It is now less that one month until the greatest week of the racing calendar is upon us, the Cheltenham Festival.
Four days where horses, jockeys and trainers have the opportunity to create their own pieces of history.
So far, the National Hunt season has thrown up a number of surprise results which means virtually all Grade Ones at the meeting have a wide-open market.
Here are five British-trained horses that have strong chances of success across the week.
Old Park Star- The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
The opening race of the meeting and the first Grade One which kickstarts the week’s action.
This year is set to be a hotly contested renewal of the Supreme with several horses having put their name in the hat with eye-catching performances.
The horse that heads the ante-post market at the moment is the Nicky Henderson-trained Old Park Star.
The five-year-old has had an impressive campaign to date and is currently undefeated in his three runs over hurdles.
He performed well on debut at Kempton before a strong round of jumping at the December Meeting at Cheltenham saw him win in emphatic fashion.
Old Park Star then secured the Supreme Trial Grade Two at Haydock back in January, once again blowing the field apart to win by 18 lengths.
A horse who is seemingly improving with every run, it will take a talented novice to prevent him from taking the opening race of the week.
Lulamba- The Arkle
The second race of the meeting is the Arkle and Lulamba has a superb chance to secure a potential quick-fire double for trainer Nicky Henderson.
Like his stablemate Old Park Star, Lulamba is the current market leader for his race, having also put on three impressive rounds of jumping so far this season.
He won comfortably on his chase debut at Exeter in November before securing his first Grade One at Sandown, winning the Henry VIII’s Novices’ Chase by a commanding nine and a half lengths.
The five-year-old put in his most impressive performance to date at the start of February, moving into open company to take the Game Spirit at Newbury.
What a shot of Lulamba at @NewburyRacing! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/g8hnDP33uK
— William Hill Racing (@WillHillRacing) February 8, 2026
Despite a couple jumping errors that day, when asked by jockey Nico De Boinville, he picked up extremely well to leave several seasoned chasers in his wake.
A horse with a serious engine, Lulamba will need to fend off the Irish contenders to maintain his unbeaten record.
No Drama This End- Turners Novices’ Hurdle
Another British market leader in a Novice race is the Paul Nicholls trained No Drama This End.
The five-year-old has kicked on this season over hurdles and is also yet to taste defeat over the smaller obstacles.
He made his hurdling debut at Cheltenham in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Grade Two Hurdle and after one nudge from jockey Harry Cobden, the horse kicked clear of the rest of the field.
The horse then went to Sandown at the start of December and despite a penalty, still cruised to victory to land his second grade two of the campaign.
Over the Christmas period, he then went on to put in his most impressive performance to date, landing the Grade One Challow at Newbury, a race which last year’s Turners winner The New Lion landed before going onto win at the Festival.
He sets the standard for the two-mile five-furlong race and has proven that he thrives running up the famous Cheltenham hill.
Wendigo- Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase
A horse which is slightly further down in his respective ante-post market, however Wendigo has a strong chance in an open Brown Advisory.
Final Demand was the short-priced favourite prior to his run at the Dublin Racing Festival but after a lacklustre performance, several horses will now fancy their chances at Cheltenham.
Wendigo has had a solid campaign to date, taking to the track on four occasions and has been a consistent performer.
On his chase debut he finished a narrow second to Wade Out, with the pair being clear of the rest of the field.
He then landed a Grade Two at Newbury, staying on strongly to see off the Ben Pauling trained No Questions Asked.
The six-year-old then didn’t disgrace himself in the Kauto Star Grade One at Kempton on Boxing Day, once again showing his stamina after the last to run on into a close third.
The Jamie Snowden trained horse won on his last start at Ayr, with Gavin Sheehan cruising round the Scottish track with victory never in doubt.
The horse will appreciate some juice in the ground and a slower pace in the race to allow him to settle. He is definitely not without a chance.
The Jukebox Man- The Gold Cup
Despite another British-trained horse currently leading the Gold Cup market (Jango Baie), The Jukebox Man is another horse that has a superb chance of winning the most coveted prize in horse racing.
The Ben-Pauling trained horse has been a constant improver this season and has already landed one of the most famous races in the jumps season.
The seven-year-old was first past the post in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day, in what was one of the most dramatic race finishes in recent years.
Fantastic footage for a fantastic race 👏
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 27, 2025
Take the ride aboard The Jukebox Man in the King George thanks to @JockeyCam and @Ladbrokes pic.twitter.com/YBVNiCQnm7
The Jukebox Man fended off the challenge of several rivals on that afternoon and when it looked like he was going to be defeated, he rallied after the last to overcome the threats of Banbridge, Gaelic Warrior and Jango Baie.
He unfortunately missed the Festival last year due to picking up an injury at the end of last January and his only run at Prestpury Park came in the Albert Bartlett the year prior, finishing a narrow second to Stellar Story when he seemed to have the race at his mercy.
Pundits question whether the horse will appreciate the hill but the Harry Redknapp owned horse should have enough tactical speed and class to hopefully have every chance when jumping the last in March.
