--- title: "Cheltenham Gold Cup Runners 2026: The Main Players For Friday Feature" canonical: "https://readhorseracing.com/2026/03/12/cheltenham-gold-cup-runners-2026/" type: "post" language: "en-GB" author: "Jake Wilkes" section: "Opinion" published: "2026-03-12T17:14:06Z" modified: "2026-03-12T20:04:34Z" --- # Cheltenham Gold Cup Runners 2026: The Main Players For Friday Feature **The 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup runners are starting to take shape, with a stellar cast of jumpers lining up for the Cheltenham Festival showcase race on Friday 13th March.** With that in mind, we look at the main players below and also list the latest Cheltenham Gold Cup betting odds. ## **Cheltenham Gold Cup Date 2026** 📅Date: Friday 13th March 2026\ ⌚Time: 4:00pm\ 🏇Racecourse: Cheltenham\ 🔄Trip: 3m 2 1/2f\ 💷Winning [Prize Money](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/03/06/2026-cheltenham-festival-gold-cup-prize-money/): £351,688\ 📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV ## **Cheltenham Gold Cup Runners 2026 – The Key Contenders** See below the main 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup runners that will be trying to win the biggest race at the Cheltenham Festival. With the race set to be shown live on the [ITV Racing schedule](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/03/02/where-to-watch-the-2026-cheltenham-festival-itv-racing-schedule/) on Friday 13th March. And in terms of [Cheltenham Festival prize money](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/02/27/cheltenham-festival-prize-money-2026/) is the most lucrative race at the meeting – with £351,688 on offer to the winner. #### **THE JUKEBOX MAN** **Trainer: Ben Pauling\ Age: 8\ Wins: 7 (4 fences)\ Prize Money: £340,686** The King George winner in a fantastic racing spectacle which saw him narrowly deny Gaelic Warrior, Banbridge and Jango Baie. He is incredibly straight-forward, likely to race prominently and his excellent jumping should see him produce a bold showing. His December victory was comfortably a career best effort and there is still an element of uncertainty as to how good he could be. He’ll have to prove he stays an extra two furlongs for this trip. But trainer Ben Pauling remains bullish it will bring out the best in him. [A SENSATIONAL HORSE RACE! The Jukebox Man wins the Ladbrokes King George VI at Kempton (embedded)](https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ykHTeZlkrBI?feature=oembed) #### **JANGO BAIE** **Trainer: Nicky Henderson\ Age: 7\ Wins: 5 (3 fences)\ Prize Money: £340,686** The current antepost favourite and the horse who shapes as though an extra two furlongs will suit him best. He is all stamina which makes it even more remarkable how he won an Arkle last year over two miles. Jango Baie is completely unexposed and showed he can jump at speed when winning the 1965 Chase at Ascot in impressive fashion. He’ll bid to give Nicky Henderson a third success in the race and his first since 2013 when Bob’s Worth won the feature contest. [JANGO BAIE lights up Ascot! | Ladbrokes 1965 Chase - Full Replay (embedded)](https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/4UZQEzpns_U?feature=oembed) #### **GAELIC WARRIOR** #### **Trainer: Willie Mullins Age: 8 Wins: 10 (6 fences) Prize Money: £748,799** Another of the big Willie Mullins Cheltenham Gold runners and often described as a bit of a marmite horse. A real warrior on this day but also no stranger to being a rogue. This season he was a short-head third in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day to The Jukebox Man. While before that was a gusty winner of the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown – seeing off Fact To File by a neck. He’ll head here after a second in the Irish Gold Cup and is a Cheltenham Festival winner, when landing the Arkle Novices’ Chase in 2024. [Race of the year? Gaelic Warrior wins epic John Durkan | Racing TV (embedded)](https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/RoaYnkF6l7g?feature=oembed) #### **HAITI COULEURS** **Trainer: Rebecca Curtis**\ **Age: 9**\ **Wins: 9 (6 fences)**\ **Prize Money: £478,343** The hardened handicapper moving stylishly through the grades, Haiti Couleurs will contest the lead and ensure a strongly run race. He is likeable and is certainly not shy of a battle having won the Irish and Welsh National just 8 months apart. Haiti Couleurs does not have the proven Grade 1 form as some of his rivals. But he handled Grade 2 company with ease at Newbury in the Denman Chase, beating a reliable horse in L’Homme Presse, albeit, that horse’s best days are probably behind him. [7/1 for the Gold Cup! 🏆 HAITI COULEURS dominates the William Hill Denman Chase! (embedded)](https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/e-HDszXizso?feature=oembed) #### **INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN** **Trainer: Gavin Cromwell**\ **Age: 8**\ **Wins: 5 (2 fences)**\ **Prize Money: £518,162** 2025 winner of the race, producing a scintillating display after being supplemented a few weeks prior. However, a dire campaign has followed. With a 53 length defeat in the John Durkan, a 41 length defeat in the Savills Chase and a tired fall in the Irish Gold Cup. The only positive is trainer Gavin Cromwell spoke positively over the last few days. Stating he is looking a bit more enthusiastic than in recent appearances. He’ll be one of the leading [JP McManus Cheltenham Festival runners](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/03/02/jp-mcmanus-cheltenham-festival-runners-2026/) in 2026. As the famous Irish owner looks to add to his haul of 84 winners at the meeting. [Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup | Cheltenham 2025 (embedded)](https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/qZBi3jCjDlA?feature=oembed) #### **GALOPIN DES CHAMPS** **Trainer: Willie Mullins**\ **Age: 10**\ **Wins: 15 (12 fences)**\ **Prize Money: £1,961,010** Two-time winner of the race and produced an admirable performance when second in last year’s contest. Very much the ‘poster boy’ of the staying division in recent years and at his best he would be incredibly tough to beat. Small concerns that at 10 years old he may be unable to produce a high 170 rated standard needed to win this. Having looked slightly laboured at Leopardstown on his latest start. Plus Galopin will be looking to become the first Gold Cup winner aged 10 since Cool Dawn in 1998. [Full Race: 2024 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup | ITV Racing (embedded)](https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/hjBIP9GeUUc?feature=oembed) #### **GREY DAWNING** **Trainer: Dan Skelton**\ **Age: 9**\ **Wins: 10 (5 fences)**\ **Prize Money: £510,103** A bit of a forgotten horse in the market and there can be optimism he will take a massive step-forward from his Cotswold Chase third. With a mistake two out finished his chances of winning. Trainer Dan Skelton will have him in top condition and is hoping he will go a couple places better than Protektorat who was third in the contest in 2022 for the same yard. [Grey Dawning is majestic in the Betfair Chase 👏 | Racing TV (embedded)](https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/0C-M3GfNtjE?feature=oembed) ## **Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting Odds** - Fact To File 4/1 (needs to be supplemented) - Jango Baie 11/2 - The Jukebox Man 11/2 - Gaelic Warrior 11/2 - Galopin Des Champs 7/1 - Haiti Couleurs 8/1 - Inothewayurthinkin - Grey Dawning 14/1 - 16/1 Bar *Note: 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup betting odds are subject to change*