Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Tips - Best Bets for Tuesday 10th March 2026
The first day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival promises thrilling races, with expert tips highlighting favorites and value bets for each key event. Mydaddypaddy is favored for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, while Steel Ally emerges as a promising choice for the Arkle Challenge Trophy. Other standout bets include Imperial Saint in the Ultima Handicap Chase and Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle. The guidance suggests backing horses with proven track records and exploiting each-way opportunities to maximize returns.
- Free tips for every race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival
- Lossiemouth is our selection in Tuesday's feature, the Champion Hurdle
- Mydaddypaddy, Imperial Saint and Will The Wise also feature in my Cheltenham day 1 tips
- 1:20pm Cheltenham - Supreme Novices' Hurdle Tips
- 2:00pm Cheltenham - Arkle Challenge Trophy Tips
- 2:40pm Cheltenham - Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Tips
- 3:20pm Cheltenham - Ultima Handicap Chase Tips
- 4:00pm Cheltenham - Champion Hurdle Tips
- Live Stream
- 4:40pm Cheltenham - Plate Handicap Chase Tips
- 5:20pm Cheltenham - National Hunt Chase Tips
- Best Bet Of The Day
Day 1 Tips
Through the card tips for day one of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
The fields have been set for the opening day of racing at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, and racing fans can look forward to a typically action-packed afternoon on Champions' Day.
Here are my best Cheltenham day 1 tips, covering all seven races on the opening day of the Festival.
- Tips updated at 8:00am on 10.3.26
Cheltenham Day 1 Card - Tuesday 10th March 2026
| Time | Tuesday Races | Status | Distance |
| 13:20 | Supreme Novices' Hurdle | Grade One | 2m |
| 14:00 | Arkle Challenge Trophy | Grade One | 2m |
| 14:40 | Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle | Grade Three Handicap | 2m |
| 15:20 | Ultima Handicap Chase | Grade Three Handicap | 3m2f |
| 16:00 | Champion Hurdle | Grade One | 2m |
| 16:40 | Plate Handicap Chase | Grade Three Handicap | 2m 4f |
| 17:20 | National Hunt Chase | Grade Two Handicap | 3m 6f |
Cheltenham Tuesday Tips 2026 - Day 1 Festival Best Bets
1:20pm Cheltenham - Supreme Novices' Hurdle Tips
I was blown away by Old Park Star's performance at Haydock, and Nicky Henderson's star deserves to go off as the favourite for this year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Three dangerous Irish rivals are lined up behind him in the market. However, Mighty Park is extremely inexperienced, Talk The Talk looked better suited to the Turners' Novices' Hurdle, and there are doubts about El Cairos' jumping and what he will find in the heat of a battle.
I pinned my colours to MYDADDYPADDY (8/1) at the ante-post stage. You need a strong traveller in the Supreme, and jumping is always at a premium. Dan Skelton's rising star looks like he'd relish a fast pace over two miles, and I don't expect the uphill run to the line to cause him any problems.
Mydaddypaddy jumped fluently on his first two starts over hurdles at Carlisle and Haydock. The omission of the final two flights in the Formby Novices' Hurdle made it easier for the talented Idaho Sun to maintain his advantage, and maybe two runs in quick succession before that left the favourite a little flat.
In my initial guide to the Supreme, I compared the times set by Old Park Star and Mydaddypaddy in identical races around Haydock, and the findings suggest that they are closely matched. I took 12/1 when my guide went live, as I thought it represented excellent each-way value. 8/1 looks a little skinny from an each-way standpoint, but you could get bigger than that on the day.
Supreme Novices' Hurdle Each-Way Bet - Mydaddypaddy
2:00pm Cheltenham - Arkle Challenge Trophy Tips
Lulamba and Kopek Des Bordes are the clear standouts in this year's Arkle Challenge Trophy. I do, however, have reservations about both.
Nicky Henderson's star has shaped like he would benefit from step up in trip, and they always go hell-for-leather in the Arkle. Kopek Des Bordes must be working the house down, but I can't bring myself to back a horse at such a short price who has only had one run over fences, and hasn't been seen since November.
STEEL ALLY (16/1) jumped well when beating experienced rivals in a Graduation Chase at Carlisle on his seasonal reappearance. Sam Thomas' star then ran out a hugely impressive winner of the Noel Novices' Chase at Ascot, hammering No Questions Asked and Jax Junior - both of whom have won Grade Twos since.
Dylan Johnston's mount was last seen cruising to an easy win in the Lightning Novices' Chase on heavy ground at Warwick. Steel Ally didn't have a hard race that day, and better ground at Cheltenham should suit. Sadly, with just seven declared in the final Arkle field, there are only two paid places up for grabs. I still feel that Steel Ally is the value option in this Grade One.
