Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Festival Novice Hurdle Antepost Tips Following Scratchings (2026)
Steve Mullington casts his eye over the state of the novice hurdle markets ahead of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, providing an antepost selection for each race.
So read on for his thoughts on the Cheltenham novice hurdle races ahead of March’s showpiece fixture of the National Hunt season.
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
Dan Skelton is confident the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle dream is still alive for MYDADDYPADDY following his defeat at Aintree on Boxing Day.
Prior to running in the Grade One Formby Novices’ Hurdle, the four-year-old had impressed with two hurdle victories and had headed the ante-post betting market.
Cheltenham should see no such low sun shenanigans like those at Aintree, and at odds of around 10/1 in our horse racing betting, Skelton’s charge is still worth an each-way interest.
Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
The Willie Mullins-trained DOCTOR DU MESNIL had long been a talking horse and had also been towards the top of the market for all three Cheltenham novice hurdles.
However, after going down to a nine length odds-on defeat at Punchestown at the end of January, punters have totally deserted him and he’s as big at 33/1 for the Turners.
I believe he can bounce right back, and because this son of Doctor Dino is also still entered in the Albert Bartlett, I will cover my bases with two separate each-way bets at odds of 33/1 and 25/1.
Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
The meteoric rise of BAMBINO FEVER was one of the fairytale stories of the last jumps campaign, and the Willie Mullins-trained mare can now go on to Cheltenham glory.
After a small blip on debut at Naas, she showed us just how classy she is with a resounding success at Punchestown. She is the one they all have to beat at the Festival and she is one of her trainer’s best chances of the week.
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
With my original pick No Drama This End probably going to the Turners, I’ve decided I will be opting for an each-way wager on SORTUDO.
Willie Mullins said he was an “Albert Bartlett type” during a stable tour back in November, with a comprehensive Cork victory and a Grade 1 Ballymore Hurdle runner-up berth ensuing.
At 12/1 in our sports betting, he has to have some sort of a squeak on the day.
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*
