Cheltenham Preview Night 2026

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12 min

All the Cheltenham Preview Night tips from Tom Stanley, Matt Tombs, Donn McClean, Steve Jones, Dan Overall, Micheál Deasy, Emma Nagle and Michael Cannon…


Cheltenham Tuesday

16:00 – Champion Hurdle

Winners of 12 furlong Novice Stakes at Southwell are 0/0

  • Matt – No bet
  • Donn – Poniros 20.0
  • Steve – Golden Ace 10.0
  • Dan – No bet
  • Deasy – Anzadam 26.0 (Win/Place)
  • Emma – Golden Ace 10.0
  • Michael – Stand The New Lion/BDA & CH

13:20 – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

Grade 1 winning hurdlers are 11/37 this century – 17pt (46%) profit

  • Matt – Idaho Sun 17.0 & Caballero Cliff 260.0
  • Donn – Talk The Talk 6.8
  • Steve – Talk The Talk 6.8
  • Dan – Old Park Star 3.35
  • Deasy – Talk The Talk 6.8
  • Emma – Talk The Talk 6.8 / King Rasco Grey 30.0 (Win/Place)
  • Michael – Think Old Park Star will shorten – don’t really want to be against him

14:00 – Arkle Novices’ Chase

Runners off 1 chase start have finished 614016P7 this century

  • Matt – Kopek Des Bordes 3.6
  • Donn – Kargese 8.0
  • Steve – Romeo Coolio 16.0
  • Dan – Lulamba 2.94
  • Deasy – Kopek Des Bordes 3.6
  • Emma – Kopek Des Bordes 3.6
  • Michael – Rather Stand Kopek than Lulamba

Any Other Tuesday Bets (Fred Winter, Ultima, Plate, NH Chase)

  • Donn – Munsif (Fred Winter)
  • Steve – In D’Or 21.0 (Ultima)
  • Dan – Manlaga 8.0 (Fred Winter)
  • Dan – Leave of Absence 21.0 (Ultima)
  • Dan – Madara 7.0 (Plate)
  • Deasy – King Of Answers 14.0 (Ultima)
  • Deasy – Dawn Coming 17.0 (Fred Winter)

Best Tuesday Lays

  • Matt – PLACE LAY El Cairos (Supreme)
  • Donn – LAY The New Lion (Champion)
  • Steve – PLACE LAY Jagwar (Ultima)
  • Dan – LAY Brighterdaysahead (Champion)
  • Emma – LAY The New Lion (Champion)
  • Michael – LAY Lulamba & Kopek (Arkle)

Best Tuesday Bets

  • Matt – Kopek Des Bordes 3.65 (Arkle)
  • Donn – Talk The Talk 6.8 (Supreme)
  • Steve – Golden Ace 10.0 (Champion Hurdle)
  • Dan – Madara (Plate)
  • Deasy – Kopek Des Bordes 3.65 (Arkle)
  • Emma – Talk The Talk 6.8 (Supreme)
  • Michael – No bet

Cheltenham Wednesday

16:00 – Champion Chase

Shortest second season chaser in the SP market are 11/25 this century – 26pt (105%) profit

  • Matt – Majborough 2.78
  • Donn – Marine Nationale 3.5
  • Steve – Marine Nationale 3.5
  • Dan – No bet
  • Deasy – No bet
  • Emma – Irish Panther 95.0 (Win/Place)
  • Michael – Play for a result – don’t fancy Marine Nationale

13:20 – Turners Novices’ Hurdle

Challow winners are 1/22, including 6 who went off favourite, the last 13 going off single figure prices

  • Matt – Talk The Talk 44.0
  • Donn – Skylight Hustle 8.2
  • Steve – No bet
  • Dan – No bet
  • Deasy – I’ll Sort That 15.0
  • Emma – Skylight Hustle 8.2
  • Michael – Play for a result

14:00 – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

11 of the first 19 winners this century had run over fences by the end of the October, none of the last 6 had

  • Matt – Wendigo 9.0
  • Donn – The Big Westerner 6.6
  • Steve – Wendigo 9.0
  • Dan – No bet
  • Deasy – Oscars Brother 14.0
  • Emma – Kaid D’authie 6.8
  • Michael – No bet

Any Other Wednesday Bets (Coral, X-Country, Grand Annual, Bumper)

  • Donn – Feet Of A Dancer (Coral Cup)
  • Steve – David’s Well 13.0 (Grand Annual)
  • Dan – Jingko Blue 21.0 (Coral Cup)
  • Dan – Favori De Champdou 4.0 (Cross Country)
  • Deasy – Storm Heart 15.0 (Coral Cup)
  • Deasy – Final Orders 20.0 (Cross Country on good ground)
  • Deasy – Be Aware 11.0 (Grand Annual)
  • Emma – Quiryn (Bumper)

Best Wednesday Lays

  • Matt – PLACE LAY Final Demand (Brown Advisory)
  • Donn – LAY Final Demand (Brown Advisory)
  • Steve – LAY Stumptown 3.6 (cross country)
  • Dan – LAY Final Demand (Brown Advisory)
  • Deasy – PLACE LAY No Drama This End (Turners)
  • Emma – LAY Final Demand (Brown Advisory)
  • Michael – Play for a result in the Turners

Best Wednesday Bets

  • Matt – Majborough 2.8 (Champion Chase)
  • Donn – Skylight Hustle 8.2 (Turners)
  • Steve – David’s Well 13.0 (Grand Annual)
  • Dan – Favori De Champdou 4.0 (Cross Country)
  • Deasy – Be Aware 11.0 (Grand Annual)
  • Emma – Skylight Hustle 8.2 (Turners)

