The 2026 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup rounds off day three of the Cheltenham Festival.
With 23 seasoned handicappers and a paddock full of nervous amateur riders, they are all set to tackle the lung‑busting 3m2½f trip on the New Course at 5:20pm on Thursday 12 March.
It is a proper Festival closer: big field, mixed profiles, and enough storylines to keep you watching replays long after the sun has dropped behind Cleeve Hill.
The 2026 Kim Muir is a handicap chase for horses aged five and up, run over 3m2f70y on the New Course, and crucially, it is restricted to amateur jockeys.
That single condition changes both the shape of the race and the way punters tend to approach it, putting extra emphasis on rider experience, cool heads, and how well a horse and amateur partner know one another.
With 24 declared and a strong Irish contingent again mixing it with the home team, position, jumping rhythm, and a slice of amateur nous are likely to matter every bit as much as raw ability.
Favourites at the Head of the Market
Heading the market is Jeriko Du Reponet for Nicky Henderson and top Irish amateur Derek O’Connor, a combination that almost sells itself in a race of this nature.
He has not always convinced as a natural over fences, but his handicap hurdle form last spring – including a big run in the Pertemps Final here in cheekpieces – showed that his engine and attitude are not in doubt, and the headgear returns for this assignment.
He has to give weight all round but fits the modern Kim Muir profile of a still‑progressive type dipping into handicaps rather than a battle‑hardened slogger.
Sharing plenty of market attention is Waterford Whispers, representing Henry de Bromhead and another accomplished Irish amateur, Alan O’Sullivan.
Still relatively lightly raced over fences, he has been keeping good company and holding his form in competitive handicaps.
In a race where Irish trainers have done very well in recent years – with winners such as Inothewayurthinkin highlighting that trend – his claims are obvious enough even before you look at the notebook comments.
Kim Roque is another to sit prominently in the betting, bringing progressive French form and a solid start for Joseph O’Brien to the table.
Herakles Westwood also deserves a mention near the head of the market, a course winner for Warren Greatrex with Finian Maguire booked, and he arrives after a confidence‑boosting success that suggested a hardy attitude and a relish for a battle.
2026 Kim Muir Runners & Odds
*Odds from Betfred correct at time of publication
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeriko Du Reponet | Mr D O’Connor | N J Henderson | 4/1 |
| Waterford Whispers | Mr Alan O’Sullivan | H De Bromhead | 4/1 |
| Kim Roque | Mr J L Gleeson | J P O’Brien | 6/1 |
| Herakles Westwood | Mr F Maguire | W Greatrex | 9/1 |
| Prends Garde A Toi | Mr B O’Neill | G Elliott | 11/1 |
| Road To Home | Mr P W Mullins | W P Mullins | 14/1 |
| Gericault Roque | Mr B Lawless | D Pipe | 14/1 |
| Sandor Clegane | Mr J W Hendrick | P Nolan | 16/1 |
| Daily Present | Mr B T Stone | P Nolan | 16/1 |
| The Enabler | Mr R James | G Elliott | 18/1 |
| King’s Threshold | Mr H C Swan | Miss E C Lavelle | 18/1 |
| Weveallbeencaught | Mr J C Barry | E McNamara | 18/1 |
| Monbeg Genius | Mr J L Scallan | J & A O’Neill | 22/1 |
| Ask Brewster | Mr S Cotter | Mrs C Williams | 22/1 |
| Il Ridoto | Miss O Nicholls | P F Nicholls | 28/1 |
| Lord Accord | Mr N McParlan | N P Mulholland | 40/1 |
| Insurrection | Miss Gina Andrews | P F Nicholls | 50/1 |
| Hung Jury | Mr James King | M Keighley | 50/1 |
| Excello | Mr Henry Main | N J Henderson | 66/1 |
| Glengouly | Mr D McGill | Faye Bramley | 80/1 |
| No Time To Wait | Mr J M Halford | J C McConnell | 80/1 |
| Olympic Man | Mr D Doyle | J C McConnell | 100/1 |
| Cave Court | Mr O McGill | N C Kelly | 100/1 |
Riders in the Spotlight
What makes this contest particularly engaging is the way it shines a light on the amateur riders, some of whom bring experience that would not look out of place in any professional weighing room.
Names like Derek O’Connor, Patrick Mullins, and Gina Andrews have long, detailed Festival records, and their presence can move a price as surely as a positive gallops report.
O’Connor’s booking for Jeriko Du Reponet will be taken as a major vote of confidence by many, given his previous Kim Muir success and his cool, patient style over a trip.
Gina Andrews, aboard Insurrection for Paul Nicholls, is another rider whose judgment at pace and over fences has been repeatedly proven in hunter chases and amateur events, and Patrick Mullins is booked on Road To Home.
With conditional and point‑to‑point backgrounds heavily represented, punters who like to do their homework on rider records will find no shortage of angles; this is one race where the name in brackets after the horse genuinely matters.
What Sort Of Race Can We Expect?
With 24 runners and plenty who like to race handily, the early stages should be honest without being a tear‑up, particularly with stamina such a key factor.
The New Course’s long run to the second‑last often sees the field compress before the race really takes shape, turning for home, and that is where amateur calm will be tested against Festival‑Thursday adrenaline.
Horses that jump economically, hold a position in the front half of the pack and can creep into contention without burning petrol are usually the ones still going when the field swings for the line.
It would be no surprise to see a relatively fresh face emerging late to challenge the old stagers on the climb. Ground conditions and pace will sort the genuine stayers from the hopeful tourists; this is not a race to get cute with doubtful stamina.
Before The Tapes Go Up
As ever with the 2026 Kim Muir, there are more live chances than most bettors’ staking plans will comfortably allow, and the odds tell their own story about the strength in depth.
At the top of the market, Jeriko Du Reponet, Waterford Whispers, and Kim Roque all have compelling claims on form and connections, while Herakles Westwood and a handful of Irish raiders offer each‑way interest for those who like a price and a narrative.
But this is also a race where the name on the saddle cloth shares billing with the name in the racecard bracket, and a cool amateur ride can turn a good chance into a Festival memory that lasts for years.
Whether you side with the class horse under top weight, the Irish improver on the upgrade, or the wily ten‑year‑old with a young rider out to make a name, the 2026 Kim Muir Challenge Cup looks set to provide a fitting, stamina‑soaked finale to day three.
BETFRED
