The 2026 Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle looks a tight, tactical opener to the Cheltenham Festival, with a clear front three in the betting but several live outsiders offering each-way value.
So, let’s run through the runners, the current odds picture, and a few practical tips for racing fans looking at the 1:20 on Tuesday, the opening day of this year’s festival.
A field of 12 lines up over 2m½f on the Old Course, trimmed down from 20 at the confirmation stage after Ballyfad, King Rasko Grey, Sober, Sortudo, Saint Baco, Blake, and Free Spirit were all taken out at the final declarations.
The final field feels well balanced: three at the top of the market with Grade 1 potential, a middle tier of solid winners who need a step forward, and a few bigger-priced types who could easily sneak into the frame.
Old Park Star, trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Nico de Boinville, brings a course-and-distance win, underlining why he heads the market.
Willie Mullins relies on a strong three-pronged attack in Mighty Park, Leader d’Allier, and Too Bossy For Us, while Joseph O’Brien’s Talk The Talk completes a powerful Irish challenge.
Supporting players such as Sober Glory, Mydaddypaddy, and El Cairos add depth and should ensure a proper pace and a truly run race.
2026 Supreme Novices Hurdle Runners and Odds
Here is an overview of the main runners and where they sit in the betting.
*Odds from Betfred correct at time of publication.
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Park Star | N de Boinville | N J Henderson | 9/4 |
| Talk The Talk | J J Slevin | J P O’Brien | 4/1 |
| Mighty Park | Mark Walsh | W P Mullins | 5/1 |
| El Cairos | Jack Kennedy | G Elliott | 15/2 |
| Mydaddypaddy | Harry Skelton | D Skelton | 15/2 |
| Sober Glory | Ben Jones | P Hobbs & J White | 11/1 |
| Leader D’allier | Paul Townend | W P Mullins | 12/1 |
| Baron Noir | Thomas Bellamy | A King | 33/1 |
| Eachtotheirown | Sean Flanagan | B Connell | 40/1 |
| Too Bossy For Us | Harry Cobden | W P Mullins | 40/1 |
| Koktail Brut | Danny Gilligan | G Elliott | 50/1 |
| Sageborough | Sean O’Keeffe | P Nolan | 100/1 |
Old Park Star’s combination of course form, solid figures, and a smooth travelling style explains his position at the head of the market.
Mighty Park, however, is far less experienced, suggesting there could be more to come from him if the race turns into a proper test.
Talk The Talk sits just behind them and looks the type to be produced late, having bounced back from a fall to win again and show resilience that often counts for plenty at Cheltenham.
Leading Contenders Assessed
Old Park Star has done little wrong, stringing together three wins, including at Cheltenham, and he looks straightforward to ride.
If the ground is no worse than soft and the pace is honest rather than ferocious, he should get the chance to travel into the race and use his turn of foot up the hill.
His profile is rock solid for win-only players who are happy to take a relatively short price in the Festival opener.
Mighty Park feels like the upside horse. With just one run over hurdles, albeit in a race he comprehensively won, I have to wonder if he would be so short in the betting if he wasn’t owned by JP McManus and trained by Willie Mullins.
One £5K maiden win does not necessarily a Cheltenham winner make, and comparatively, Old Star Park has three wins from three over hurdles, including a Grade 2 at Haydock last time out, in the Supreme Trial, where he too notched up a hefty winning margin.
Talk The Talk, again, has a much better profile than Mighty Park and actually has a Grade 1 win under his belt.
With three wins from four starts, the only issue is that he tends to sit back for about 90% of the race, stalks up through the field around three out, jumps into the lead at two out, and wins by a relatively short margin – except for the one time he fell at the last.
That strategy may work at Fairyhouse or Leopardstown, but the Cheltenham hill is a different beast altogether, and if he goes up against a couple of runners who can maintain their speed, he could very well get caught out on the line.
Dark Horses and Each-Way Options
For each-way punters looking for value in the Supreme Novices Hurdle, Sober Glory and Mydaddypaddy stand out as the obvious starting points.
Sober Glory’s recent sequence of wins put him close to the principals on the figures, yet he is still available at around 14/1, which looks generous if the race is truly run.
He has a straightforward running style and tends to keep finding when others are coming off the bridle, which can be a big advantage in the Supreme.
Mydaddypaddy brings a likeable, honest profile, with good form that includes a second-place finish in a Grade 1 at Aintree.
He has often raced prominently and found more under pressure, and if he can secure a handy position early, he could be difficult to pass.
At around 8/1, he makes sense as an each-way play for those who want to keep things relatively simple.
Leader d’Allier is a more speculative but interesting option from the Mullins yard, especially now that Paul Townend has been booked to ride him.
Betting Tips For The Supreme
With a relatively compact field and a clear shape to the market, this Supreme feels like a race where you can build a simple, structured betting plan.
Win bet: Old Park Star – the most complete profile, proven at the track with strong ratings.
Main alternative: Talk The Talk – a Grade 1 winner but might need a bit of give in the ground.
Primary each-way: Mydaddypaddy – solid runner and capable of hitting the frame at a fair price.
Ultimately, the front three in the betting all have credible chances, so avoiding over-committing to a single outcome is sensible.
A modest win bet on your preferred market leader, backed up by one or two each-way plays against the field, looks a measured way to approach the opener.
BETFRED