Cheltenham Thursday

16:00 – Stayers’ Hurdle

Only 3 of the last 8 winners had won a race that season

  • Matt – Honesty Policy 6.6
  • Donn – Ma Shantou 9.6
  • Steve – Honesty Policy 6.6
  • Dan – No bet
  • Deasy – Honesty Policy 6.6, Feet Of A Dancer (Win/Place) 51.0
  • Emma – Bob Olinger 7.0
  • Michael – LAY Teahupoo under 3.0

15:20 – Ryanair Chase

The first 2 in the SP market are 15/45 – 18pt (40%) profit

  • Matt – Gaelic Warrior 4.1
  • Donn – Impaire Et Passe 11.0
  • Steve – Firefox (w/pl) 21.0
  • Dan – No bet
  • Deasy – Impaire Et Passe 11.0
  • Emma – No bet
  • Michael – No bet

14:40 – Mares Hurdle

Winners of an Open Grade 1 hurdle are 8/13 – 7pt (50%) profit

  • Matt – Lossiemouth 2.5
  • Donn – Wodhooh 2.68
  • Steve – No bet
  • Dan – No bet
  • Deasy – Lossiemouth 2.5
  • Emma – Lossiemouth 2.5

Any Other Thursday Bets (Mares Novice, Jack Richards, Pertemps, Kim Muir)

  • Steve – Kim Roque 17.0 (Novice Handicap Chase)
  • Dan – Electric Mason 13.0 (Pertemps)
  • Emma – Jeriko Du Reponet (Kim Muir)

Best Thursday Lays

  • Matt – LAY Teahupoo 3.55 (Stayers Hurdle)
  • Michael – LAY Lossiemouth (Mares)
  • Michael – LAY Teahupoo (Stayers)

Best Thursday Bets

  • Matt – Lossiemouth 2.5 (Mares)
  • Donn – Ma Shantou 9.6 (Stayers)
  • Steve – Honesty Policy 6.6 (Stayers)
  • Dan – Electric Mason 13.0 (Pertemps)
  • Deasy – Impaire Et Passe 11.0 (Ryanair)
  • Emma – Lossiemouth 2.5 (Mares)

Cheltenham Friday

16:00 – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup

Shortest in the SP market of the first & second season chasers are 9/25 – 44pt (178%) profit

  • Matt – Jango Baie 6.4
  • Donn – Jango Baie 6.4
  • Steve – Gaelic Warrior 9.0
  • Dan – Jango Baie 6.4
  • Deasy – Spillanes Tower 14.0
  • Emma – Gaelic Warrior 9.0
  • Michael – Against Haiti Couleurs, Galopin & Grey Dawning

13:20 – Triumph Hurdle

Unbeaten hurdlers who had won a graded hurdle are 8/31 since 2005 – 21pt (68%) profit

  • Matt – No bet
  • Donn – Selma De Vary 6.4
  • Steve – No bet
  • Dan – Selma De Vary 6.4
  • Deasy – No bet
  • Emma – No bet
  • Michael – No bet

15:20 – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

Horses that had won a graded hurdle at 3m+ are 6/51 – 39pt (76%) profit

  • Matt – Thedeviluno 7.2
  • Donn – Thedeviluno 7.2
  • Steve – Spinningayarn 15.0
  • Dan – Jalon D’oudairies 38.0
  • Deasy – Espresso Milan 14.0, Ill Sort That (If he runs)
  • Emma – Sortudo 19.5
  • Michael – No bet

Any Other Friday Bets (County, Mares Chase, Hunters, Martin Pipe)

  • Steve – Panic Attack 7.0 (Mares Chase)
  • Dan – The Passing Wife (Martin Pipe)
  • Deasy – July Flower 11.0 (Mares Chase)
  • Emma – Bioluminescence (Mares Chase)
  • Emma – The Passing Wife (Martin Pipe)
  • Emma – Murcia (County)

Best Friday Lays

  • Matt – PLACE LAY Doctor Steinberg (Albert Bartlett)
  • Michael – LAY DINOBLUE (Mares Chase) in a JOKE OF A CONTEST!

Best Friday Bets

  • Matt – Jango Baie 6.4 (Gold Cup)
  • Donn – Jango Baie 6.4 (Gold Cup)
  • Steve – Panic Attack 7.0 (Mares Chase)
  • Dan – The Passing Wife (Martin Pipe)
  • Deasy – Spillanes Tower 14.0 (Gold Cup)
  • Emma – The Passing Wife (Martin Pipe)

Cheltenham Best Long-Shots / Lays / Bets

Matchbook Zero Best Cheltenham Long-Shot

  • Matt – Caballero Cliff 260.0 (Supreme)
  • Donn – Feet Of A Dancer (Coral Cup)
  • Steve – In D’Or (Ultima)
  • Dan – Leave of Absence 21.0 (Ultima)
  • Deasy – Stellar Story 130.0 (Soft ground Gold Cup)
  • Emma – Bioluminescence (Mares Chase)

Best Cheltenham Lays

  • Matt – PLACE LAY Doctor Steinberg (Albert Bartlett)
  • Donn – LAY The New Lion (Champion)
  • Steve – PLACE LAY Jagwar (Ultima)
  • Dan – LAY Brighterdaysahead (Champion)
  • Deasy – PLACE LAY No Drama This End (Turners)
  • Emma – LAY Final Demand (Brown Advisory)
  • Michael – LAY Teahupoo (Stayers)

Best Cheltenham Bets

  • Matt – Jango Baie 6.4 (Gold Cup)
  • Donn – Jango Baie 6.4 (Gold Cup)
  • Steve – Golden Ace 10.0 (Champion Hurdle)
  • Dan – Madara (Plate)
  • Deasy – Spillanes Tower (Gold Cup)
  • Emma – Talk The Talk (Supreme)

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