With the Cheltenham Festival 2026 around the corner, it is a great time to highlight the top trainers and jockeys to potentially help you improve your profitability.
This year will be different from a trainer's perspective, as the likes of Paul Nicholls haven't got the same quality of horses as they once did.
However, your usual candidates will be making an appearance. If you're new to horse racing, this will be a perfect starting point for when the festival starts on Tuesday.
Cheltenham 2026 – Top trainers
Willie Mullins
It would be rude not to start with the greatest jumps trainer of all time, Willie Mullins. He obviously gets the best horses sent to him to train, but he has earned his stripes over decades of impressive work, and the man is a pure genius.
I don't think he arrives at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival with the battalion that he has done in the past, but he will be fighting for every championship race, and will likely pick up a couple of races with a second string at huge odds.
Willie is the most successful Cheltenham Festival trainer of all time, with 115 winners, which is miles clear of Nicky Henderson in second spot. He has been crowned the leading trainer at twelve festivals and has won the last seven.
Unfortunately for Willie, a couple of his stable stars aren't making it to this year's festival, but I'm sure many new ones will be created. Fact To File, Gaelic Warrior, and Kopek Des Bordes are a few to mention who are all in with a fantastic chance of winning their races.
Nicky Henderson
Nicky is getting on in age, but he continues to have fantastic horses sent his way, unlike Paul Nicholls.
As I mentioned above, Nicky is the leading UK-based trainer for the Cheltenham Festival with 75 winners. It's crazy to think how dominant Nicky still is with his big Grade 1 victories, considering his first ever winner at the Cheltenham Festival was back in 1985!
It will feel like sour grapes for him this year. The apple of his eye, Constitution Hill, has been retired as a jumps horse and will be focusing on a flat career from now on. Sir Gino, the best horse from Seven Barrows, is injured and might never return. However, he still has a few tricks up his sleeve. The likes of Lulamba and Old Park Star head to the festival in great form and with huge chances in the Supreme and Arkle.
He has won or shared the top trainer award nine times. If you're thinking about him being the leading trainer for the festival, it would be a shock, as he hasn't won it since 2012.
Dan Skelton
Dan Skelton has been training for quite a while now, nowhere near as long as the two I've mentioned before him, but over the last five years, he has been creeping into the top trainers in the UK.
Dan has been chasing the UK trainers title, and went very close last year, but Willie Mullins pulled it out of the fire with a good Cheltenham festival and a huge result in the Aintree Grand National. This year, Dan has got himself a lovely lead before this festival, and he'll be keen to get at least two or more winners on the board to cement his chances.
Handicaps have been Dan's main winners at the Cheltenham Festival, with the County Hurdle being a standout for him. Dan has won that race four times, so I'd recommend giving his horses a second look in that race. The horse which Harry Skelton will be riding will likely be short, as the bookies will be wary of Dan's record.
I think this year, Dan has a better chance of landing a couple of the bigger races. The New Lion isn't my cup of tea for the Champion Hurdle, but in a weak renewal, his horse goes to the race with a solid enough chance.
Ben Pauling
A trainer who might be a shock inclusion is Ben Pauling. Ben has had a fantastic strike rate since he moved to his new yard a few years ago, and because of his winners, he has started to get the occasional very smart horse.
At the time of writing, Ben has the Gold Cup favourite, the Harry Redknapp-owned The Jukebox Man. This horse has been a revelation since moving to fences, and he keeps improving for every run. Ben's horse will have to defy the recent trend of King George winners not winning the Gold Cup, but if he stays the longer trip, he has to be in with a shout.
Ben is a trainer who is always bullish about his horses when coming up to Cheltenham, but he has rarely got it right. I think this year could be a tad different for him, especially in the handicaps. There is every chance he could get a couple of his runners in the novice races to go close at big odds, like Mondoui' Boy in the Albert Bartlett, as this is a horse he seems to like.
