Over the 2025 Festival we saw NINE winning Cheltenham favourites – which works out at a 33% strike-rate if you’d simply backed every market leader across the week.
In general, favourites hold their own in most Cheltenham Festival races.
But as we head towards the 2025 meeting, there are TWO contests in particular where following the jolly has been a painful exercise over the last decade or so.
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – No Winning Favourite Since 2013
First up, is the Albert Bartlett – the fourth race on the final day (Friday) each year.
This three-mile slog has become something of a graveyard for favourites. Incredibly, there hasn’t been a winning market leader in the race since 2013.
That means the contest often dubbed the ‘Potato Race’ is now on an twelve-year run without a Cheltenham favourite delivering for backers.
The last jolly to oblige was the JP McManus-owned At Fishers Cross in 2013, who scored at 11/8 as the market leader.
Since then, big prices have dominated.
With the average winning SP over that period stands at a hefty 19/1.
And it’s not as though the race hasn’t thrown up serious talent. Minella Indo won it in 2019 at 50/1 before going on to land the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2021.
The so-called favourites curse struck again in 2025 when the market leader The Big Westerner was runner-up at 9/2.
With the Willie Mullins-trained Jasmin De Vaux winning as the joint-third favourite in the betting for the ITV Racing contest.
The current 2026 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle favourite is Doctor Steinburg.
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Winners Since 2013
- 2025 – Jasmin De Vaux (6/1)
- 2024 – Stellar Story (33/1)
- 2023 – Stay Away Fay (18/1)
- 2022 – The Nice Guy (18/1)
- 2021 – Vanillier (14/1)
- 2020 – Monkfish (5/1)
- 2019 – Minella Indo (50/1)
- 2018 – Kilbricken Storm (33/1)
- 2017 – Penhill (16/1)
- 2016 – Unowwhatimeanharry (11/1)
- 2015 – Martello Tower (14/1)
- 2014 – Very Wood (33/1)
- 2013 – At Fishers Cross (11/8 fav)
WATCH: Jasmin De Vaux winning the 2025 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle – Last Winning Favourite in 2011
Next is the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
This one currently holds the unwanted record for the longest run without a winning Cheltenham favourite.
And, like the Albert Bartlett, it’s staged on the Friday.
You must go all the way back to 2011, when Sir Des Champs, trained by Willie Mullins, won as the 9/2 market leader.
He went on to add the Jewson Novices’ Chase to his Festival haul a year later and later finished second to Bobs Worth in the 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
But since Sir Des Champs not a single winning jolly in the race named after the legendary trainer.
Even dual Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs won the Martin Pipe in 2021 – yet he was sent off at 8/1, can you believe.
The favourite that year, Gentleman De Mee (4/1), trailed home in 10th.
Last year that poor Cheltenham favourites run stretched to 14 years when the well-backed Kopek De Mee (5/2 fav) was only 20th.
With Wodhooh winning at 9/2 and giving trainer Gordon Elliott is sole win at the 2025 Festival in the very last race.
Across those 14 years without a successful favourite, the average winning SP sits at 11.6/1.
The current 2026 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle favourites are Roc Dino and A Pai De Nom.
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Winners Since 2011
- 2025 – Wodhooh (9/2)
- 2024 – Better Days Ahead (5/1)
- 2023 – Iroko (6/1)
- 2022 – Banbridge (12/1)
- 2021 – Galopin Des Champs (8/1)
- 2020 – Indefatigable (25/1)
- 2019 – Early Doors (5/1)
- 2018 – Blow By Blow (11/1)
- 2017 – Champagne Classic (12/1)
- 2016 – Ibis du Rheu (14/1)
- 2015 – Killutagh Vic (7/1)
- 2014 – Don Poli (12/1)
- 2013 – Salubrious (16/1)
- 2012 – Attaglance (20/1)
- 2011 – Sir Des Champs (9/2 fav)
WATCH: Wodhooh winning the 2025 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
When Is The Cheltenham Festival 2026?
The 2026 Cheltenham Festival will run across four days, from Tuesday 10th March to Friday 13th March.
🏇 Tuesday 10th March 2026: Day 1 – Champion Day
🏇 Wednesday 11th March 2026: Day 2 – Ladies’ Day
🏇 Thursday 12th March 2026: Day 3 – St Patrick’s Thursday
🏇 Friday 13th March 2026: Day 4 – Gold Cup Day
Cheltenham Festival Favourites Record By Race (Last 12 Years)
Below you’ll find the full race-by-race Cheltenham Festival favourites record from the last 12 years.
As outlined above, the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle remain the two toughest races for favourite backers right now.
It’s also worth noting that the Fred Winter has only seen one winning jolly in the last 12 runnings.
Plus the Kim Muir has seen just two winning market leaders in the last 12.
Tuesday 10th March 2026
- 1:20 – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – (5 of the last 12, 42%)
- 2:00 – Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase (8 of the last 12, 67%)
- 2:40 – McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (1 of the last 12, 8%)
- 3:20 – Ultima Handicap Chase (3 of the last 12, 25%)
- 4:00 – Champion Hurdle (8 of the last 12, 67%)
- 4:40 – Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase (4 of the last 12, 33%)
- 5:20 – National Hunt Chase (2 of the last 12, 17%)
Wednesday 11th March 2026
- 1:20 – Turners Novices’ Hurdle (6 of the last 12, 50%)
- 2:00 – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (6 of the last 12, 50%)
- 2:40 – BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle (1 of the last 12, 8%)
- 3:20 – Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (4 of the last 12, 33%)
- 4:00 – Queen Mother Champion Chase (4 of the last 12, 33%)
- 4:40 – Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase (1 of the last 12, 8%)
- 5:20 – Weatherbys Champion Bumper (3 of the last 12, 25%)
Thursday 12th March 2026
- 1:20 – Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (3 of the last 10, 30%)
- 2:00 – Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase N/A (0-1)
- 2:40 – Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (5 of the last 12, 42%)
- 3:20 – Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (3 of the last 12, 25%)
- 4:00 – Ryanair Chase (7 of the last 12, 58%)
- 4:40 – Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (2 of the last 12, 17%)
- 5:20 – Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (2 of the last 12, 17%)
Friday 13th March 2026
- 1:20 – JCB Triumph Hurdle (5 of the last 12, 42%)
- 2:00 – County Hurdle Handicap (3 of the last 12, 25%)
- 2:40 – Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (1 of the last 5, 20%)
- 3:20 – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (0 of the last 12, 0%)
- 4:00 – Cheltenham Gold Cup (5 of the last 12, 42%)
- 4:40 – St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase (3 of the last 12, 25%)
- 5:20 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (0 of the last 12, 0%)
