Cheltenham Festival 2026 Day 2 Declarations - Majborough and Final Demand headline Wednesday's entries
The 2026 Cheltenham Festival's second day promises thrilling races, highlighted by the Champion Chase at 4:00pm. Majborough leads the field under the guidance of jockey Mark Walsh, maintaining the form that shone at the Dublin Racing Festival. Other notable contenders include Il Etait Temps with Paul Townend and L'Eau Du Sud, both prepared by Willie Mullins. The field of ten, including Captain Guinness and Irish Panther, is set for an exciting day of equestrian excellence, culminating with evening races like the Grand Annual Handicap Chase and Champion Bumper.
- Final declarations for day two of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival
- Majborough heads a field of nine for the Champion Chase
- A capacity field of 22 runners will contest the Turners Novices' Hurdle
Here are the confirmed runners and jockey bookings information for all seven races on day two of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
Cheltenham Day 2 Card - Wednesday 11th March 2026
| Time | Wednesday Races | Status | Distance |
| 13:20 | Turners Novices' Hurdle | Grade One | 2m 5f |
| 14:00 | Brown Advisory Novices' Chase | Grade One | 3m |
| 14:40 | Coral Cup | Grade Three Handicap | 2m 5f |
| 15:20 | Cross Country Chase | Class Two Handicap | 3m 6f |
| 16:00 | Champion Chase | Grade One | 2m |
| 16:40 | Grand Annual Chase | Grade Three Handicap | 2m |
| 17:20 | Champion Bumper | Grade One | 2m |
Cheltenham 2026 Day 2 Declarations
1:20pm Turners Novices' Hurdle
| No. | Name | Jockey (Expected) | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Act Of Innocence | Nico De Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2 | Ballyfad | Jack Kennedy | Gordon Elliott |
| 3 | Bossman Jack | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
| 4 | Came From Nowhere | Lorcan Williams | Jeremy Scott |
| 5 | Fortune Timmy | Freddie Gordon | Chris Gordon |
| 6 | Free Spirit | Mark Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 7 | Hurricane Pat | Caoilin Quinn | Gary and Josh Moore |
| 8 | I'll Sort That | Declan Queally | Declan Queally |
| 9 | King Rasko Grey | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
| 10 | Klimt Madrik | Kevin Brogan | Toby Lawes |
| 11 | Laurets d'Estruval | Brian Hayes | Willie Mullins |
| 12 | No Drama This End | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
| 13 | Riskaway | Sam Ewing | Gordon Elliott |
| 14 | Saint Baco | Sean O'Keeffe |
Willie Mullins |
| 15 | Shuttle Diplomacy | Daniel King | Thomas Cooper |
| 16 | Skylight Hustle | Danny Gilligan | Gordon Elliott |
| 17 | Sober | Patrick Mullins | Willie Mullins |
| 18 | Soldier Reeves | Tristan Durrell | Dan Skelton |
| 19 | Sortudo | Danny Mullins | Willie Mullins |
| 20 | Taurus Bay | Ben Jones | Ben Pauling |
| 21 | Walks In June | Darragh O'Keeffe | Henry De Bromhead |
| 22 | Zeus Power | JJ Slevin | Joseph O'Brien |
A capacity field of 22 has been declared for the opening Grade One on day two of the Cheltenham Festival. Harry Cobden will ride market leader No Drama This End for Paul Nicholls. Paul Townend has opted to ride King Rasko Grey, and Willie Mullins is further represented by Sober, Sortudo and Saint Baco.
Gordon Elliott runs three, with Jack Kennedy opting to partner with Ballyfad over Grade One winner Skylight Hustle. Declan Queally rides his own Grade One winner, I'll Sort That. Shuttle Diplomacy, Walks Of June and Zeus Power bolster the Irish challenge. Act Of Innocence, Taurus Bay, Bossman Jack and Klimt Madrik represent home connections.
2:00pm Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
| No. | Name | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argento Boy | Danny Mullins | Willie Mullins |
| 2 | Final Demand | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
| 3 | Joystick | Brian Hayes | Willie Mullins |
| 4 | Kaid D'Authie | Mark Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 5 | Kitzbuhel | Harry Cobden | Willie Mullins |
| 6 | Koktail Divin | Darragh O'Keeffe | Henry De Bromhead |
| 7 | Now Is The Hour | Keith Donoghue | Gavin Cromwell |
| 8 | Oscars Brother | Daniel King | Connor King |
| 9 | Predators Gold | Patrick Mullins | Willie Mullins |
| 10 | Romeo Coolio | Jack Kennedy | Gordon Elliott |
| 11 | Rushmount | Sean O'Keeffe | Jonathan Sweeney |
| 12 | Salver | Caoilin Quinn | Gary and Josh Moore |
| 13 | Thomas Mor | Ben Jones | Philip Hobbs & Johnson White |
| 14 | Wendigo | Gavin Sheehan | Jamie Snowden |
| 15 | Western Fold | Danny Gilligan | Gordon Elliott |
| 16 | The Big Westerner | Mike O'Connor | Henry De Bromhead |
Despite question marks over both in the build-up, Final Demand and The Big Westerner were declared for the Brown Advisory. Paul Townend will ride favourite Final Demand, but it's Mike O'Connor jocked up on The Big Westerner, as Darragh O'Keeffe rides her stablemate Koktail Divin.
