Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey Betting Odds 2026

The 2026 Cheltenham Festival top jockey betting odds market is expected to get a lot of interest – as despite being favourite, many feel the top rider over the last four festivals – Paul Townend – will have some big challengers this time.

Including from leading fellow Irish jockeys Mark Walsh and Jack Kennedy, who each banged in four winners at the recent Dublin Racing Festival – compared to just one for Paul Townend.

Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey Betting Odds 2026: Paul Townend Heads Market

Paul Townend 10/11
Jack Kennedy 4/1
Mark Walsh 6/1
Harry Cobden 6/1
Nico De Boinville 10/1
Harry Skelton 12/1
Darragh O’Keeffe 25/1
Keith Donoghue 33/1
Danny Mullins 50/1
Sean Bowen 100/1
Sam Twiston-Davies 100/1
J J Slevin 100/1
Patrick Mullins 100/1

Note: The 2026 Cheltenham Festival top jockey betting odds are subject to change

Paul Townend Eyes Sixth Cheltenham Top Jockey Title

Since 2022, PAUL TOWNEND has dominated the biggest four days of jump racing – being top Cheltenham Festival jockey every season.

Rachael Blackmore upset the apple-cart in 2021, but with Townend also crowned top jock in 2020, this means he’s secured the title five times.

During his five top rider wins, Townend has fired in 20 winners, with his best tally six successes in 2024.

While in total, PT has ridden 38 Cheltenham Festival winners, that include four Gold Cups.

So, armed with an array of top Willie Mullins horses to pick from – he’s again the main to beat, according to the bookies.

With the layers making the Paul Townend Cheltenham Festival top jockey betting odds 10/11 favourite.

🎲PAUL TOWNEND CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL TOP JOCKEY ODDS: 10/11

What Are Paul Townend’s Best Cheltenham Festival Rides In 2026?

Over the four days, Paul Townend will once again have a stack of exciting horses to ride as he looks for his fifth straight top jockeys’ title.

If turning up, last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Kopek Des Bordes will be fancied by a lot to add Tuesday’s Arkle Novices’ Chase to this Festival CV.

While, despite flopping at the DRF, Final Demand will still be popular in the Browns Advisory Novices’ Chase on the Wednesday for Townend.

Bambino Fever and Lossiemouth could both dominate the mares hurdles races for PT too, but Lossie could, of course, still end up in the Champion Hurdle.

Which is a race Townend has won just once before (State Man, 2024).

Gaelic Warrior could end up in the Ryanair – especially if recent Irish Gold Cup winner Fact To File is supplemented for the Gold Cup.

Then on Friday, Townend could easily win the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle for a fourth time – as he’ll partner the impressive Doctor Steinberg.

While, finally, the Gold Cup is a race Townend has on his CV four times (Al Boum Photo and Galopin Des Champs x 2 each) and he’ll be looking to get the former back up to become the first horse since Kauto Star to regain the biggest festival race of them all.

WATCH: Paul Townend Riding Kopek Des Bordes to Victory in the 2025 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival

Paul Townend Cheltenham Festival Record

The Cork-born pilot has ridden 38 Cheltenham Festival winners (28 Grade 1s) to date, more than any other current jockey.

He saddled four more winners in 2025 to win another Cheltenham Festival top jockey title.

Paul Townend 2025 Cheltenham Festival Winners

Kopek Des Bordes: Won the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Day 1 (Tuesday).
Lossiemouth: Won the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle on Day 1 (Tuesday), retaining her crown for the second consecutive year.
Kargese: Won the William Hill County Handicap Hurdle on Day 4 (Friday), making Townend the winning-most jockey in the history of this race.
Jasmin De Vaux: Won the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle on Day 4 (Friday)

Below are listed each of Townend’s festival winners from his first on the Arthur Moore-trained What A Charm in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle back in 2011.

