'In the same form I'd back him to win any race he runs in' - our experts find the early value for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival

Poniros

Champion Hurdle
25-1 generally

You don't always need that much experience to win a Triumph Hurdle, but to land a red-hot running on your very first start is something else. 

All the right horses were there at the finish and it was nothing less than an amazing performance from Poniros. The time was way quicker than the County Hurdle, which followed the Triumph, and to do what he did having done so much wrong in the race is pretty special. 

Once he learns to be a proper hurdler, how good will he be then? It's rare for a five-year-old to win the Champion Hurdle, but this could be a youngster worth chancing.
James Hill, tipster

Lulamba

Arkle Chase
12-1 generally

What a shame Sir Gino will never win an Arkle, but Lulamba might for the same connections in 2026.

If you ran that Triumph Hurdle ten times, he'd win at least eight. He was the best horse in the race and almost won it despite plenty going wrong. He’s only going to get better too.

He’s built like a chaser and, now that the middle-distance option is gone, it'll be either the Arkle or the Brown Advisory for him next season provided he stays fit and healthy, and I can’t see Nicky Henderson going up to three miles with him at the age of five. 

Lulamba (left) is edged out by Poniros in the Triumph HurdleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

I also have a suspicion Kopek Des Bordes will stay over hurdles, given Willie Mullins was quick to point out that "it’s easier to keep a horse sound over hurdles" straight after his Supreme success.

Lulamba is no Sir Gino, but he’s not far off and I can see him being the best novice chaser around next season.
David Jennings, deputy Ireland editor

Ballyburn

Stayers' Hurdle
12-1 with bet365

At some point I'm sure connections are going to bite the bullet and realise Ballyburn isn't a chaser, and when they do the 12-1 for the Stayers' Hurdle will look massive.

He hasn't looked an absolute natural jumping fences and he paid for it with a bad mistake in the Brown Advisory, and was less than fluent a couple of times after that. I know they're going to try to go on with him next time rather than trying to settle him, but I doubt it'll make a difference – he just finds fences hard work.

He ran well to finish so close given his round of jumping, so there's no doubt he does stay – as his pedigree says he should – and he'll be a horse of rare talent back in staying hurdle company if that decision is made.
Paul Kealy, tipster

Marine Nationale

Champion Chase
7-1 generally

Part of me hopes I'm wrong about this, because if we get back the Sir Gino we saw at Kempton in December, he's surely the one to beat in the Champion Chase next year.

However, the mood was so dark when Sir Gino's injury was reported – there was talk of saving his career, not just his season – that you can't be confident this far out that we'll see the best of him in 2025-26. That is built into his ante-post price of 4-1.

Marine Nationale and Sean Flanagan come home 18 lengths clear in the Champion ChaseCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

My main issue with the early Champion Chase market is that Marine Nationale, a convincing winner of the race on Wednesday, is such a big price to defend his title. Most firms think Majborough – you know, that lummox who blundered away the Arkle – is a more likely winner next year.

Marine Nationale wouldn't have won by 18 lengths had Quilixios stood up, or if Jonbon hadn't taken a fence with him. But he would still have won, and putting in a blemish-free round is what often proves decisive in the Champion Chase. 

With little else coming through in the division – Arkle winner Jango Baie surely goes up in distance – Marine Nationale has a good chance of retaining his crown.
Keith Melrose, betting editor

Jango Baie

Ryanair Chase
16-1 generally

The fact that Jango Baie managed to win the Arkle despite being outpaced at a crucial stage was testament to his ability, staying power and resolution.

Although he was ultimately a cosy winner and he landed a Grade 1 over 2m½f as a novice hurdler, he should be much more comfortable at intermediate distances – his pedigree and racing style tell you that.

Next year's Ryanair looks an obvious target and the 16-1 on offer looks very good value. Nicky Henderson, who has won the race previously with Fondmort and Riverside Theatre, can plot his way there via races like the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon.
Maddy Playle, tipster

The New Lion

Champion Hurdle
7-1 generally

There isn't a more exciting hurdler in training than The New Lion right now, following his brilliant victory over The Yellow Clay in the Turners on Wednesday. The front two pulled a long way clear of Final Demand, who is a smart prospect himself, and the fast-finishing sectional confirms that The New Lion and The Yellow Clay are top-class performers.

The New Lion (left) beats The Yellow Clay (second left) and Final Demand in a high-class Turners Novices' HurdleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The Champion Hurdle looks wide-open at this point, with Constitution Hill still yet to prove conclusively he's back to his scintillating best and Brighterdaysahead being exposed as nothing more than a smart mare. State Man will probably be back, but like Constitution Hill he isn't getting any younger.

