Josh Stacey's 2026 Cheltenham Festival tips: four best bets

Race: Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

My first selection is Keep Him Company in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper. He is as short at 9-1, but you can get bigger prices (he's a best-priced 16-1). 

I quite like Gordon Elliott's youngster. We last saw him win at Leopardstown over Christmas under Josh Williamson, and Royal Hillsborough was eight lengths behind that day. Keep Him Comapny was giving her 9lb, and she was unlucky not to win the Grade Two bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival next time out. 

Royal Hillsborough was also just over six lengths behind Oldschool Outlaw on her seasonal return, and that was off level weights. 

Gordon Elliott trained the 1-2-3 in the other DRF bumper, and said Keep Him Company is the best of those, so I think he's got a chance, and is a fair price.

Race: Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle.

I thought she was beaten by a race-fit Oldschool Outlaw on her return at Naas in December, and I think she will reverse that form at the Cheltenham Festival.

We know she likes Cheltenham, and that's important, plus she's versatile ground-wise.

Race: Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.

He's my pick for the Skelton team in the Pertemps Final at the 10-1 available ante-post, as the form of his run in the qualifier at Cheltenham in October is unbelievable! 

The winner, Ma Shantou, was five lengths ahead of Supremely West. He was rated 129 that day, and is now rated 154 plus has a chance in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle.

The runner-up, Electric Mason, was rated 128 there, but is now rated 139 after winning the Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle at Haydock in November.

Supremely West ran off 137 there, and is now rated 135. I think the Skelton team have a big day planned for him. He's very interesting. 

Race: Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase.

I'm still keeping the faith with Only By Night. We've not seen her since Leopardstown in December, which is my only slight worry.

She split Jango Baie and Majborough in last year's Arkle, and that is clearly good form, with L'Eau du Sud back in fourth.

Only By Night beat Champ Kiely on her return in the Barberstown Castle Chase over two miles on her return at Naas, and I'm not completely convinced she is just a two-miler. 

I think she's got the class in the Mares' Chase, and that might be good enough. There are proven stayers in there, but I think she's the one, in Mares' company, that is slightly untapped when it comes to her absolute best.

She was also hampered by Marine Nationale when fifth at Leopardstown in December, so I think you can draw a line through that effort.