The handicap race tips didn't go too well on day one of the Cheltenham 2026 festival, with a couple underperforming quite badly.
Glen To Glen didn't jump with fluency and gave himself no chance in the Juvenile Handicap. Based on the first day, all of Joseph O'Brien's horses were below par. Maybe that's an indicator for the rest of the week.
Knight Of Allen was fancied in the market, but also jumped really badly. I don't think he was helped by being buried away on the inside, not getting a clear cut of his fences.
McLaurey jumped very well and came into contention before jumping the downhill fence. He was carried very wide around the final bend, with a lot of other horses, and then his stamina cut out.
Iceberg Theory ran an okay race, but I was sort of expecting a little more. Maybe he didn't see the trip out, or maybe he just was beaten by better horses. He managed to grab a place.
Cheltenham 2026 Bet MGM Handicap Hurdle | 2.40 pm – Kateira 13/2 (1pt EW, 6pl)
The first handicap of day two looks like a really tough one to call. This used to be the Coral Cup for those wondering where that race has gone. Coral decided to cut the sponsorship, and Bet MGM have taken over the reins.
There are a few in this race I was tempted to back, but my dart ended up on Kateira. Dan Skelton won this race a couple of years ago on back-to-back occasions with Langer Dan (R.I.P), so it's a race he knows very well and one he knows what is required for the handicap.
It looks like Kateira has had this planned since the start of the season, when her handicap mark didn't change for beating Golden Ace, who had something amiss that day. Since then, Harry Skelton has not been in the saddle, and they've raced her over many different trips, and she's had Tristan Durrell and Nico De Boinville on instead. That's a huge indicator that they have tried to get her mark down, as Harry had previously ridden her on all but two of her runs prior.
Funnily enough, her handicap mark is now 141. That is the same handicap mark that Langer Dan won this race off in 2023 and 2024. That could be a big coincidence, or maybe it has been part of the plan to get her down to a similar mark which the yard has won this race with.
On her day, she is a very talented mare who went close in a Grade 1 at Aintree behind Irish Point a few years ago. That form, albeit a couple of years ago, did age well. Irish Point went on to finish second to State Man.
Cheltenham 2026 Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual | 4.40 pm – Be Aware 9/2 (1pt)
I am not proud of putting up a favourite in a handicap as competitive as this, and it's yet another Dan Skelton horse, but I think the race could be set up nicely for Be Aware to pounce late.
Dan has targeted this race over the years with Unexpected Party; he went close last year after winning the year before, and now Be Aware is the one to pick up the mantle.
I really hope they don't make the running on him, as I think he will be best when sat just behind the pace. He needs to settle, get into a lovely rhythm and then go after jumping the last. Harry gave Madara a beautiful ride on day one, and he can reproduce a similar tactical ride on Be Aware. I think he will be very close.
His handicap mark probably is on the high end, but he has shown a good level of form this year behind some useful horses. He should have won last time out, but he made a blunder late in the race, giving a chance to the eventual winner. There could be some well-handicapped horses lurking towards the bottom of the weights, but I couldn't find them.
GambleAware