British trainers claimed the final two races on the opening day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, making it Great Britain 4 – Ireland 3 on the first of four days.

Dan and Harry Skelton got off the mark for the week when Madara (3/1 favourite) proved a cut above his rivals and far superior to his mark of 140 in the Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase.

Successful at the 2024 Dublin Racing Festival when trained by Sophie Leech, the Doctor Dino gelding was later switched to Skelton by owners Bryan Drew and friends, and had finished second twice from four starts for the stable.

With cheekpieces reapplied, the lightly-raced seven-year-old was well-backed on Tuesday afternoon to give the Skeltons their first win of the week. Positioned in midfield, the favourite progressed into fourth before the third last and leapt into the lead at the penultimate fence.

It was only then that Harry Skelton asked for more, and after a huge jump at the last, his mount ran on strongly to win by seven and a half lengths. Irish raiders filled the next six places, the closest of which was the Gavin Cromwell-trained Will The Wise, a length and three quarters ahead of John McConnell’s Moon d’Orange.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LATEST CHELTENHAM ODDS AND OFFERS FROM WILLIAM HILL

Dan Skelton said: “Lovely to get a winner - it’s what we all come for. If you’d have said to me last night, what do you want? I’d have said if we can get one, then we’ll ask for more, but one’s what it’s about. The team has worked very hard, and to come here and get one, especially on day one, it’s a bit of a relief and everyone can breathe a bit easier. I had no doubt we had plenty of pounds in hand today; it was just about how it went on the way round. His form showed you that he had that in hand, and we’re delighted.

“I’ve never come into a Festival more delighted to be a part of this game

“The horse has had lots of time off with a leg injury, which meant we couldn’t race him too much and he’s come here relatively lightly raced. He did a great bit of work at Warwick a few weeks ago. He’s a graded horse in a handicap, but I couldn’t call him a Grade 1 horse - we’ve got that to come in the future perhaps, but it’s a great result.

“Sometimes, a bit of patience and it all comes together. It’s easier being a patient trainer than it is being a patient owner - as a trainer you are lucky enough to have a lot of horses, but as an owner, you just want to run your horse, and you have to be patient, and it’s hard.

“I’ve never come into a Festival more delighted to be a part of this game. It’s great to have a winner - it really does give you a lovely feeling.”

Won well

Jockey Harry Skelton said: “This horse has been brilliant. He won well there. He missed the autumn really due to an injury. We prepped him really well, he ran well last time at Kempton.

“Once I’d straighted up down to two out, I thought it was his race to lose. He put his head down and galloped well. To get a winner here, you just don’t get better than this place. It’s brilliant and I feel very privileged to be part of all this. Our sport is in such a great place. Brilliant racing today and I don’t think as open a Festival certainly in my time, and that’s great to see. Day one – one on the board, I wouldn’t mind a few more now!

“He missed the early part of the season due to the injury he had last season but he’s improved each time and he’s got the experience, which showed today - he could go wherever I wanted him to go and sometimes you need that experience.

“He was definitely one we thought was coming here with a great chance.”

Keith Donoghue, rider of runner-up Will The Wise for Gavin Cromwell, said: “He ran a cracker. He just ran into a better one on the day. No excuse.”

National Hunt Chase

Britain completed a good first day when Irish-bred Jukebox ury mare Holloway Queen (12/1) gave James Bowen a first Festival win and a double on the day for Nicky Henderson.

Only a five-year-old, she was in touch with leaders, and made headway to go second and in pursuit of the long-time leader Pic Roc on the run to the final bend. She led before two out and was clear at the last, ridden out ot beat King Of Answers (22/1), One Big Bang (11/1) and Union Station (28/1). Emmett Mullins Backmersackme ( 3/1) went off favourite but was in trouble over a mile from home and was pullled up.

It was a first Festival win for Bowen who missed the Festival on a few occasion by injury and suspension, said on Racing TV: "She was incredible to jump, she got into a lovely rhythm. After two out, my arse just hit the saddle and she got two lengths in front and I said I'm going to be in front for a long time now. We went a good gallop and over that trip, I thought there wasn't going to be something finishing over that trip anyway."

“I’ve been at Seven Barrows eight years now, and Nicky’s been extremely good to me. Nico was sat in the weighing room watching the race, and Nicky had every right to put Nico on it, but he’s very loyal and I really appreciate everything he’s done for me.”

Nicky Henderson said: “That was very good. I thought she wanted a bog, so we ummed and aahed and we weren’t going to run unless there was soft all over it, but I suppose you get the same effect when you go three miles and six - a bloody good, honest, staying test. She stays and jumps. Perhaps she’ll be a Grand National horse - if we all live long enough.

“She was on the transfer list earlier in the year as it wasn’t working for her over hurdles and she was getting sulky, but James has got a rhythm with her and she just jumps and gallops. She’s only a novice so we’ll just mind her a bit. You probably wouldn’t want to run her on the ground too often.” It was Henderson's 77th Festival win.