Top Trainer at Cheltenham Festival

Willie Mullins is aiming to be crowned leading trainer at the Festival for the eighth consecutive year. The Closutton handler faces strong opposition, though, with several rivals assembling powerful teams for March.

Willie Mullins

Mullins matched his own record with 10 winners at last year’s meeting and will be targeting another sizeable haul. By his standards the current campaign has been quieter, and a few of his headline acts still have questions to answer.

Decisions over targets could prove crucial. Lossiemouth has options in either the Champion Hurdle or the Mares’ Hurdle. Meanwhile Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File could drop back in distance for the Ryanair Chase rather than take on the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Gordon Elliott

Elliott is enjoying a strong season and currently leads the Irish Trainers’ Championship. He endured a frustrating Festival last year, drawing a blank until the closing Martin Pipe, but this time he looks set to field one of his strongest squads in recent memory.

Romeo Coolio, Favori De Champdou and Brighterdaysahead headline a team capable of delivering multiple victories.

Nicky Henderson

Henderson’s build-up has been hampered by the injury to Sir Gino, who had been prominent in the Champion Hurdle market. Attention now turns to Constitution Hill and whether he can return to peak form.

Seven Barrows still has depth. Jonbon is chasing a first Festival success, Old Park Star is a leading contender for the Supreme, and Jango Baie has emerged as a serious Gold Cup player.

Dan Skelton

Skelton leads the British Trainers’ Championship and will be hoping for a stronger return than last year, when The New Lion provided his sole winner in the Turners.

The New Lion now targets the Champion Hurdle, while L’Eau Du Sud is prominent in the Queen Mother Champion Chase market. Panic Attack could line up in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase, and Skelton is likely to have a few well-handicapped runners ready to strike.

With strength in depth across multiple yards, the battle for top trainer promises to be one of the key subplots of the 2026 Festival.