Willie Mullins accounts for six of the 16 runners, with Kaid d'Authie, Kitzbuhel, Argento Boy, Joystick and Predators Gold also confirmed. Romeo Coolio will be ridden by Jack Kennedy, with Danny Gilligan aboard Western Fold. Jamie Snowden's Wendigo is the highest-placed home runner in the market. Now Is The Hour was supplemented into this Grade One by Gavin Cromwell.
2:40pm BetMGM Cup
- The Yellow Clay
- Ballyadam
- Storm Heart
- Lucky Place
- Buddy One
- Farren Glory
- Colonel Mustard
- Puturhandstogether
- Kopeck De Mee
- Jingko Blue
- Iberico Lord
- Guard Duty
- Chart Topper
- Kateira
- Sony Bill
- Give It To Me Oj
- Rambo T
- Diargiannini
- Franciscan Rock
- Beckett Rock
- Bunting
- Minella Rescue
- Forty Coats
- HMS Seahorse
Having watched Munsif miss the cut in the Juvenile Handicap Hurdle yesterday, there was more heartache for Charles Byrnes today as I Started A Joke was named as the First Reserve for the BetMGM Cup. Top five-pound claimer Michael Kenneally has been booked to ride top-weight The Yellow Clay.
3:20pm Cross Country Chase
- Stumptown
- Favori De Champdou
- Final Orders
- Vanillier
- Conflated
- Pied Piper
- Fakir d'Oudairies
- Velvet Elvis
- Desertmore House
- Horantzau d'Airy
- Minella Crooner
- Latenightpass
- The Goffer
- Famous Bridge
Stumptown ran out an impressive winner of last year's Cross Country, and Gavin Cromwell's star tops the weights again. Jack Kennedy rides Favori De Champdou for Gordon Elliott. The nine highest-placed horses in the betting are all Irish raiders, and two of the four home runners were trained by Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott until very recently.
4:00pm Champion Chase
| No. | Name | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brookie | Sam Twiston-Davies | Anthony Honeyball |
| 2 | Captain Guinness | Mike O'Connor | Henry De Bromhead |
| 3 | Found A Fifty | Jack Kennedy | Gordon Elliott |
| 4 | Il Etait Temps | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
| 5 | Irish Panther | Kieren Buckley | Eddie and Patrick Harty |
| 6 | L'Eau Du Sud | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
| 7 | Libberty Hunter | Harry Cobden | Evan Williams |
| 8 | Majborough | Mark Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 9 | Quilixios | Darragh O'Keeffe | Henry De Bromhead |
| 10 | Saint Segal | Ciaran Gethings | Jane Williams |
Majborough will lead a field of ten into the 2026 Champion Chase, and the cheek-pieces that worked wonders at the Dublin Racing Festival remain in-place. With Mark Walsh riding the favourite, Paul Townend gets the leg-up on Il Etait Temps. L'Eau Du Sud splits the two Willie Mullins runners at the head of the betting. Quilixios will have his first start since falling late in last year's Champion Chase.
Jonbon wasn't declared for Wednesday, but Found A Fifty will represent Gordon Elliott. Irish Panther takes on his elders instead of running in the Arkle. Captain Guinness will have his fourth outing in the Queen Mother. Brookie, Libberty Hunter and Saint Segal complete the line-up.
Jonbon wasn't declared for Wednesday, but Found A Fifty will represent Gordon Elliott. Irish Panther takes on his elders instead of running in the Arkle. Captain Guinness will have his fourth outing in the Queen Mother. Brookie, Libberty Hunter and Saint Segal complete the line-up.
4:40pm Grand Annual Handicap Chase
- Touch Me Not
- Calico
- Rubaud
- Be Aware
- Inthepocket
- Boothill
- Addragoole
- Jazzy Matty
- Vanderpoel
- Western Diego
- The Other Mozzie
- Special Cadeau
- Martator
- Ballysax Hank
- Personal Ambition
- Jour d'Evasion
- Break My Soul
- Relieved Of Duties
- Jasko Des Dames
- Release The Beast
Two big British hopes were balloted out of the Grand Annual, as Highlands Legacy and Ryan's Rocket failed to make the final field. Ireland is well represented again, with defending champion Jazzy Matty, Inthepocket and Ballysax Hank spearheading their challenge. Dan Skelton runs both Be Aware and Calico. Release The Beast sneaks into the final field.
5:20pm Champion Bumper
- Bass Hunter
- Boycetown
- Broadway Ted
- Charismatic Kid
- Chicker
- Diamant Dore
- It's Only A Game
- Keep Him Company
- Love Sign d'Aunou
- Of Land And Sea
- Tally Ho Back
- The Irish Avatar
- The Mourne Rambler
- The Skecher
- The Wager
- Vango Can Go
- Wilde's Legacy
- With Nolimit
- Moonverrin
- Our Trigger
- Quiryn
- Mets Ta Ceinture
Five of the 22 runners in the Champion Bumper will represent Willie Mullins, and Patrick Mullins has opted to ride Love Sign d'Aunou over The Irish Avatar. Mullins runs two four-year-olds in Quiryn and Our Trigger, with Dan Skelton's four-year-old filly Meta Ta Ceinture getting both age and sex allowances.
Gordon Elliott has four in the race, with Jack Kennedy riding the unbeaten Keep Him Company. Chris Gordon's Bass Hunter is the leading British hope. Irish Champion Flat Jockey, Colin Keane has been booked to ride The Mourne Rambler.
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