With his most recent success aboard Jasmin De Vaux in the 2025 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

EVERY Paul Townend Cheltenham Festival Winner

Gold Cup (4) – Al Boum Photo (2019, 2020), Galopin Des Champs (2023, 2024)
Champion Chase (2) – Energumene (2022, 2023)
Champion Hurdle (1) – State Man (2024)
Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase (3) – Duc des Genievres (2019), El Fabiolo (2023), Gaelic Warrior (2024)
Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (1) – Monkfish (2021)
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (2) – Kopek Des Bordes (2025), Appreciate It (2021)
Turners Novices’ Hurdle (3) – Sir Gerhard (2022), Impaire Et Passe (2023), Ballyburn (2024)
Champion Bumper (1) – Ferny Hollow (2020)
Mares’ Hurdle (3) – Glens Melody (2015), Lossiemouth (2024 & 2025)
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (3) – Penhill (2017), Monkfish (2020), Jasmin De Vaux (2025)
Stayers’ Hurdle (1) – Penhill (2018)
Triumph Hurdle (3) – Burning Victory (2020), Vauban (2022), Lossiemouth (2023)
Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase (1) – Irish Cavalier (2015) – Note: no longer on festival calendar, replaced by Mares’ Chase in 2021
Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (1) – What A Charm (2011)
County Handicap Hurdle (5) – Wicklow Brave (2015), Arctic Fire (2017), State Man (2022), Absurde (2024), Kargese (2025)
Mares’ Chase (1) – Colreevy (2021)
Ryanair Chase (2) – Min (2020), Allaho (2022)
Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (1) – Laurina (2018)

Jack Kennedy Will Have His Backers In The Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey Betting Odds Market

Jack Kennedy second favourite in the 2026 Cheltenham top jockey betting odds market

One of the main challengers to Paul Townend in the race to be the 2026 Cheltenham Festival top jockey is JACK KENNEDY.

Kennedy has not had an easy time over the years with injury, but he’s on a good run at the moment.

He fired in four DRF winners earlier this season and will have all the Gordon Elliott Cheltenham runners at his disposal.

Kennedy is yet to be top rider at the meeting but has ridden 11 total winners to date.

Including guiding home Minella Indo in the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Jack Kennedy Cheltenham Festival top jockey betting odds are 4/1 – as he can look forward to rides like El Cairos, Brighterdaysahead and Wodhooh.

🎲JACK KENNEDY CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL TOP JOCKEY ODDS: 4/1

JP McManus Rider Mark Walsh Looking To Go Out With A Bang

Can Mark Walsh end his time with JP McManus as top Cheltenham jockey?

The JP McManus main rider MARK WALSH was told that at the end of the season he’ll be replaced by Harry Cobden.

Therefore, Walsh will be wanting to show his still current (and soon to be ex) boss what he’s going to be missing out on.

Like, Jack Kennedy, Walsh had a terrific DRF with four winners and the famous green and gold silks look to have a number of big chances.

Walsh has also never been top rider at the meeting but has ridden 14 winners in total.

With his biggest success coming in the 2025 Gold Cup, when guiding home Inothewayurthinkin.

Walsh can look forward to rides like Narciso Has in Friday’s Triumph Hurdle.

Plus, recent Dublin Chase hero Majborough, who is favourite for the Champion Chase on Wednesday.

Not to mention Fact To File in either the Ryanair Chase that he won last year, or the Gold Cup (if supplemented).

The Mark Walsh Cheltenham Festival top jockey betting odds are 6/1.

🎲MARK WALSH CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL TOP JOCKEY ODDS: 6/1

New JP Rider Harry Cobden Might Have To Wait Another Year To Be Top Cheltenham Jockey

Harry Cobden retained jockey for JP McManus — Harry Cobden will be retained jockey for JP McManus next season

We can expect to see HARRY COBDEN on some of the second or third string JP McManus Cheltenham runners in March as the British rider gears up for taking over from Mark Walsh at the end of the season.

Cobden will also have the pick of the Paul Nicholls runners – like No Drama This End, who is well-fancied for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle on the Wednesday.

Over the years, Harry Cobden has ridden just six Festival winners, but in the coming seasons we can expect that number to rise sharply with the backing of the green and gold silks.

Despite this, the Harry Cobden Cheltenham Festival top jockey betting odds are still 8/1 – making him fourth in the market before the tapes go up.

🎲HARRY COBDEN CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL TOP JOCKEY ODDS: 8/1