Cheltenham Ladies Day 2026: The Big Races and Favourites
Ladies Day at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival brings one of the most action-packed cards of the entire week, headlined by the Grade 1 BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase at 4:00pm — the blue-riband prize for two-mile chasers and a race worth close to £400,000 to the winner.
With the reigning champion Marine Nationale ruled out through injury, it’s Willie Mullins-trained Majborough who heads the market as odds-on favourite, looking to make amends after a disappointing run in last year’s Arkle.
Beyond the Champion Chase, there is top-level Grade 1 action in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle (1:20pm) and the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (2:00pm) — a race with a proud history of producing future Gold Cup contenders.
The day is rounded out by the fiercely competitive BetMGM Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (2:40pm), the unique Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (3:20pm), the Grand Annual Chase (4:40pm) and the coveted Weatherbys Champion Bumper (5:20pm).
We asked three of the world’s leading artificial intelligence models — Google’s Gemini, Elon Musk’s Grok and Anthropic’s Claude — to analyse the form and deliver their selections for each race. Here is what they came up with.
1:20pm Turners Novices’ Hurdle 2026 Tips — Who Will Win the Grade 1 Opener?
The Turners Novices’ Hurdle over 2m5f is the traditional curtain-raiser on Ladies Day and a race that has long been dominated by Irish-trained horses.
Willie Mullins holds the all-time record as trainer with six wins, and Ireland has provided the winner in almost every renewal since 2017.
Gemini’s Tip – King Rasko Grey @ 8/1
Gemini points to Paul Townend’s booking as a significant confidence signal from the Mullins camp. With Townend choosing this ride over other Mullins entries in the race, Gemini calculates that connections regard King Rasko Grey as their most likely winner. A strong traveller who stays the 2m5f trip well, his form in Ireland suggests he is ready to peak at the Festival.
Grok’s Tip – Sortudo @ 14/1
Grok favours Sortudo on the basis of his Grade 1 novice hurdle form in Ireland, where he has placed at the highest level. Grok notes that the Mullins yard regularly wins this race and that Sortudo’s powerful staying style suits the undulations of Cheltenham’s Old Course. At 14/1, Grok sees genuine each-way value given his profile.
Claude’s Tip Ballyfad @ 11/1
Claude is drawn to Ballyfad for Gordon Elliott, a horse with a proven liking for big-field festival-style races. While the slightly softer ground may not be ideal, Claude highlights his consistent form at Grade 1 level and his ability to dominate from the front — a tactical edge that can be decisive on a day when pace judgement matters most.
2:00pm Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase 2026 Tips — Backing the Future Gold Cup Stars
The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase over 3m1f is arguably the most important race on Ladies Day from a long-term perspective. Seven previous winners have gone on to claim the Cheltenham Gold Cup, making it the clearest pointer for future staying chase greatness.
Lecky Watson’s victory here in 2025 underlined how the Willie Mullins academy can produce big-race novices, and the Closutton yard is expected to hold a strong hand again.
Gemini’s Tip – Final Demand @ 9/2
Gemini trusts the data: Paul Townend’s ride on Final Demand for Willie Mullins is the clearest signal of quality in the race. Gemini notes Townend’s remarkable record at Cheltenham and argues that any horse carrying his saddle in a Grade 1 novice chase for the champion trainer deserves maximum respect. Final Demand’s jumping technique and stamina profile fit the 3m1f test.
Grok’s Tip – Wendingo @ 7/1 E/W
Grok’s tip for the race is Wendigo. Several experts and tipsters (including mentions from Metro, OLBG community picks, and iNews) fancy this one as a solid contender – potentially best bet material for some – due to strong form, jumping ability, and suitability to the test. It’s seen as a good each-way play in a wide-open field.
Claude’s Tip – Predators Gold @ 33/1
Claude acknowledges Predators Gold is a longer shot at 33/1 but highlights some compelling clues in his profile. Trained by Willie Mullins and returning from a significant lay-off, he won on his comeback at Navan before running creditably in Grade company. His tendency to travel strongly and jump the last in front gives him a finish that could find the front rank in a truly-run renewal.
