LIVECheltenham Festival, Day One tips, results and live updates
QUEEN OF CHELTENHAM: Favourite Lossiemouth won the Champion Hurdle for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. Pic: Adam Davy/PA Wire.
Gordon Elliott said a run at Aintree is likely for Brighterdaysahead after finishing second in the Champion Hurdle. “We’re absolutely delighted, Jack (Kennedy) said he couldn’t go any quicker on her,” said Elliott. “The ground probably didn’t suit her, but she tried her heart out and galloped all the way to the line. We’ll probably look at something like Aintree now over two and a half miles. I’d say coming back to Punchestown could be a bit short for her.”
Ruby Walsh believes Iceberg Theory, 6/1 at the moment, offers some value in the National Hunt Chase.
The last race of the day is the National Hunt Chase. 17 go to post at 5:20pm.
Festival Plate Handicap result:
1. Madara 3/1
2. Will The Wise 10/1
3. Moon D'orange 25/1
4. Downmexicoway 9/1
5. Zurich 10/1
Madara wins the Plate for the Skeltons. That was an impressive performance.
🤤 That leap at the last
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 10, 2026
Madara strides away in the @SunRacing Plate pic.twitter.com/GGZkGu3WXc
We've got a false start in the Plate. They are underway now. Something you may not have known: the starter at Cheltenham, Robbie Supple, is a Kerryman. We interviewed him before the Aintree Grand National a couple of years ago.
Up next at 4:40pm is the Festival Plate Handicap. Henry de Bromhead's is Ruby Walsh's selection.
The New Lion jockey Harry Skelton tells ITV a stronger gallop would have helped his ride.
Lossiemouth owner Rich Ricci: "Unbelievable, magic, great. It is hard to win these races, and she always tries. All credit goes to Willie - 10 days ago, he said he wanted to try her with cheek pieces, and it worked.
"She loves this place, long may it last. The reception she got was great, it is great for the sport. I'd love to win the Gold Cup, hopefully we can do the double on Friday."
Champion Hurdle result:
1. Lossiemouth 7/5f
2. Brighterdaysahead 7/2
3. The New Lions 3/1
Willie Mullins says Lossiemouth is entering Quevega territory. "I mean she's a star mare to come back four years on the trot, never mind win, you know, that puts her in a league of her own, I think. She's nearly getting into Quevega territory."
Winning jockey Paul Townend says he knew from the start that Lossiemouth was on form today. That's a 39th Cheltenham Festival winner for the Cork rider.
"She just never turned up the last day," Townend told ITV.
"I knew from the way going to the start today, even when I got below with her, she was much happier. And the way she went down and took on the first week, obviously didn't go hard early on or anything, but she travelled much better and sweeter and kinder to herself. She tries so hard that you know very early in a race whether she's going or not."
🏆 Lossiemouth wins the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy! 🏆#ITVRacing | @WillieMullinsNH pic.twitter.com/RyXRYZgJmX
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 10, 2026
Lossiemouth wins the Champion Hurdle! The crowd roars home the favourite. That's a win for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins. It was so convincing too.
Owner of Constitution Hill Michael Buckley, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra: "I mean he is an exceptional horse and an exceptional athlete. Something has happened to his mind and when he is competing, he finds it hard to get over the hurdles.
"We have not made a plan. He is going to run on the Flat. He will most probably run a couple of times. Genuinely, we have not got a plan at this moment in time. The only plan is that he will not jump hurdles again.
"I am regretful that he has developed this quirk with his jumping. I believe rightly or wrongly that he is better than these horses, and he would be winning this race if he stood up."
It's taking a while to get the race underway. There they go now. They are off in the Champion Hurdle
Willie Mullins' Lossiemouth will go off as the 11/8 favourite with The New Lion 5/2 and Gordon Elliott's Brigtherdaysahead 4/1. Last year's winner Golden Ace is 12/1.
