THE first batch of Cheltenham Festival 2026 entries were released this week, the three Grade 1 headline chases.

J.P. McManus supplied the winners of the Gold Cup and Ryanair, Inothewayurthinkin and Fact To File, last season as well as the beaten Champion Chase favourite Jonbon. All three are back again this season, but despite running over three miles in the King George, Fact To File is only entered in the Ryanair. Last year’s beaten Arkle favourite Majborough is also in the mix, joining Jonbon with entries in the Champion Chase and Ryanair, where Spillane’s Tower is another McManus possible.

The Champion Chase has 24 entries with 13 of them Irish-trained including the winners of the last four runnings, Energumene (2022/2023), Captain Guinness (2024) and Marine Nationale (2025).

The Ryanair Chase has 33 entries, 17 Irish-trained including Gordon Elliott’s novice Romeo Coolio.

In the Gold Cup, 23 of the 33 entries are Irish-trained with last year’s 1-2 heading the market ahead of the three of the top four in the King George. Willie Mullins’ top mare Spindleberry is also entered and is also in the Irish Gold Cup entries for the upcoming DRF meeting.

Current best odds for the big Festival chases

Queen Mother Champion Chase: 5/2 Marine Nationale, 3 Il Etait Temps, 7 Majborough, 16 L’Eau Du Sud, 18 Sir Gino, 20 Quilixios, 22 Thistle Ask, 25 Solness, Jonbon, 33 Found A Fifty, 40 Gidleigh Park, Irish Panther, 50 bar

Ryanair Chase: 2 Fact To File, 8 Gaelic Warrior, Jango Baie, 10 Majborough, 14 Heart Wood, 16 Banbridge, Jonbon, 20 The Jukebox Man, Grey Dawning, Il Etait Temps, Romeo Coolio, 25 Kalif Du Berlais, Matata, 25 bar

Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase: 6 Galopin Des Champs, Inothewayurthinkin, 8 The Jukebox Man, Jango Baie 10 Gaelic Warrior, 12 Grey Dawning, 14 Haiti Couleurs, 20 Affordale Fury, 33 I Am Maximus, Spindleberry, 40 bar