2:40pm BetMGM Coral Cup Hurdle 2026 Tips — Backing a Big-Field Handicap Hurdle
Formerly the Coral Cup, the BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle over 2m5f is one of the most notoriously difficult races to predict at the Festival — and one of the most fun.
The average winning price over the past 25 years is around 18/1, with the favourite landing the prize less than 8% of the time.
Gemini’s Tip – Kopeck De Mee @ 7/1
Gemini focuses on Kopeck De Mee as the most reliable profile for a race that rewards horses with a mix of class and handicapping leniency. His Grade 1 entries and festival experience from Ireland make him a compact each-way option. Gemini’s pattern-matching algorithm notes that horses with a recent placed effort at Grade level over the right trip tend to outperform in this race.
Grok’s Tip – An Irish handicapper (e/w)
Grok recommends taking a saver on an each-way basis with a lightly-raced Irish-trained improver at double-figure odds. Given the historical stats of this race overwhelmingly favouring bigger-priced runners, Grok’s value-seeking algorithm flags that backing the favourite here is historically one of the worst bets at the entire Festival.
Claude’s Tip – Kopeck De Mee @ 7/1
Claude joins Gemini in siding with Kopeck De Mee, noting that his smooth jumping style and ability to handle a testing surface make him well suited to the conditions. While this race has a long history of upsets, Claude argues that having class horses at decent odds is often the pragmatic approach — and 7/1 or bigger represents a playable each-way price.
3:20pm Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase 2026 Tips — Cheltenham’s Most Unique Race
The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is unlike anything else in the racing calendar. Run over the figure-of-eight cross country course in the centre of Cheltenham, it involves 31 obstacles including banks, ditches and unique fences that bear no resemblance to standard chasing.
Specialists dominate and previous course winners have a tremendous advantage. The 2025 winner Stumptown (Gavin Cromwell) is a potential contender, while Tiger Roll’s legacy reminds us this race has produced the occasional Grand National legend.
Gemini’s Tip – Stumptown @ 3/1
Gemini backs the defending champion Stumptown. Cross country racing at Cheltenham heavily rewards course familiarity and horses with the specific athletic profile to navigate banks and ditches at speed. Stumptown ticked every box in 2025 and, assuming he arrives in good health, Gemini rates the chance of a repeat as genuinely high.
Grok’s Tip – Stumptown @ 3/1
Grok agrees with the defending champion call, noting that the cross country course has a stronger record for course-and-distance winners than almost any other race at the Festival. History backs the selection: specialists with prior Cheltenham cross country experience beat novices to the race more than 70% of the time. Stumptown is the standout profile.
Claude’s Tip Stumptown @ 3/1
Claude makes it unanimous. The cross country course is simply too specialist to advocate anything other than the horse who navigated it best 12 months ago. Stumptown demonstrated jumping prowess, agility and racecraft that are difficult to replicate. Unless there is a significant fitness or form concern before the off, the defending champion is the logical selection.
4:00pm Queen Mother Champion Chase 2026 Tips — The Big One on Ladies Day
The race everyone will be watching. The BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase is the championship for two-mile chasers and, with reigning champion Marine Nationale ruled out with a sore neck, the door is wide open for a new hero.
Willie Mullins’ Majborough (5/6 favourite) carries the weight of expectation after underperforming as a 1/2 shot in last year’s Arkle — he has emphatically made up for that since, and connections believe Cheltenham’s Old Course over two miles brings out the best in him. The winner takes home close to £250,000.
Gemini’s Tip – Majborough @ 10/11
Gemini backs the favourite with conviction. Majborough’s profile is that of a horse who has improved steadily with experience, and his connections’ decision to side-step the Arkle this season and instead target the Champion Chase directly speaks volumes. He handles cut in the ground well, and with Cheltenham’s Old Course suiting his front-running style, Gemini makes him a confident selection.
Grok’s Tip – Il Etait Temps @ 7/2
Grok is willing to take on the favourite. Il Etait Temps produced one of the performances of the season when beating Jonbon in the Tingle Creek Chase, and Grok’s algorithm places significant weight on that form. The Ascot fall doesn’t erase the Tingle Creek — and with Paul Townend steering, this horse has the best jockey in the sport in his corner. Grok says: market undervaluing.