The big one of the day, the Champion Hurdle, is up next at 4pm. In his column, Ruby Walsh named Dan Skelton and JP McManus' The New Lion as his selection for the race.
Right, I'm going to hand over the reins to PJ Browne who will see us home on Day One.
🗣️ "These winners are hard to get & when you get them, you appreciate them."
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 10, 2026
Great stuff - the magic of a Festival winner from Richie McClernon. Johnnywho is his sole ride at the meeting this week too @LydiaHislop 👏 pic.twitter.com/JkErqfkUXe
Johnnywho trainer Jonjo O'Neill, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra: "It was great. Did everything right and Richie [McLernon] gave him a great spin.
"Everything went according to plan.
"A win at Cheltenham is what you look for every year really - it is a magical place."
Ultima Handicap chase result:
1. Johnnywho
2. Jagwar
3. Quebecois
4. Blow your wad
5. Leave of absence.
What a finish! 💥
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 10, 2026
Johnnywho gets the better of them to take the Trustmarque Ultima Handicap Chase! 🥇#ITVRacing | @richiemclernon | @oneill_racing pic.twitter.com/Tg23Rpy6Wb
What a finish!
Johnnywho wins it at 18-1.
A J.P McManus one-two. His 75th birthday gets even better!
Right, no rest for the wicked. Here are the three favourites for the 3.20pm Trustmarque Ultima Handicap Chase
Jagwar – 3/1
Iroko – 7/1
Hyland – 9/1.
Watch: Ruby Walsh on crowds, covid and Cheltenham.
"Every winner at Cheltenham is very, very special" ✨
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 10, 2026
A birthday winner for J P McManus who reacts to his 85th Cheltenham Festival winner with @MCYeeehaaa 👏 pic.twitter.com/atFqJJbqdS
Saratoga for Mark Walsh and J.P McManus wins it at 10/1!
A happy birthday for J.P McManus then.
Winster Junior is second.
Klycot is third.
Pourquoi Pas Papa is fourth
Quinta Do Lago is fifth.
Right here are the three favourites for the 2.40pm McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle:
Mustang Du Breuil – 4/1
Manlaga – 5/1
Winston Junior – 6/1.
Charlie McCarthy reflects on Kopek Des Bordes fine run when second in the Arkle.
ITV notify us of some sad news via a statement from the Jockey Club. Hansard was put down after sustaining an injury on the flat.
“While running on the flat Hansard sustained a fatal injury,” said a statement. … he was dismounted and attended by a team of professionals.”
A tale of two stories! pic.twitter.com/nvQcf5MVJw
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 10, 2026
Kargese sprang a minor surprise as she made all for victory in the Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.
A mistake at the last may have cost the Cork-owned Kopek des Bordes the victory
Click here to read the race report.
Danny Mullins laps up the applause in the winners’ enclosure. That’s a seventh Arkle for Willie Mullins, we’re told by ITV.
Right, Andrew Horgan here saddling up to keep you all updated on the next few races at Cheltenham. I hope to bring you all some luck!
7-1 shot Kargese takes the Arkle for Danny and Willie Mullins!
Kopek des Bordes is second.
Kopek, Kargese and Lulamba were neck-and-neck with two to go before a couple of errors told and Kargese powered home.
Charlie McCarthy sounds emotional as he speaks to Matt Chapman on ITV about his 'horse of a lifetime'.
"If he jumps, he wins," he says of Kopek.
"He has so much speed, I think nobody will stay with him."
"Kopek has so much speed, I actually think nobody will stay with him" 👀
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 10, 2026
Safe to say, Charlie McCarthy is confident in Kopek Des Bordes' ability 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/zZ4n6alGSw
"The Arkle will be one-way traffic in my eyes," Ruby writes. "Kargeese will jump and run, putting Lulamba on the back foot from an early stage but allowing Kopek Des Bordes to fall into a beautiful rhythm just behind the pace. The top two in the market will come to the fore as they race downhill from three out, where Nico de Boinville will try to press Paul Townend, but Paul will sit and hold his fire until he unleashes off the bend. The second last could be a crucial jump, but hopefully it will be an easy watch, and the rest, as they say, will be history.
