Cheltenham Festival 2026, get rich, or die trying.

[Danny]

I'm simply overjoyed.

 

[trudij]

Joking aside, I do agree.

I see a Blog as different to other threads.

It's essentially the author's personal diary/place to muse with a facility for others to reply, while respecting they are posting as a guest on a blog.

I seldom reply to Blogs because, if hijacking a normal thread is rather poor form, hijacking a Blog is sheer rank pig ignorant behaviour in my book.

And, as hijacking is easily done, I tend to swerve the whole subject!

I feel bad that I posted on here earlier, but I came here through the title and being on the recent threads that appears first, didn’t even know it was a blog post until it got mentioned !!
If blogs are what you say ( which I totally understand !) then maybe they shouldn’t appear on the recent threads either like they banished chit chat!

 

[chaumi]

I feel bad that I posted on here earlier, but I came here through the title and being on the recent threads that appears first, didn’t even know it was a blog post until it got mentioned !!
If blogs are what you say ( which I totally understand !) then maybe they shouldn’t appear on the recent threads either like they banished chit chat!

I don't think you did anything 'wrong'.

Ian has a particular viewpoint born of his own values. Perfectly valid, perfectly reasonable. For Ian. Others may share the same view, perfectly reasonable. For them.

I doubt I'm misrepresenting by suggesting that most of us playing with blogs welcome any form of interaction on them...as long as it has some relevance to the subject of the thread.

Marb just took mild (very mild) offence at having Davy Russell's thoughts pasted in. And that's reasonable, too.

But I think Lucky just posted them here because this seemed (as it seemed to you, Trudij) to be a general Cheltenham discussion thread. And the title does support that view.

No 'harm' done anywhere, imho.

 

[Ian_Davies]

Ian has a particular viewpoint born of his own values. Perfectly valid, perfectly reasonable. For Ian. Others may share the same view, perfectly reasonable. For them.

THIS.^

I have my own views on things, I often robustly express them, but no one is obliged to share them.

 

[Alex]

Hi Marble, sorry for posting on your blog, I thought this was the Cheltenham Festival 2026 thread. Blogs, threads they are all odd words to me, I suppose they have got to be called something

 

[Beamed]

The two I’ve ear marked for the opening race is

Ballyfad and Heads up

Personally can see the favourite going off close to evens and they’ll be enhanced places.

So probably be worth more for the place than the win. So I’m confident these two will either place in the top 6 (which I expect bookies to offer)

 

[Marble]

I don't think you did anything 'wrong'.

Ian has a particular viewpoint born of his own values. Perfectly valid, perfectly reasonable. For Ian. Others may share the same view, perfectly reasonable. For them.

I doubt I'm misrepresenting by suggesting that most of us playing with blogs welcome any form of interaction on them...as long as it has some relevance to the subject of the thread.

Marb just took mild (very mild) offence at having Davy Russell's thoughts pasted in. And that's reasonable, too.

But I think Lucky just posted them here because this seemed (as it seemed to you, Trudij) to be a general Cheltenham discussion thread. And the title does support that view.

No 'harm' done anywhere, imho.

Nail on the head.

There's nothing to see here.

Lets all move on.

Ps. it takes a lot more than that to get me offended though. It was just a recommendation I was making.

I hope Luckyme is not offended, that's the main thing.

Please post again here anytime you want, Luckyme. You are more than welcome, I really do mean that.

 

[Euronymous]

I have a horsey question. This is from Willie's stable tour re Bambino Fever:

"She did surprise me last year. When this big lump came into me, I was looking at her over the door and thinking what’s that? She wasn’t named or anything at that stage, but a fine horse. I looked at her pedigree and thought that’s not so bad."


She's 6 and won a PtP in May 2024 - what does he mean she wasn't named yet.

 

[luckyme]

No problem Marble

 

[jinnyj]

I have a horsey question. This is from Willie's stable tour re Bambino Fever:

"She did surprise me last year. When this big lump came into me, I was looking at her over the door and thinking what’s that? She wasn’t named or anything at that stage, but a fine horse. I looked at her pedigree and thought that’s not so bad."


