AND just like that, we have reached the final day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. After three days of thrills and spills, we have seven races to go before the countdown to the next Cheltenham Festival begins.
The Gold Cup, the feature race of the week, takes centre stage, and with the exclusion of two-time winner Galopin Des Champs and the poor form of the defending champion Inothewayurthinkin, it looks set that a new name will be etched into the famous trophy. But up first is the traditional curtain raiser on Gold Cup day, the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
Let’s take a close look at the seven thrilling matchups that make up Thursday’s card, bringing you our essential Cheltenham day 4 selections and best bets.
🏇 Best Cheltenham day 4 selections
- 1:20 Macho Man 8/1 (each way)
- 2:00 Karbau 5/1 (each way)
- 2:40 Dinoblue 13/8
- 3:20 Spinningayarn 12/1 (each way)
- 4:00 Gaelic Warrior 7/2
- 4:40 Panda Boy 7/1 (each way)
- 5:20 Roc Dino 8/1 (each way)
*Odds are subject to change
Cheltenham Festival 1:20 – Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle – 2m1f
Many of us had our fingers burnt in last year’s renewal of the Triumph Hurdle when Lulamba got pipped on the line by the 100/1 chance Poniros. This year, we lost the standout four-year-old, Narciso Has, due to a setback, leaving this year’s renewal wide open.
Even with the defection of Narciso Has, JP McManus still has the favourite in Proactif. He got the better of MACHO MAN that day, but there have been a few excuses to come out of Closutton as to why Macho Man couldn’t get the job done. And now with those few issues seemingly resolved, he may well prove to be the pick today.
His win on debut in France was eye-catching, and now with the issues sorted and more experience under his belt, there is every chance that he can prove the best of the nine Willie Mullins runners. Minella Study, who ran to a decent level on the flat, has taken to hurdles like a duck to water, and comes in here after a clear-cut course and distance win, making it three from three over hurdles.
He’s trained by Adam Nicol and looks sure to give his young trainer a day to remember. Don’t be put off by his connections; his form stacks up, and his course form is a big plus. Kia Lung and Minella Academy are two other Mullins runners who could have any amount of improvement to come.
- Selection: Macho Man 8/1 (each way)
- Danger: Minella Study 7/1
➡️ Bet on MACHO MAN for the Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle at 8/1 with bet365
Cheltenham Festival 2:00 – William Hill County Handicap Hurdle – 2m1f
Willie Mullins has won three of the last four renewals of the County Hurdle, and this year he may be about to make it four from five. Former winner Absurde has his chance, but is nine pounds higher than when placed in this last season. He will need to settle better, but he has every chance.
But the significant one here is KARBAU, because he is Paul Townend’s only handicap ride of the week. That alone fills you with confidence, and that’s before you delve into his form. He was well beaten in last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but showed the benefit of that run when placed in a Grade 1 at Aintree, and filled the same spot at the Punchestown Festival.
On his return this season in January, he failed to reel in Glen Kiln in a Naas Grade 3 on deep ground. That run should leave him spot on for today, and with Paul Townend’s record in this race, he is the one that they all have to beat. The quirky Brownsonfire, the Galway Hurdle hero Ndaawi, and Wilful all have good each-way chances.
- Selection: Karbau 5/1 (each way)
- Danger: Absurde 12/1
➡️ Bet on KARBAU for the William Hill County Handicap Hurdle at 5/1 with Betfred
Cheltenham Festival 2:40 – Grade 2 Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase – 2m4½f
Dan Skelton has transformed Panic Attack this season. The ten-year-old mare is in the form of her life after winning the Paddy Power at the November meeting, and then backed that up by winning the Coral Gold Cup, with her most recent win coming at Newbury. If she is in the same form, she has a clear chance, but the question is whether, at the age of ten, she is up to this level.
But this should really come down to Willie Mullins once again. Spindleberry, who was a perfect five from five over fences, which included a win over the boys in a Fairyhouse Grade 1 last season, blotted her copybook when taking her chance in the Irish Gold Cup. She was pulled up after a plethora of mistakes, but that wasn’t the first time that she left her mark in a few fences.