Read more here.
Attention turns to the 2pm Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase then... and the big interest is the McCarthy's Kopek Des Bordes.
Lulamba – 5/4
Kopek Des Bordes – 7/4
Kargese – 5/1
Steel Ally – 16/1
Jax Junior – 22/1
Hansard – 100/1
Ruby's tip Sober Glory made all the running but made that vital mistake at the last.
Old Park Star took advantage and it means a 76th win at Cheltenham for Nicky Henderson: 'England's in front now' he tells ITV.
Hear from the beaten jockeys in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/nGzaX4h4Zo
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 10, 2026
There'll be no enquiry so this is the official result:
1. Old Park Star
2. Sober Glory
3. Mydaddypaddy
4. Baron Noir
5. Too Bossy For Us
6. Koktail Brut
7. El Cairos
8. Talk The Talk
9. Eachtotheirown
10. Mighty Park
11. Sageborough
Read how the race unfolded here.
Sober Glory and Mydaddypaddy in a photo-finish for second.
It's a dramatic start to the meeting however -
there was contact among the leading three horses in the closing stages as it got messy after the last. The stewards will have a look.
And, with the famous roar, they're off in the Novice's Hurdle!
Let's go then for the first, the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
Old Park Star is the favourite at 15-8 in the 11-horse field.
“I think the ground might be a little easier today than it will be tomorrow," says AP McCoy on the TV coverage. "But I think the race today is much deeper … this is the best Novice’s Hurdle we’ve had for a while.”
We're moments away from the famous Cheltenham roar as the jockeys and horses emerge down the runway.
Cheltenham Festival racegoers were given a chance to bid farewell to Constitution Hill as he paraded in front of fans in a final visit to the Prestbury Park track earlier.
The Nicky Henderson-trained nine-year-old was once the undisputed champion of the hurdling world, but a string of falls has understandably triggered a change in tack and a switch to the Flat racing code.
His debut on the level was a runaway success at Southwell, confirming plans to leave behind his hurdling career and head to Cheltenham simply to parade for his many admirers rather than to contest the Unibet Champion Hurdle.
"It's lovely that people have come to say hello to him, or goodbye" said Henderson.
Brendan O'Brien brought the biscuits and called into Ruby Walsh for a very enjoyable conversation ahead of the Festival.
Here, he talks about the crowd experience in the Cotswolds, covid and more.
Some pre-action reading?
Here's a guide to some of the value lurking in the handicaps.
Six battles to savour this week.
And Darren Norris speaks to Fermoy's Charlie McCarthy ahead of his big hope, Kopek Des Bordes' run in the Arkle in an hour.
racing correspondent Darren Norris has been soaking up the early atmosphere and sends this video insight from trackside.
Read Darren's Day 1 preview here... and check out his selections for Tuesday:
Talk The Talk
Kopek Des Bordes (NB)
Winston Junior
Iroko
The New Lion (Nap)
Madara
Backmersackme
Old Park Star
Lulamba
Glen To Glen
Jagwar
Lossiemouth
McLaurey
Iceberg Theory
Ruby Walsh is on site, as always, for another Festival.
Here's how the former champion jockey -- and Irish Examiner columnist - sees Tuesday playing out.
"Some bemoan the extended build-up, and others have said this year feels more low-key than others. To me, it feels like it always does. I can't wait for the roar to greet the departure of the runners for the Supreme at 1.20, not that I will really hear it from the TV compound in the car park. But you know what I mean.
"Twenty eight races will unfold over the next four days, offering drama and excitement, elation and despair, the obvious and the obscure."
And Ruby was up early and out on the gallops where he sent us this video update.
And we're off...
It's the most magical time of the year for jump racing enthusiasts from the Cotswolds to Benidorm.
We'll follow all the runners and riders throughout the first day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival with input from our writers and pundits.