She's 6 and won a PtP in May 2024 - what does he mean she wasn't named yet.

I think looking at her form, she was purchased prior to her point to point debut which she won by 40l and she is still is in the same ownership as she was then.

 

[Marble]

The wait is over, no doubt plenty were dying waiting for the hitlist., never mind dying to beat the bookies!

On a serious note, these are just a few horses I fancy. Most if not all have multiple entries, so if you're barmy enough to follow me, either now, or nearer the time, obviously make sure you do so with Non Runner No Bet.

I will update again nearer the time, especially with regards to graded races, but at this time, I am most interested in the handicaps, so that's indicative of where my thoughts are.

Let's see how it goes.

Here is my first hit list.

1. Wendrock - I'm dying to know where this horse runs. He's entered in everything you'd expect, although I am thinking the Coral Cup might be the most interesting destination. He was a good staying on sixth in the four year old handicap at this meeting last year. He's an Irish mark of 129 which is half a stone lower that what he raced off last year, but that may go up a bit depending on what the U.K assessor does when the weights are released. But hey, he's been running poorly all season, so he may just race off 129, who knows yet? The main boxes he's ticking, is that he has sufficient festival form, and one could expect a much better performance in two weeks time, after a nice break off the track and likely better ground. The pulled him out of the 3 mile handicap hurdle at Naas yesterday, which I was pleased to see.

2. Downmexicoway -This one has all the usual entries, including the Arkle believe it or not, but I very much doubt he'll run there. We need to put a line through his last run in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown, a very big fat line through it too. Before that day he was going the right way in handicap chases, showed he handles different ground conditions, which sometimes I think can be a sign of a talented horse, and usually races tracking leaders, which I always think is a good attribute for a race like the Grand Annual. I've seen so many good hold-up horses, simply fail to get involved in this particular race. I've backed the winner of it once or twice, solely by looking at race positioning, so I'll be trying to do the same this year, if Downmexicoway takes his chance that is. If he ends up elsewhere, then I'll consider him for that race nearer the time. I think he's a very good handicapper with a career best waiting to happen, that's the main thing.

3. Herakles Westwood - I think someone made a really good case for this horse on the Ultima Chase thread on this forum a few days ago. I couldn't have said it any better truth be told. The horse is on a right old curve, has ran really well more than once at the track, and should handle whatever ground conditions he'll encounter. He's currently entered in the Kim Muir, which I think must be part of the reason that he's such an enticing price for The Ultima, where I see him going off considerably shorter on the day, if he lines up. Warren Greatrex has another good one with Herakles Westwood I reckon.

4. Hyland - That form behind The Jukebox Man looks so good now. I'm not sure what the whole story is with this horse since then, but the last day he returned to some excellent form behind Deep Cave who was on a proper good curve himself. Hyland's often not raced very fluently, so I wouldn't want to see him too far back, making the odd mistake, as he'll never get into the race doing that. They need to try and bounce him out on the pace, seeing if his jumping holds up from the front I reckon. I'd prefer him in the Kim Muir than the Ultima, but I'll wait and see where they run him. Another big pointer to a big run, is that forum members Euro and Outsider, along with one or two others seem to fancy the horse to run well. A Talking Horses coup may await!

5. The Passing Wife - He was as impressive as you like the last day, albeit in a mickey mouse race. He's got graded form too. Slim has assured me he'll run in the Martin Pipe, so hopefully that's the case. He's got the profile of a Cheltenham Festival handicap hurdle winner. I hope this materialises.

I hope the above may provide food for thought, if nothing else.

The Passing Wife has been supplemented for the Albert Bartlett.

 

[Jayhawk]

Chosen Comrade runs in the Listen Mares Novice at Punchestown tomorrow. They have just called an inspection due to the forecast rain (and wind) - it is not looking good. We were very hopeful before so, hopefully, it will be on or rescheduled this week. I will spend the evening looking at flight changes - an expensive proposition based on the last five minutes of research!

She's 50/1 for Thursday's mares' novices hurdle, and the forecast quicker ground will be a big plus.