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Alan Brazil was joined by Rupert Bell, Michael Owen and former Cheltenham Festival winning jockey Lizzie Kelly as they looked ahead to the upcoming Cheltenham Festival and assessed the leading contenders across the major races.

The panel agreed that this year’s Festival looks unusually open, particularly in the championship events. Kelly believes punters could have a strong chance this year because several of the headline races lack a standout favourite. She pointed to the Gold Cup and Stayers’ Hurdle as contests where multiple runners hold genuine winning claims, while the handicaps could provide opportunities for those searching for bigger priced selections.

Rupert Bell also believes the British challenge could be stronger than in recent seasons. After a period of dominance from Irish trainers, Bell feels yards such as Dan Skelton, Nicky Henderson and Ben Pauling have horses capable of competing at the highest level this week. However he warned that Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott still bring huge strength in depth to the meeting with large teams travelling across the Irish Sea.

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Attention first turned to the Champion Hurdle where Constitution Hill’s absence has transformed the race. Michael Owen supported the decision not to run the superstar, describing him as a public horse whose welfare must come before everything else. The panel felt that protecting the horse and the reputation of the sport was the correct call following his recent setbacks.

With the defending champion absent, the race now appears wide open. Bell believes Golden Ace could represent strong value after her surprise victory in last year’s renewal, while Kelly thinks The New Lion is the most likely winner if he reproduces the form he showed earlier in the season. Owen also sided with The New Lion but agreed that Golden Ace could be the best each way option in a competitive contest.

Discussion then moved to the Cheltenham Gold Cup where the panel expects a fiercely run race over three miles two furlongs. Lizzie Kelly believes it would be dangerous to overlook Galopin Des Champs despite his advancing years, arguing that the former champion still has the stamina and experience required for such a demanding test. She expects jockey Paul Townend to remain loyal to the horse even though stablemate Gaelic Warrior is also a leading contender.

Michael Owen believes the race is one of the most open Gold Cups in recent memory. He highlighted Django Bay as a major contender following his impressive Arkle success last season and feels the step up in distance could bring further improvement. Bell instead put forward Haiti Couleurs as an interesting alternative because of his proven stamina after victories in both the Welsh National and the Denman Chase.

The Queen Mother Champion Chase has also been shaken up by the absence of last year’s winner Marine Nationale. The panel agreed that Majborough has the ability to win the race but there are concerns about his jumping under pressure at championship pace. Kelly suggested that Lotus Sud could be a more reliable option while Quilixios was also mentioned as a potential danger if returning to his best form.

In the Stayers’ Hurdle the debate centred on whether Teahupoo can defend his crown. Owen believes Bob Olinger could cause an upset after hearing encouraging reports about the veteran’s preparation, while Bell sided with Cabra De Matan as a progressive horse who could improve again over the longer trip. Kelly admitted the race is difficult to predict but ultimately kept faith with Teahupoo to deliver another strong performance.

The Arkle Novices’ Chase also divided opinion among the panel. Owen and Bell both believe Kopek Des Bordes has the class to win the race and are prepared to forgive his limited chasing experience. Kelly disagreed strongly and insisted Lulamba is the standout novice in the field after proving himself against stronger opposition throughout the season.

Looking ahead to the opening race of the Festival, Kelly expects Old Park Star to make a bold bid for victory in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle after winning impressively at Cheltenham earlier in the campaign. She warned that El Cairos could be a significant threat but still believes the favourite has the strongest credentials.

As the discussion concluded, the panel offered several other horses to follow during the week including Meet Me By The Sea in the Jack Richards Novices’ Chase, Johnny Who in the Ultima Handicap Chase and No Drama This End for Paul Nicholls in one of the handicap hurdles.

With several championship races appearing wide open and a number of high quality novices emerging, the TalkSport panel expects the 2026 Cheltenham Festival to deliver four days of fiercely competitive racing and plenty of betting opportunities for punters.