Arkle Challenge Trophy Each-Way Bet - Steel Ally
2:40pm Cheltenham - Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Tips
HARWA (20/1) ran to a good level on his two starts over hurdles in France, and impressed on his first start for Paul Nolan in February.
Sean Flanagan's mount took a little while to warm up, and gave a lengthy lead to hot-favourite Springhill Warrior and the front-running Lincoln Du Seuil. Between the final two flights, Harwa quickened up smartly to bridge a near ten-length deficit, before strolling eight lengths clear of his toiling rivals.
His mark of 132 looks a little stiff for that performance alone, but this talented son of Saint Des Saints is strong enough to cope with 11-8 and he should handle good-to-soft ground.
Another Irish raider to respect is OLE OLE (20/1). Gavin Cromwell's charge might be a maiden, but he boasts strong form in with some of Ireland's other leading contenders.
Third on his sole start in France, Ole Ole was outmuscled by Quinto Do Lago on his Irish debut, and was only beaten a length by Glen To Glen on his second outing at Cork. Keith Donoghue's mount swept into contention beautifully at Leopardstown over Christmas, overtaking Munsif at the second-last, but a slightly wayward leap at the final flight opened the door for Hardy Stuff to live up to his name and claim a narrow victory.
Gavin Cromwell's yard were woefully out of form at Christmas, so I'm happy to mark up that performance. Ole Ole has shown a clear improvement on each of his starts over hurdles, and could be a big player with 11-4 on his back.
Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Each-Way Bet - Ole Ole
Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Each-Way Bet - Harwa
3:20pm Cheltenham - Ultima Handicap Chase Tips
I was part of the monster gamble that landed when IMPERIAL SAINT (20/1) won the Peter Marsh at Haydock. Philip Hobbs and Johnson White's star could have been backed at 25/1 when the field was confirmed, but ended up going off at 7/2, and got up in the nick of time to claim a narrow victory.
I'd been itching to back Imperial Saint over three miles all season long, and Callum Pritchard's mount saw out 25-and-a-half furlongs strongly. This eight-year-old has only had two starts over three miles or further in his life, finished first at Haydock and a close second to Cruz Control in the Freebooter at Aintree last spring.
Imperial Saint has raced at Cheltenham twice before, placing a close third in the 2025 Betfair Exchange Handicap on Trials Day, before a sixth-place finish behind Glengouly in this season's December Gold Cup. Both races were run over 2m4f on the New Course, and I'm convinced that the Ultima course-and-distance will be much more suitable.
Imperial Saint has won on all kinds of ground, and Pritchard's claim leaves his shouldering just 10-12 on Tuesday. Hopefully, we don't get another flag start - which ruined last year's Ultima - as Imperial Saint is one of my best bets of the entire meeting.
Ultima Handicap Chase Each-Way Bet - Imperial Saint
4:00pm Cheltenham - Champion Hurdle Tips
Four of the last six renewals of the Champion Hurdle have been won by mares. Epatante, Honeysuckle and Golden Ace have their names on the honours board at Prestbury Park, and LOSSIEMOUTH (9/4) can join that illustrious club of Champion Hurdle winners on Tuesday.
Lossiemouth has been simply flawless around Cheltenham. Mullins' grey has won the Triumph Hurdle and two Mares' Hurdles at the Festival, and even trounced a decent field when landing the Unibet Hurdle on Trials Day in 2024.
Paul Townend's mount looked as good as ever when winning the Morgiana Hurdle and the December Hurdle. I'd attribute her defeat at the Dublin Racing Festival to the heavy ground - even though Lossiemouth has previously won Grade Ones on a similarly testing surface.
Mullins' grey must have been working well in those first-time cheekpieces to warrant her Champion Hurdle inclusion. For me, Lossiemouth is the most likely winner.
Champion Hurdle Best Bet - Lossiemouth
Live Stream
Visit our Champion Hurdle Live Stream page if you want to watch any race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival via a mobile or tablet.
4:40pm Cheltenham - Plate Handicap Chase Tips
When my ante-post guide to the Plate went live, I backed WILL THE WISE (9/1) at 16/1, and Gavin Cromwell's raiders looks set to go off at a single-figure price.
Sixth in the Pertemps Final last season, Cromwell was quick to send Will The Wise chasing. After a couple of runs in the spring, Cromwell's seven-year-old finished a close second to future Grade Three winner Ol Man Dingle at Galway, before going on to beat Prends Garde A Toi and Waterford Whispers over the same course-and-distance.
Will The Wise then finished a decent fourth in the Troytown at Navan, before struggling as the favourite for the Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. Despite some decent form over further, Will The Wise seems best suited to this intermediate trip, and Cromwell's novice has a good record when fresh.