Claude’s Tip – Majborough @ 10/11
Claude is with the market on Majborough. The 5/6 price is short but reflects a horse who ticks the right boxes: top trainer, top yard, genuine improvement arc, and a Cheltenham track that suits his attributes. The question mark over Il Etait Temps’ jumping reliability after the Ascot fall is enough to side with the more straightforward favourite. Majborough to deliver for Mullins and Robcour.
4:40pm Grand Annual Chase 2026 Tips — The Festival’s Oldest Race
First run in 1834, the Grand Annual Handicap Chase is the oldest race at the Cheltenham Festival and a notoriously tricky two-mile handicap on the Old Course.
It attracts a big field, is run at a fierce pace, and has a long record of producing thrilling finishes. Course experience is crucial here — four of the recent ten winners had previously won at Cheltenham. The 2025 winner was Jazzy Matty, trained by Cian Collins.
Gemini’s Tip – An each-way outsider
Gemini acknowledges the extreme difficulty of this race and recommends an each-way strategy at double-figure odds. It points to horses that have run at Cheltenham previously, preferably with a placed effort on the Old Course, as the most logical filter in a wide-open handicap.
Grok’s Tip – A course winner
Grok’s data shows that horses with at least one prior win at Cheltenham have a statistically significant edge in this race. It urges backers to identify the runner with the best Cheltenham course record at a double-figure price and take an each-way shot rather than backing short-priced horses in a handicap of this size.
Claude’s Tip – An Irish-trained improver
Claude focuses on the pace angle — the Grand Annual has a blistering early tempo that often suits horses ridden off the pace with a strong staying finish. Claude recommends an Irish-trained runner with a powerful late kick and no bad habits at the fence, taken each-way in what is a genuinely unpredictable heat.
5:20pm Weatherbys Champion Bumper 2026 Tips — The Future Stars’ Showcase
The Weatherbys Champion Bumper closes Ladies Day with a Grade 1 NH flat race that serves as a breeding ground for future stars. No fences, no hurdles — just raw speed, stamina and potential.
Bambino Fever won the 2025 renewal for Willie Mullins, and the Closutton handler will again be strongly represented. Quiryn (Willie Mullins, Paul Townend) is among the leading entries, alongside other highly regarded youngsters from both Britain and Ireland.
Gemini’s Tip – Quiryn @ 13/2
Gemini flags Paul Townend’s booking on Quiryn as the clearest pointer to Mullins’ strongest Bumper hope. Townend doesn’t take bad rides in Grade 1s, and with Mullins having dominated this race for years, Gemini recommends siding with the horse bearing the champion jockey’s saddle cloth.
Grok’s Tip – Quiryn @ 13/2
Grok agrees on Quiryn, pointing to the dominance of Willie Mullins in the Champion Bumper and the tendency for this race to reward horses with an athletic, powerful galloping style. Grok adds that backing the Mullins banker in the Bumper is one of the statistically strongest plays at the Festival.
Claude’s tip – A British challenger (e/w)
Claude respects the Mullins stranglehold but points to the value in an each-way British challenger at bigger odds. The Bumper occasionally throws up a surprise — 2025’s result aside — and a British-trained horse with strong bumper form could represent outstanding value at 10/1 or bigger in a race where the market often over-weights the Irish dominance.
Cheltenham Ladies Day 2026 AI Tips Summary
Across all seven races on Ladies Day 2026, here is a quick-fire summary of where each AI model has landed its biggest selections:
Gemini’s Nap: Majborough (Queen Mother Champion Chase)
Grok’s Nap: Il Etait Temps (Queen Mother Champion Chase)
Claude’s Nap: Majborough (Queen Mother Champion Chase)
Two of the three AI models side with the odds-on favourite Majborough as their headline selection of the day, while Grok takes the contrarian view and backs stablemate Il Etait Temps as the value call. On the novice side, there is a split between Gemini’s preference for King Rasko Grey and Claude’s interest in Ballyfad in the Turners, while all three models are in rare agreement on Stumptown to defend his Cross Country crown.
