The 2026 Cheltenham Festival top jockey betting odds market is starting to bubble — and it’s easy to see why. Yes, Paul Townend heads the betting once again, but after dominating the last four Festivals, plenty believe this could be the year he faces some serious pressure.
Two of the biggest threats come from fellow Irish heavyweights Mark Walsh and Jack Kennedy.
Both riders fired in four winners apiece at the recent Dublin Racing Festival — compared to just one for Townend — and that hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey Betting Odds 2026 🏇
- Paul Townend – 4/5
- Mark Walsh – 5/2
- Jack Kennedy – 6/1
- Harry Skelton 10/1
- Nico de Boinville – 14/1
- Harry Cobden – 20/1
- Darragh O’Keeffe – 33/1
- Keith Donoghue – 33/1
- Danny Mullins – 66/1
- Sean Bowen – 66/1
- Jonjo O’Neill Jnr 66/1
- Sam Twiston-Davies – 100/1
- J J Slevin – 100/1
- Patrick Mullins – 100/1
Note: 2026 Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey odds are subject to change.
Paul Townend Hunts a Sixth Cheltenham Top Jockey Crown
There’s no getting away from it — since 2022, Paul Townend has owned the biggest four days in jump racing.
He’s finished top jockey at the Cheltenham Festival in each of the last four seasons.
Rachael Blackmore famously broke the run in 2021, and Townend also topped the standings in 2020, meaning he’s lifted the leading rider title five times in total.
Across those five winning years he’s ridden 20 Festival winners, with his standout haul coming in 2024 when he struck six times.
Overall, Paul Townend has partnered 38 Cheltenham Festival winners — including four Gold Cups — a record that speaks for itself.
With a powerful team of Willie Mullins horses once again at his disposal, it’s little surprise the bookmakers make him the 4/5 favourite to extend his dominance.
🎲 PAUL TOWNEND TOP JOCKEY ODDS: 4/5
Listed – Every Paul Townend Cheltenham Festival Winner (20)
- 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)
WATCH: Paul Townend Guiding Home Galopin Des Champs To Win The 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Horses To Power Townend’s 2026 Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey Challenge
Townend won’t be short of ammunition – having ridden many of the recent Willie Mullins Cheltenham Festival winners.
If lining up, last season’s Supreme winner Kopek Des Bordes is expected to take high rank in Tuesday’s Arkle.
Final Demand, despite disappointing at the DRF, still looks set to be a major player in the Brown Advisory on Wednesday.
In the mares’ division, both Bambino Fever and Lossiemouth could spearhead his charge.
Although Lossiemouth may yet head for the Champion Hurdle, a race Townend has won just once before with State Man in 2024.
On Friday, Townend may well bid for a fourth Albert Bartlett aboard the exciting Doctor Steinberg.
And then there’s the Gold Cup itself — a race he’s already won four times, courtesy of Al Boum Photo and Galopin Des Champs (twice each).
He’ll be hoping to guide the former back to the top and make him the first horse since Kauto Star to regain jump racing’s ultimate prize.
Townend needs just one more win to be the winning-most rider in the history of the race.
Paul Townend’s Cheltenham Festival Record
The Cork-born rider has amassed 38 Festival winners to date, 28 of them at Grade 1 level — more than any other currently active jockey.
In 2025 alone he added four more victories to seal another top jockey crown:
- Kopek Des Bordes – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
- Lossiemouth – Mares’ Hurdle
- Kargese – County Handicap Hurdle
- Jasmin De Vaux – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Paul Townend’s first Festival winner came back in 2011 aboard What A Charm in the Fred Winter for trainer Arthur Moore.
While his most recent was Jasmin De Vaux in the 2025 Albert Bartlett.
Mark Walsh Keen to Bow Out in Style
For Mark Walsh, this Festival carries an extra edge.
He’s been told he’ll be replaced as retained rider for owner JP McManus at the end of the season — with Harry Cobden stepping in. You can be sure he’ll want to sign off with a statement.
Walsh also enjoyed four winners at the DRF and will once again sport the famous green and gold silks on some major contenders.
He’s ridden 14 Festival winners to date, his biggest coming in the 2025 Gold Cup aboard Inothewayurthinkin, which was shown live on the ITV Racing schedule.
Potential rides in 2026 include Majborough in the Champion Chase, and Fact To File in either the Ryanair or Gold Cup.
🎲 MARK WALSH TOP JOCKEY ODDS: 5/2
WATCH: Mark Walsh Winning The 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Inothewayurthinkin
Jack Kennedy Will Have His Supporters In The 2026 Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey Betting Odds Market
If anyone is primed to push Townend hard, it could be Jack Kennedy.
Injuries have interrupted his career more than once, but he’s in excellent form right now.
Four winners at the Dublin Racing Festival underline that. With the backing of Gordon Elliott, he’ll head to Cheltenham with a strong book of rides.
Kennedy has yet to finish as top jockey at the Festival, but he’s already ridden 11 winners — including the 2021 Gold Cup aboard Minella Indo.
Looking ahead to 2026, he could partner the likes of El Cairos, Brighterdaysahead and Wodhooh – who are all trained by his main backer Gordon Elliott.
🎲 JACK KENNEDY TOP JOCKEY ODDS: 6/1
WATCH: Jack Kennedy Winning The 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Minella Indo
Harry Cobden’s Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey Bid May Have To Wait
Harry Cobden will soon take over as JP McManus’s retained rider, but this Festival could feel like a transitional one.
He’s likely to pick up second or third strings from the McManus team this March, while also calling upon the powerful yard of Paul Nicholls.
One such mount could be No Drama This End in the Turners – who is one of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival favourites.
Cobden has six Festival winners to his name so far. With the green and gold support behind him in the years ahead, that tally should climb quickly.
For now, he sits sixth in the market at 20/1.
🎲 HARRY COBDEN TOP JOCKEY ODDS: 20/1
Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey – Last 10 Years
- 2025 – Paul Townend (4)
- 2024 – Paul Townend (6)
- 2023 – Paul Townend (5)
- 2022 – Paul Townend (5)
- 2021 – Rachael Blackmore (6)
- 2020 – Paul Townend (5)
- 2019 – Nico de Boinville (3)
- 2018 – Davy Russell (4)
- 2017 – Ruby Walsh (4)
- 2016 – Ruby Walsh (7)
When Is the 2026 Cheltenham Festival?
The 2026 Festival takes place from Tuesday 10th March to Friday 13th March:
- Tuesday 10th March – Champion Day
- Wednesday 11th March – Ladies’ Day
- Thursday 12th March – St Patrick’s Thursday
- Friday 13th March – Gold Cup Day
Four days. Twenty-eight races. And one jockey aiming to come out on top.
Who is your money on to be TOP JOCK?