The least-fancied of Henry De Bromhead's three runners in this year's Plate is THEATRE NATIVE (25/1). De Bromhead's mare gave Rachael Blackmore her final winner around Cheltenham back in April, as the well-backed favourite hammered some decent rivals in the Grade Three Mares' Novices' Chase.
Theatre Native returned to Cheltenham in November for the Paddy Power Gold Cup, where she was up with the pace throughout, but got squeezed out of contention rounding the final bend and was allowed to coast home by Sean Bowen. De Bromhead then dropped his mare back down to two miles at Leopardstown over Christmas, and Theatre Native travelled nicely behind the pacesetters again, before getting tapped for toe down the home straight.
Theatre Native has been freshened up since that outing, and the prospect of decent ground on Champions' Day will certainly suit this strong-travelling mare. Mike O'Connor's mount could go well under just 10-7.
Plate Handicap Chase Best Bet - Will The Wise
Plate Handicap Chase Each-Way Bet - Theatre Native
5:20pm Cheltenham - National Hunt Chase Tips
ONE BIG BANG (10/1) was hard-raced as a handicap hurdler, and it's clear that the National Hunt Chase has been his goal from the start of this season.
One Big Bang started out over fences in the Listed Novices' Chase at Cheltenham's November Meeting, where he seemed on-course to claim victory, only to get run down by the charging Wade Out after the final flight. James Owen's star opened his account over fences in a two-runner race at Southwell in December, before he was given a suspiciously quiet ride when third over two-and-a-half miles at Doncaster.
One Big Bang has Cheltenham Festival form, having finished a staying-on fifth in last year's Pertemps Final. The further he goes, the better One Big Bang will be, and Alex Chadwick's claimer leaves him shouldering a lovely racing weight of 11-6.
National Hunt Chase Each-Way Bet - One Big Bang
Best Bet Of The Day
See our NAP Of The Day page to find out which runner we've picked as our best bet from our Tuesday's Cheltenham tips.
Cheltenham Day 1 FAQs
What time does Cheltenham start on Day 1?
The 2026 Cheltenham Festival begins at 1:20pm (UK time) on Day 1. Seven races are run throughout the afternoon, with the final race scheduled to start at 5:20pm.
How many races are run on Cheltenham Festival Day 1?
There are seven races on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. Three Grade One races will be run on Champions' Day, these are the Champion Hurdle, Supreme Novices' Hurdle, and the Arkle Challenge Trophy. The Mares' Hurdle has been moved to day three. Four handicap races will now also take place on Champions' Day.
What is the biggest race on Cheltenham Day 1?
The Champion Hurdle is the feature race on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, and is schedule to start at 4:00pm. Run over two miles, it is the championship race for hurdlers and regularly features the best horses from Britain and Ireland.
Who are the leading trainers on Cheltenham Day 1?
Willie Mullins is usually the man to follow at the Cheltenham Festival, and he's sure to have some strong chance on day one of this year's meeting. Nicky Henderson has a strong record in both the Supreme and the Arkle. Gordon Elliott and Henry De Bromhead are names to note too.
Which race opens the Cheltenham Festival?
The Cheltenham Festival traditionally begins with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, a Grade One contest for the best novice hurdlers in the sport.
Which horses are favourites on Cheltenham Day 1?
Lossiemouth will take her chance in the Champion Hurdle, and she'll rival The New Lion for favouritism. Old Park Star heads the betting for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, while Lulamba and Kopek Des Bordes battle for favouritism in the Arkle.
When is the Cheltenham Festival 2026?
The Cheltenham Festival 2026 takes place from Tuesday 10th March to Friday 13th March 2026 at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Verdict
Cheltenham Day 1 Top Tips:
Lossiemouth
2026 Champion Hurdle
@9/4 - 5 Units
Bet £20 Get £10
Use promo code NEWBONUS
18+ New customers only. Bet £20 (or more) EVS (2.0) or greater Get 2 x £5 Free Bets. 1 x £5 Free Bet paid automatically & following £5 Free Bet after 24hrs. Min Free Bet odds 4/1 (5.0) on accumulators Trebles & upwards. Expires after 24hrs. Full T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org
Mydaddypaddy E/W
2026 Supreme Novices' Hurdle
@8/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £40
in free bets
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply.
Will The Wise E/W
2026 Plate Handicap Chase
@9/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
with bonus code NEWBONUS
Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad
Imperial Saint E/W
2026 Ultima Handicap Chase
@20/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £50
in Free Bets
New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply.
Related
Top Betting Sites
Betting offers
Upcoming Events
28 May 2026
- 2026 Brigadier Gerard Stakes -
- Horse Racing
30 May 2026
- 2026 Lester Piggott Stakes -
- Horse Racing
05 June 2026
- 2026 Epsom Oaks -
- Horse Racing
Load More
