Follow the latest news and results from the Cheltenham Festival, with the JCB Triumph Hurdle kicking off today’s racing.
4.00pm – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase
Winner – Gaelic Warrior
What a fantastic run from Gaelic Warrior as he wins the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase! He’s demolished the rest of the field and Gaelic Warrior and Paul Townend will be delighted. Gaelic Warrior was on the tail of Grey Dawning with three to go, drew up alongside Jukebox Man over the second last, and when he made a mistake, the Willie Mullins-trainee kicked for home. He flew over the last, and eventually won by several lengths.
Gold cup winning jockey, Townend has no words he tells ITV,
“It’s The Gold Cup. They just get better and better. I am speechless.
“I was lucky enough for this lad to be coming along. Patrick [Mullins] was convinced he was the horse for the race. Hard luck on him [in that race] but he did a lot of work with this horse. It’s a big team effort. I was just fortunate to be on the back of him today.
“I got the position I wanted. I didn’t ever envision going so far ahead, but I wasn’t going to slow him down third from the last.”
The Johnny's Jury crew are LOVING it 😊#ITVRacing | @jamiesnowden pic.twitter.com/65OTouVLuF
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 13, 2026
3.20pm – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Winner – Johnny’s Jury
Another outsider winner on day four, with Johnnys Jury having started at 20-1! Johnny’s Jury came thundering through the pack on the home straight to win the Albert Novices’ Hurdle. Gavin Sheehan will be chuffed with that.
Declan Kelly, a winning syndicate member with Johnny’s Jury spoke to ITV: “It’s amazing, we always knew he was good.
“He won in Exeter, there’s a hill. He went to Carlisle; he came up the hill. He’s come to Cheltenham and he came up the hill.
“We’ll have a serious celebration.”
"What more can I say, I'm just very happy" 😁
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 13, 2026
It's another Cheltenham Festival win for J P McManus 🟢🟡 pic.twitter.com/WOqkjrJMx4
2.40pm – Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase
Winner – Dinoblue
Dinoblue retains the Mares’ Chase in a note-perfect performance. Mark Walsh held his ride until a few fences from the end, and eased her into top gear. Dinoblue jumped wonderfully and never looked in real danger in what is a second victory today for Willie Mullins.
ITV asked Dinoblue jockey, Walsh, whether she’s at her best: “I think so. That’s proper good ground. She loves fast ground and that was ideal for her.
“She went early and I didn’t want to disappoint her so down to the third last I juts sat on her. She’s a fair mare now.
Charlie Poste, Welsh Grand National winning jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live at Cheltenham, said “Mark is the ultimate professional, and he got on with it.”
2.00pm – William Hill County Handicap Hurdle
Winner – Wilful
It’s a victory for the O’Neills again at 14-1! Ooh Betty was ahead approaching the final hurdle but they’ve gone too early, fading into the chasing pack and it is Wilful who powers its way through the runners to win the William Hill County Handicap Hurdle.
Wilful jockey, Jonjo O’Neill said to ITV: “I really fancied him. I can’t fault him all year. I’d have preferred it if we didn’t get the rain last night but it didn’t affect him too much.
“I was lucky enough to have two last year [wins]. It’s so hard to win here when you don’t have many here, so you have to make them count.
He continued, “It’s such a special place here, I’ve had a lot of support off my mum and dad and brother and to repay them with a win like this means everything.”
1:20pm – JCB Triumph Hurdle
Winner – Apolon De Charnie
Another outsider triumphs in Cheltenham! There were numerous horses in contention until the end of the race, but one of the nine Willie Mullins trainees has won the JCB Triumph Hurdle. Apolon De Charnie had never raced in the UK until now, and going off at 50-1, it’s another big win for the bookies.
“He was fantastic, look he’s not very big but he just caught my eye.
“I don’t usually watch the juveniles at home, but he just caught my eye.”
“I got a dream run.” Patrick Mullins tells ITV Racing.
Patricks dad, Willie Mullins commented on his sons win: “Go on my son, once he got to the front with that Cheltenham roar, he didn’t stop.”