The New Lion has the ability, class, speed and fortitude to be the next Champion Hurdle winner, so get on now.
Graeme Rodway, deputy betting editor

Fact To File

Cheltenham Gold Cup
6-1 generally

That's two years running now that I've thought I've seen a wonder horse win at Cheltenham – and it was the same horse both times.

Fact To File was just different class in the Ryanair. I can't think of many winners ever who travelled, jumped and sprinted clear like he did with his ears pricked. The time was superb and he didn't come off the bridle.

Fact To File (Mark Walsh) jumps the last fence to win the Ryanair ChaseCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

That was a class above what I'd seen from him previously this season and if in the same form I'd back him to win any race he runs in next season. 

He certainly wouldn't be out of place in the Champion Chase, but I reckon he'll be given a shot at the Gold Cup – and on good ground he'd win it.
Tom Segal, Pricewise

Rocky's Diamond

Stayers' Hurdle
33-1 generally

Who knows what the next 12 months will bring for Rocky’s Diamond? This time last year he had run only once – tailed off in a 2m maiden hurdle at Gowran Park. Last Thursday, three days short of his March 16 foaling date in 2020, he was a gallant fourth in the Stayers’ Hurdle.

This time next year, he could be a high-class staying novice chaser. However, with youth on his side, there's a strong case for allowing him another season in the hurdling ranks.

Last October, he won a handicap hurdle at Gowran off a mark of 123. At Christmas, he finished third in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown. In January, he won the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle. His progress has been phenomenal. 

His ability to lie up with the pace until nearing the last flight in last week's championship race provided a foretaste of what he can achieve in years to come.
Alan Sweetman, Irish analyst

William Munny

Arkle Chase
16-1 Paddy Power or Betfair Sportsbook

I'm a big fan of Barry Connell's operation. He's not afraid to say how good he thinks a horse is, and in the case of Marine Nationale he has been spot on.

William Munny (right) finishes runner-up to Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme Novices' HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

He's often eulogised over William Munny too and, although there have been a few missteps along the way, the Supreme runner-up is now starting to fulfil his huge potential. He'll be eight next year but is only just beginning to learn what racing is about, making huge progress in the last few months.

He was the only horse to give Kopek Des Bordes a race in the Supreme and, at 16-1 for the Arkle, he has to be worth a few quid.
Nick Watts, Ante-Post Angles

Jango Baie

Gold Cup
50-1 generally

If there's a Gold Cup horse in Nicky Henderson's yard in the near future, it's surely Jango Baie.

Of course, the Ryanair Chase is an obvious target for such a strong-staying Arkle winner and I can see the merit in my colleague Maddy Playle's argument that he should be backed for that race. 

But it's also worth bearing in mind that, if Sir Gino hadn't got injured, this horse would have run in the Brown Advisory instead. I suspect he'd have won that weaker race impressively and then we'd be talking about a horse available at single figures for next year's Gold Cup.

Jango Baie: plenty of options open for the Arkle winnerCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

It wouldn't surprise me if Jango Baie was found out for speed over intermediate distances in the early part of next season before staying races come into the picture. If the Gold Cup route is explored, odds of 50-1 will look superb.
Robbie Wilders, The Ante-Postman

Derryhassen Paddy

Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
33-1 with bet365

My first thought after the Albert Bartlett was that Derryhassen Paddy is going to win some good races over fences next season.

He looked like he didn't have a clue what he was doing when turning for home in front, wandering about all over the place, and it's to his credit he kept battling up the run-in to finish third, having led for most of the race. That ground would have been much quicker than he 'd like too.

I was really impressed with how he fought for the win at Windsor the time before at a track that wouldn't play to the strengths of a big, long-striding horse, and he's very much built to be a chaser.

He's with a great trainer in Lucinda Russell and the 33-1 on offer for the Brown Advisory could look massive next March. The Grand National could potentially come into play too, be it next year or the one after.
Harry Wilson, tipster

Read these next:

Triumph Hurdle: 'This is just a crazy old place' - hurdling debutant Poniros causes huge 100-1 upset 

Arkle shock: Nico de Boinville had 'accepted defeat' before producing Jango Baie for last-gasp win in extraordinary four-way battle 

'He can just do things that other horses can't' - Dan Skelton left purring after The New Lion roars home 

'He'll probably be a Gold Cup horse next year' - Fact To File oozes class as he leaves Ryanair rivals floundering 

Champion Chase lives up to unpredictable reputation as Marine Nationale delivers poignant win 

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