Her jumping will be under pressure here, and she will need to be back on her A-game if she is to live with the defending champion DINOBLUE. She was second in this back in 2024 when ridden to get the trip. But she put the demons to bed when winning with ease last season. She is in flying form coming here this season, and is hitting top gear just at the right time. She is uncomplicated, loves Cheltenham, and barring accidents, she should be able to record back-to-back Mares’ Chase wins.
- Selection: Dinoblue 13/8
- Danger: Panic Attack 9/2
➡️ Bet on DINOBLUE for the Grade 2 Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase at 13/8 with bet365
Cheltenham Festival 3:20 – Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – 3m
Every year, we come into the Albert Bartlett scratching our heads trying to solve this. Luckily, we have done so over the past two years, and we might just have unearthed the next winner. Doctor Steinberg was hugely impressive when winning the Nathaniel Lacy at the Dublin Racing Festival, but that was over 2m6f, and he will need to settle a lot better if he is to see out three miles on the new course. If he does, then he is the one to beat, but it is a big if.
With the uncertainty surrounding him, it can pay to look elsewhere, such as to SPINNINGAYARN. Having won his maiden by over seven lengths and then backed that up by making all in a novice hurdle over 2m3f, a race that has worked out well, Spinningayarn looks a horse who will thrive for the step up in distance.
It’s fair to say that Gordon Elliott is not having a week that he would have hoped for, but this talented hurdler looks set to unlock more improvement up in trip and finish the week on a high for Elliott and co. Ones at much bigger odds who could play a role are Fruit De Mer, the maiden Kings Bucks, and Moneygarrow.
- Selection: Spinningayarn 12/1 (each way)
- Danger: King’s Bucks 25/1
➡️ Bet on SPINNINGAYARN for the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at 12/1 with SBK
Cheltenham Festival 4:00 – Grade 1 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase – 3m2½f
The blue riband event, the flagship race of the Cheltenham Festival, sees eleven runners go to post in search of Cheltenham Festival glory. Inothewayurthinkin returns to defend his crown, but his three runs this season have been nothing short of horrendous, and it would take a leap of faith to support him this time around.
The King George VI Chase form is looking like it will come to the fore with three of the first four on the day lining up here. No more than a half-length separated them at Kempton, but today will be a totally different test from what they faced in December. The winner The Jukebox Man is no stranger to the Cheltenham Festival as he was the runner-up in the 2024 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
That was over a slog of three miles, and if he didn’t make a mistake at the last, or he was ridden with more restraint, he would have won on the day. However, since he has been sent chasing, he is four from four, and looks one sure to be suited by the step up in distance. The same can be said about last year’s Arkle Novices’ Chase winner Jango Baie. He was last seen staying on strongly at the finish behind The Jukebox Man at Kempton, and on that evidence, the Gold Cup distance looks sure to be right up his alley.
But the one who, for me, is the most talented and can be even better over this trip is another former Arkle winner, GAELIC WARRIOR. His last run, when chasing home Fact To File in the Irish Gold Cup at a course where he has never really shown his best, was encouraging in preparation for a crack at the Gold Cup. He has his quirks, but with Paul Townend reunited with him, he is the man who can harness all of Gaelic Warrior’s ability and deliver him with a late rattle to claim yet another Gold Cup victory.
Outside of the more obvious contenders, Envoi Allen, who looks set to have the final start of his career, can run well at massive odds. We haven’t seen him since his Grade 1 win at Down Royal in November, a race that has worked out well. His absence has been by design, and you can be sure that this classy chaser will go out on his shield today. Despite his age, he has to be respected.
- Selection: Gaelic Warrior 7/2
- Danger: The Jukebox Man 9/2
➡️ Bet on GAELIC WARRIOR for the Grade 1 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase at 7/2 with bet365
Cheltenham Festival 4:40 – Princess Royal Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase – 3m2½f
The Hunters’ Chase, or what many know as the amateurs’ Gold Cup, saw a maximum of twenty-four runners go to post in what will be a spectacle. Half the battle when solving the Hunters’ Chase is picking the right jockey. There’s a handful of the riders in here who are on a different level to the rest, and when you have a rider who possesses a bit of class, it usually bodes well for your selection.
