The National Hunt Challenge Cup brings Tuesday’s card to a demanding close, and this year’s renewal looks a deep, open handicap rather than the old amateur-riders’ slog of years gone by.
With 17 declared and a great mix of runners heading for the starting tape, the 3m6f trip on the Old Course should expose any chinks in stamina or jumping.
The National Hunt Challenge Cup is the longest race at the Cheltenham Festival, run over three miles, five furlongs and 201 yards on the Old Course, and it now carries Grade 2 status as a novices’ handicap chase.
Once the preserve of amateur riders over a near four-mile trip, it was reshaped in 2024 into a 0–145 handicap open to professionals, changing both the profile of winners and the tactics needed to succeed.
The result is a race that still demands stamina, but now places more emphasis on well-handicapped, improving chasers rather than ultra-seasoned stayers.
The Old Course configuration means runners meet the fences quickly and then face a long, testing run from the top of the hill, so rhythm and positioning matter almost as much as raw staying power.
Overview of the 2026 Renewal
This year’s race has attracted a near-maximum field of 17, with the declarations headed by the likes of Backmersackme, Newton Tornado, Wade Out, and King Of Answers, alongside strong British and Irish representation throughout the handicap.
The official ratings range from 124 to 144, compressing the weights enough that class may count for a little more than usual if the ground stays on the easy side of good.
The going is currently described as good to soft, which should offer a fair test without turning the race into an attritional slog.
Irish yards are well represented through Gordon Elliott, Emmet Mullins, and Gavin Cromwell, while home trainers such as Nicky Henderson, the Twiston-Davies team, Rebecca Curtis, Sue Smith, and Joe Tizzard all field interesting contenders.
2026 National Hunt Challenge Cup Runners & Odds
*Odds from Betfred correct at time of publishing.
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backmersackme | Donagh Meyler | E Mullins | 4/1 |
| Iceberg Theory | Conor Stone-Walsh | P Nolan | 5/1 |
| Newton Tornado | Sean Flanagan | Miss R Curtis | 5/1 |
| Kurasso Blue | Jack Kennedy | G Elliott | 15/2 |
| Wade Out | S Bowen | O Murphy | 8/1 |
| One Big Bang | Alex Chadwick | James Owen | 9/1 |
| King Of Answers | D R Fox | L Russell & M Scudamore | 14/1 |
| Walking On Air | H Cobden | Faye Bramley | 14/1 |
| Pic Roc | Ben Jones | B Pauling | 16/1 |
| Grand Geste | Danny McMenamin | J Parkinson & S Smith | 16/1 |
| Holloway Queen | James Bowen | N J Henderson | 16/1 |
| Will Do | Danny Gilligan | G Elliott | 22/1 |
| Guard The Moon | Sam Twiston-Davies | N & W Twiston-Davies | 28/1 |
| Union Station | Keith Donoghue | G P Cromwell | 28/1 |
| Holokea | Shane Fenelon | M Bowen | 28/1 |
| First Confession | Brendan Powell | J Tizzard | 33/1 |
| Silver Thorn | J J Burke | Miss E C Lavelle | 33/1 |
Main Contenders and Market Leaders
Backmersackme, representing Emmet Mullins, looks set to dispute favouritism after a confidence-boosting win last time and a mark that still leaves room for improvement over staying trips.
He arrives off a recent victory in Leopardstown, and has already shown he can travel and quicken in strongly run handicaps, which makes him a natural type for this sort of test if he relaxes early.
Newton Tornado, from Rebecca Curtis, also sits towards the top of the market following a couple of wins this season, though there have also been blips.
His rating of 133 gives him a workable racing weight of 11-03, and his record of bouncing back immediately from a poor run hints at the right attitude for a long-distance battle around Cheltenham.
Among the British-trained runners, Wade Out, from Olly Murphy, has the highest official rating which in turn means he will also be carrying top weight of 12-00.
King Of Answers, for the Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore partnership, has been progressing steadily in northern staying chases and looks tailor-made for a marathon trip, having already shown he can finish his races off strongly.
Guard The Moon and Grand Geste both bring recent winning form and appear to be peaking at the right time, while Holloway Queen adds a touch of class from Nicky Henderson’s yard after a much-improved display on her latest start.
Trends for Finding the Winner
Historic trends for the National Hunt Chase need treating with caution because the race conditions changed significantly when it became a 0–145 handicap open to professionals.
However, broad staying-chase principles still apply: most winners of the modern race had run within the last two months, had plenty of experience over fences and had already proved themselves at or beyond three miles.
Given the handicap nature, unexposed types stepping up in trip can be well treated, but they still need to show enough in their form to suggest this marathon will bring out improvement rather than expose limitations.
Tips and Horses to Follow
Backmersackme makes obvious appeal as a primary selection, bringing winning handicap form, a suitable rating and a trainer renowned for targeting staying races at major meetings.
If he settles into a rhythm and jumps cleanly, his blend of tactical speed and stamina should put him in the right place turning for home.
Newton Tornado looks a solid alternative at the head of the market, with his series of recent wins mark him down as one of the more reliable stayers in the field.
Wade Out also stands out as a leading home hope, carrying top weight but compensating with strong handicap form figures and a mark that reflects his consistency rather than his ceiling.
For those looking beyond the obvious, King Of Answers and Grand Geste both fit the profile of hardy, improving stayers who could outrun their odds if handling the occasion.
Holloway Queen also merits a second look as a potential each-way player, given the upturn in her form last time and the fact she now steps into a race that should place a premium on sound jumping and patience.
A Mix of Tradition and Evolution
The 2026 National Hunt Challenge Cup brings an intriguing mix of tradition and evolution, with the historic marathon now framed as a competitive handicap that rewards progressive, streetwise staying chasers.
With 17 runners and several arriving in peak form, it promises a searching test where patience in the saddle, efficient jumping and deep reserves of stamina will all be decisive.
Backmersackme and Newton Tornado set a high standard among the principals, while Wade Out, King Of Answers and Grand Geste look capable of playing a major role if things fall their way in running.
However you approach the race, it remains one of Cheltenham’s most distinctive contests, a late-afternoon examination that so often reveals which novices are ready to step up into the top tier of staying chases next season.
BETFRED
