Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Festival Novice Chase Antepost Tips Following Scratchings (2026)
Steve Mullington casts his eye over the state of the novice chase markets ahead of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, providing an antepost selection for each race.
So read on for his thoughts on the Cheltenham novice chase races ahead of March’s showpiece fixture of the National Hunt season.
Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
KOPEK DES BORDES is supposedly meant to be “squealing” following an explosive public schooling session at Punchestown last Wednesday, and his owner has even gone as far as to say that Lulamba could struggle to keep up with last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner in the Arkle.
I personally think he might be right, given that Lulamba may well arrive at Prestbury Park a little tentative given his Newbury exploits on heavy going last time.
For that reason, I will be siding with the 5/2 second favourite all day long and he can give Willie Mullins another Cheltenham Festival winner.
Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
After being a serial non-runner on the account of the ground at the beginning of November, SIXMILEBRIDGE finally got the green light to compete at Ayr and duly won a three-runner 2m4½f beginners’ chase.
His progression has been relentless since, winning at Cheltenham, then landing the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown. He’s still a very backable each-way poke at 10/1 for his first attempt at three miles under rules.
He did however finish second over that distance at the Castletown-Geoghegan PTP as a four-year-old, so I am not unduly worried.
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*