Gordon Elliott
Gordon didn't have the best of festivals last year, but he did get his win in the final race (Martin Pipe) with Wodhooh, who has turned into a lovely mare.
There was a period of time when Gordon had a plethora of star horses. Samcro in his early days, Envoi Allen (before he moved stables) and many more. In more recent times, the strength of his stable isn't as good, but he still has a fair share of useful horses who could easily pop up.
He ended the last festival with a winner, and there's a strong chance of him starting this year's festival with a winner, as he has El Cairos in the Supreme. That horse is towards the head of the market, and if he can put in a clean round of jumping, he has to be in the frame. Another horse who has been all the talk is Romeo Coolio. This horse has gotten his wins in a workmanlike style this year, but I think he's been campaigned over a trip too short. It seems that Gordon has seen sense and has put him up in trip, and that gives him a solid chance.
Cheltenham 2026: Top jockeys
Paul Townend
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to think that Paul Townend is one of the jockeys, as he is the main man for the leading stable of jumps racing.
Paul has won the last four jockeys' titles at the Cheltenham Festival, and since he took over from Ruby Walsh, he has done a splendid job. It's a high-pressure job as he is constantly riding rocketships, and a lot of the time they are short prices. He is in the spotlight whenever one of the big horses loses, but he's as cold as ice and doesn't feel the pressure.
He had a productive festival last year, racking up four wins, taking his tally to 38. To put that into consideration, AP McCoy managed to get 31 festival winners.
Nico De Boinville
I am not a huge fan of Nico, but I think he is one of the better jockeys for the big day. If you want him to scrap home a winner at Fontwell on a Monday, he's not your guy, but if you want him to win you a Grade 1, he is up there with the best.
He will be gutted to not be riding Constitution Hill, but he can't be upset for too long, as Old Park Star has looked very special this season and could easily turn into another belting horse.
Like Paul Townend, Nico is attached to one of the best yards in the game, being the main jockey for Nicky Henderson. He will always find himself on plenty of chances throughout the week, and chances are that he might be on some decent each-way prices in the handicaps, which sometimes go unnoticed.
Mark Walsh
I think this could be a huge festival for Mark Walsh. Since the likes of A P McCoy and Barry Geraghty retired, Mark Walsh has been the Irish jockey for JP McManus. Unfortunately for Mark, his time will come to an end shortly after this festival, and Harry Cobden will be taking over the reins. Therefore, I think Mark will be extra keen to finish off the job in spectacular fashion and put himself in the shop window for other potential big jobs.
Mark is a very good jockey, but in previous years, I think he has fumbled it quite a bit. This year, he has got some solid chances, and he'll be buzzing to get back on Fact To File, who looks likely to run in the RyanAir.
JP horses are always big players in the handicaps throughout the week, and because of this, I think Mark Walsh is the best value bet for being the leading jockey. He'll find himself on some well-handicapped horses, and could take the title on the blindside.
Harry Skelton
Harry is a very marmite jockey based on social media. On his day, he is a fantastic jockey and can judge a race very well from the front or from the rear.
Being the brother to Dan Skelton, he will find himself on all of his best horses, and I think Dan has a fair shout of getting on the board a few times this year. He'll be excited to ride The New Lion in the Champion Hurdle and will have dreamt his ideal race for months on end.
As mentioned earlier, keep an eye on the jockey bookings in the County Hurdle, as this yard will have been cooking up something for months for that race, and Harry will likely be on the best chance.
Sean Bowen
Sean isn't the sexy type of jockey, and I get a similar vibe to when Dicky Johnson was in his pomp. He probably wouldn't be on the top five list for many people, but I think this lad is fantastic in the saddle.
He won't find himself on many great chances in the Grade 1 races, but in the handicaps is where he'll flourish. You'll never see him give up the ghost on any of his rides, and you'll always get your money's worth when backing him. He'll likely pick up some solid rides from outside of his usual trainer, Olly Murphy, and that gives him a solid chance of getting on the board for this year's Cheltenham Festival.
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