Its On The Line has been well fancied for this in the past two seasons, but has failed to get the job done on both occasions, and had its colours lowered by the returning Wonderwall last season. The Sam Curling-trained ten-year-old warmed up for this with a win in a Dromahane point-to-point. The big difference this year is that you’re not getting 28/1, and he looks one to take on.
One who looks to have an outstanding chance is the former high-class handicapper PANDA BOY. This strapping front-running grey has been rejuvenated since switching his focus to hunter chases. He improved for his seasonal return when running his rivals ragged at Thurles, and backed that win up with a strong staying performance at Naas.
He’s new to this scene and can have his biggest day in the sun to date for the Gleeson family, who famously won the Champion Bumper with A Dream To Share before selling to JP, who kept Johnny Gleeson onboard for that win. Could this be the second win at the Cheltenham Festival for Johnny Gleeson? There’s every chance of that happening.
- Selection: Panda Boy 7/1 (each way)
- Danger: Its On The Line 11/2
➡️ Bet on PANDA BOY for the Princess Royal Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase at 7/1 with Betway
Cheltenham Festival 5:20 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle – 2m4½f
And just like that, we arrive at the final race of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. As tradition has it, the conditional jockeys bring the curtain down, and this race has a habit of unearthing future stars, never more so than when Galopin Des Champs took this in 2021. It’s unlikely that we will see anything of his calibre here, but there are a few lurking in the shadows.
Air Of Entitlement, the winner of last season’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, has only been seen twice this season, and was well fancied for the Neville Hotels Handicap at Leopardstown over Christmas but ran no sort of race. Henry’s horses were not running well at the time, and you can expect her to put in a much better performance.
Gordon Elliott has won the last two renewals of this race, and even though he doesn’t look to have a standout runner this year, they still have to be given respect. East India Express is a course and distance winner, and he put some poor performances behind him when beaten next at Windsor on New Year’s Day. His course form entitles him to respect, but he was well beaten in this last season off an eight-pound lower mark.
Willie Mullins runs five, and ROC DINO, who will be ridden by John Shinnick, looks the most unexposed of the five runners. Having arrived from France with three runs to his name, the Hollywoodbets-owned five-year-old made his debut when not given a hard time of it when well behind Mighty Park, and then filled the same position behind El Cairos at Thurles.
He gets in on handicap debut off 131, which is seven pounds higher than his Irish mark, but even so, the UK handicapper looks to have left him in lightly. Like many in this, he is unexposed, but given how he has been prepared for this race, he could be the handicap blot.
- Selection: Roc Dino 8/1 (each way)
- Danger: Air Of Entitlement 17/2
➡️ Bet on ROC DINO for the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at 8/1 with bet365
Frequently asked questions: Cheltenham day 4
1. What is the feature race on Cheltenham Day 4?
The undisputed feature race of the entire week, the Grade 1 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase, takes center stage on Friday at 4:00 PM. It is the blue riband event of jump racing and the race every owner, trainer, and jockey wants to win.
2. Who are the best Cheltenham Day 4 tips?
Our racing experts have picked out strong contenders across the entire Friday card. Standout tips include Gaelic Warrior (7/2) stepping up in trip for the Gold Cup and Dinoblue (13/8) looking to record back-to-back wins in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase.
3. What is the NAP of the day for Friday at Cheltenham?
Our strongest bet (NAP) to close out the festival is Gaelic Warrior (7/2) in the Gold Cup. With Paul Townend back in the saddle, he has the raw talent and class to deliver a late rattle and claim Cheltenham glory.
4. What time does the first race start on Day 4?
The final day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival—Gold Cup Day—kicks off at 1:20 PM with the traditional Friday curtain-raiser, the Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle.
5. How many races are there on Friday of the Cheltenham Festival?
There are seven races scheduled to wrap up the week. The action gets underway at 1:20 PM and officially concludes with the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at 5:20 PM.
About the author
Craig Mahood
Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – gamcare.org.uk
- GambleAware – GambleAware.org
Read our guide on responsible gambling practices.
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
