Gavin Cromwell
Gavin Cromwell’s William Hill blog: Cheltenham Festival Day One & Two preview
William Hill ambassador Gavin Cromwell previews his runners across the first two days of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
Cheltenham, Tuesday
We start off our week at Cheltenham with Ole Ole in the Fred Winter (14:40). He’s in good shape and I think he has the right attributes for the race. He’s a good traveller, a slick jumper, and the ground won’t be a problem for him either.
We then run two in the Plate, with Will The Wise returning to Cheltenham after running well in the Pertemps last year. He’s a very good jumper and the race should suit him, but I’m just not sure how well handicapped he is and he might be open to being beaten by a better handicapped horse. That said, he’s in good form and I’m hopeful he can run a big race.
Midnight It Is also returns to the Festival having run a big race in the Grand Annual last time. I’m hoping the better ground will suit him stepping up in trip. He’s not getting any quicker and I think a bit further may help him.
We finish Tuesday with Union Station in the National Hunt Novices’ Chase (17:20). This looks a tough ask for him because he was probably badly handicapped in Ireland, then the English handicapper went and gave him another five pounds just to make sure. He’ll probably travel well down to the last, then we’ll just have to see what he finds up the hill. If he ran into the money, we’d be happy with that.
Cheltenham, Wednesday
Now Is The Hour starts off our Wednesday having been supplemented for the Brown Advisory (14:00). I’m surprised by how many runners there are. I thought it might be 10 or 11 but there are 16 in there and Willie has six of them.
I still think he’ll run very well. He’s in great form, he has lots of experience and he should be staying on strongly in the finish. You couldn’t say he wouldn’t have won here last year when he fell and I think he can run well again. I expect there to be a strong pace on, which will suit him and he should come home strong.
We probably have our strongest hand in any of the races this year in the Cross Country Chase (15:20). Stumptown is probably still our best chance because he’s been there and done it before, but Final Orders has to have a big chance as well.
He’ll get his ground and Conor Stone-Walsh is claiming three pounds off him which will be a help. He’s had a wind op since his last run as well, which I think will bring about improvement. He’s certainly a big player.
Vanillier isn’t getting any younger, but he’s in good shape and comes here off the back of winning a banks race in Punchestown. He’s in good nick but he’d like the ground a bit slower and might just be taken off his feet.
Stumptown would probably like it a bit softer as well and I can understand why Favori De Champdou is now favourite for the race. He was a very good winner the last day and, although the handicapper put him up for that, he is still getting weight from Stumptown. I don’t think there’s too much between them.
Stumptown probably ultimately has the best chance, but I think the value might lie with Final Orders.
We then have another two good chances in the Grand Annual (16:40) with Addragoole and Ballysax Hank, both of whom will appreciate the nicer ground.
Addragoole is running off a career-high mark here, but he’s in good shape and I think he’s got more to give. He’s a young horse going in the right direction, so I give him a good chance.
Ballysax Hank comes here having just been sold over the weekend and James Bowen will take the ride on him for his new owners. He’s a very slick jumper and a good traveller. What he’ll find from the back of the last I’m not sure, but he should run a big race.
Our final runner on Wednesday is Boycetown in the Champion Bumper (17:20). This is always a very strong race and realistically I think he’s probably only a place chance. He was a very good winner at Christmas and he’s been going in the right direction since then, so hopefully he can run well. He’s a very straightforward horse who should travel nicely and stay on to the line.
