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Date published: March 16, 2026
Tuesday 10th March 16:00
Below are our Cheltenham Festival Champion Hurdle tips from our horse racing experts David Young & Will Smith. The Champion Hurdle is the featured race on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival with a start time of 16:00 on Tuesday 10th March 2026.
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| Bookie | Selection | Best Odds | Market | Bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Brighterdaysahead | 5/1 | EW 3 Places Champion Hurdle |
Place Bet |
|
Alexei | 20/1 | Ante Post
EW 3 Places Champion Hurdle |
Place Bet |
|
Brighterdaysahead | 5/1 | Win Champion Hurdle |
Place Bet |
Date of Tips: 04/03/2026
Disclaimer The odds for these selections were correct at the time of publishing (08:16 04/03/2026) but may have changed since. Please check the latest price before placing your bet.
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Tip 1: Brighterdaysahead
In addition to the recommendation and thoughts below regarding the suitability of Alexei for the Unibet Champion Hurdle at 4.00 on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival, and you can still get an advisable 20/1 in a few places about him, now is the time to strike an additional 2-star ** 5/1 each-way bet on Brighterdaysahead, generally available at that price following declarations.
The declaration of Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle has inflated Brighterdaysahead’s price to a simply unavoidable 5/1. I think she should be favourite and has number of verdicts to her name over her old rival Lossiemouth.
Most recently, on their first meeting of the season at Christmas, when Lossiemouth had one run under belt already, Brighterdaysahead nearly beat her and confirmed that she was just ever so slightly superior by winning cosily the DRF.
The doubters will point to her two defeats at Cheltenham, but as stated below there were excuses for both and there is no reason to suggest that she shouldn’t be able to show her best at the biggest meeting of all.
Tip 2: Alexei
For several seasons, the Champion Hurdle or top 2m hurdle picture has been dramatic, to say the very least, and who knows what exactly may play out in the Cheltenham Festival Day 1 feature race, the Unibet Champion Hurdle.
Now we pretty much know the final field, bar maybe the perennial Lossiemouth-limbo, and with the forecast seemingly set fair to produce genuinely decent ‘good to soft’ ground next Tuesday, it could be a good time to have an each-way play on one at bigger prices who might be a shortener.
The New Lion is a horse I’m yet to really be convinced by and I’m not sure last year’s Turners’ was quite as good as it was billed to be, and he’s priced up on reputation and not substance…yet. Lossiemouth will surely go for the Mares again on that kind of ground, Golden Ace is the current holder but not unbeatable as we know, while Poniros looks more of a staying-type to be fully effective in a normal Champion Hurdle.
I think Brighterdaysahead should probably be favourite on what she’s done on the track over the last few seasons. That is on the track away from Cheltenham, and while many would point to that as a reason to take her on, there have been genuine excuses for both reversals.
So, at 20/1 each-way with Bet365, Alexei is the recommendation and when he was being beaten out of sight off a mark of 130 exactly 12 months ago, you’d have got 2,000/1 about him winning a Champion Hurdle, let alone the current 20/1.
But using the evidence in front of us, there is everyone reason to believe that he is the overpriced horse in the race, as he has improved no end of course, but still the most striking run this season came when simply running away with a competitive-looking Greatwood Hurdle.
The four horses who chased Alexei home charted a wide path throughout that day, and Alexei was not just the only horse who got into contention from the inside of the field, he was still running away up the hill.
Not seen to best effect stuck in behind runners at Ascot the time after, but still running with credit, Alexei has since had a break and tuned up for the Champion Hurdle by winning the Kingwell Hurdle from a solid yardstick.
He’ll certainly not be the first off the bridle and might present a chance to ‘trade’ out at shorter if that’s your bag, but I can genuinely see him being a massive player come the business end of an open Champion Hurdle.
I’d have much preferred to be writing this section without Lossiemouth in the race but even with her lining up I think BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD is the right bet at the prices still.
Obvious concern would be her record at this track, less so for how’s she’s performed in general, but for the fact she’s not yet run to her best here for one reason or another.
She’s been in formidable form this season though, she’s been brought about a little slower this time round due to an early season setback, but that will stand her in good stead for potential career best effort, and I’m not sure even needs that to beat this field given she slammed Lossiemouth last time out, albeit in different conditions.
I fully respect Lossiemouth as the most likely winner outside of the selection, but there’s enough compensation in BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD’S price for me to be sticking with her in this.
BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD – 1 STAR WIN @ 5/1
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| Selection | Odds |
|---|---|
| Lossiemouth | 9/4 |
| The New Lion | 9/4 |
| Brighterdaysahead | 4/1 |
| Golden Ace | 7/1 |
| Poniros | 14/1 |
| Tutti Quanti | 18/1 |
| Anzadam | 20/1 |
| Alexei | 25/1 |
| Workahead | 80/1 |
| Champion Hurdle | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Time | Distance | Type |
| Tues 10/03/2026 | 16:00 | 2m 1/2f | Hurdle |
The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 race that is run on the Old Course and covers a distance of 2 miles and 87 yards. The race is open to horses aged four years or older and is the most prestigious hurdle race in the National Hunt calendar. The Champion Hurdle features eight hurdles to be jumped and has produced some legendary winners throughout the years such as Istabraq, Buveur D’Air, and Hardy Eustace.
If you’re searching for Champion Hurdle tips ahead of Cheltenham 2026, this page will keep you up to date with everything you need to know about the feature hurdle race of the Festival. As one of the biggest betting events of the week, the Champion Hurdle always attracts huge interest, and our Champion Hurdle betting tips from racing analysts Will Smith & Dave Young will guide you through the standout contenders and any prices that still look worth taking.
In the months before the Festival, the early markets can occasionally leave a top hurdler at a bigger price than expected. When that happens, you may find Champion Hurdle ante post tips available on WhichBookie from Will Smith. You can find all of Will’s early selections by heading to our ante-post racing tips page.
When we reach Cheltenham week, race-day Champion Hurdle tips will become available as Will and Dave study the confirmed runners, recent form, and race-day conditions.
Another betting option to keep an eye on is Will Smith’s EW Lucky 15 which is shared every morning throughout the year. Champion Hurdle tips may feature in his four selections, along with picks from other Cheltenham races taking place on the day.
Some bookies will be offering additional places on the Champion Hurdle and you can find out which ones are on the day by visiting our extra place races page. If you’re betting each way then extra places are worth considering, especially if the prices offered are competitive with other bookies.
The Champion Hurdle has consistently rewarded proven Grade 1 performers. Fifteen of the last eighteen winners had already won a Grade 1 before success here, and all but two this century had previous Festival experience. Recent form has been important as well, with all but four winners this century winning on their previous start.
Trainer records are a strong guide, with Irish trainers and Nicky Henderson responsible for fifteen of the last seventeen winners between them. Favourites enjoyed a strong run with five consecutive wins prior to Golden Ace, while headgear has played little part, with no winner wearing any since 2014.
The Unibet Champion Hurdle is run over 2 miles and 87 yards on the Old Course.
It is a Grade 1 race and is the championship contest for two-mile hurdlers.
The race is scheduled for 4:00pm on Champion Day.
Yes, mares can run against geldings and have won the race in recent seasons.
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