Lion – Champion Hurdle - 11%
  • Lossiemouth – Champion Hurdle - 8%
  • Brighterdaysahead – Champion Hurdle - 7%
  • Lulamba – Arkle Chase - 7%

 

Your Next Read

Steve Ryder's Four Cheltenham Ante-Post Tips Following Handicap Weights Reveal

Jake Price's Weekly Review & Cheltenham Festival Ante-Post Tip

Liam Firkin's Cheltenham Mares Chase & Stayers Hurdle Ante Post Tips feat 4 Point NAP

Racing Lee's Cheltenham Festival Tips for County Hurdle, National Hunt Chase & Martin Pipe

Andy Holding's Ante-Post Tip for the National Hunt Chase