Dan Skelton’s 2026 Cheltenham Festival Team: Key Runners, Banker Bets & Trainers’ Title Hopes
Dan Skelton goes into the 2026 Cheltenham Festival not just as Britain’s leading jumps trainer this season, but as a fully established powerhouse whose Festival record now carries real weight.
Since setting up on his own in 2013, he has racked up double‑figure Cheltenham wins, landing marquee races such as the County Hurdle (four times), the Mares’ Hurdle with Roksana in 2019, and a stunning haul in 2024 that included Grey Dawning in the Turners Novices’ Chase, Protektorat in the Ryanair and Handicap successes with Langer Dan and Unexpected Party.
That surge of big‑race winners has turned his Alcester operation from a rising force into the main British bulwark against the Irish at jump racing’s Olympics.
Dan Skelton’s Rise and Festival Platform
Skelton cut his teeth as assistant to Paul Nicholls before striking out on his own in Warwickshire and steadily building a deep, numerically strong squad that wins across the calendar rather than just in spring.
The hallmark of his training has been meticulous placement and targeted handicap campaigns, best exemplified by his multiple County Hurdle wins with Superb Story, Mohaayed, Ch’tibello, and Faivoir, plus back‑to‑back Coral Cups with Langer Dan in 2023 and 2024.
The leap to top‑table Grade 1 success at Cheltenham came via Roksana in the Mares’ Hurdle in 2019 and was cemented in 2024 with Protektorat and Grey Dawning, underlining that his team can now routinely compete – and win – at the very highest level.
That foundation sets the scene for 2026, where The New Lion, Grey Dawning, Panic Attack, and Kabral Du Mathan spearhead a team that mixes hardened graded performers with unexposed novices.
Current ante‑post markets have The New Lion right at the forefront of Champion Hurdle betting and Grey Dawning prominent in Gold Cup lists, signalling that bookmakers see Skelton as a genuine player in the week’s two traditional centrepieces.
Tuesday – The New Lion The Headline Act
Opening day sees Skelton relying on depth rather than a single banker in the novice hurdles before unleashing his Champion Hurdle star.
In the Supreme, Dan Skelton has a clutch of early‑closer entries – Double Measure, Le Beau Madrik, Soldier Reeves and Mydaddypaddy – and at this stage they look more like supporting players, needing to prove they can mix it with what is traditionally one of the most talent‑packed Grade 1s of the week.
Be Aware and Mirabad give him options in the Arkle, but again, they currently sit in a chasing division headed by Irish stars and will need to step forward markedly to be more than place contenders.
Everything on Tuesday revolves around The New Lion in the Champion Hurdle. He is now the marginal favourite with several firms after winning the Unibet Hurdle on Trials Day and sits as short as 5/2 in some ante‑post lists, ahead of the likes of Brighterdaysahead and even Constitution Hill.
The market strength is backed up by his upward trajectory over two miles, and his proven aptitude for Cheltenham, and Skelton’s recent Festival record with progressive hurdlers means this is no hype job.
With Sir Gino out with injury, and The New Lion trading as the clear pick and shortening, Skelton looks to have his best-ever chance of landing the Champion Hurdle and landing an early blow in the trainers’ title narrative.
Wednesday – Chasing Quality But No Standout
Wednesday’s entries highlight Skelton’s depth in the middle‑distance novice hurdle and two‑mile chase divisions, even if he lacks a short‑priced favourite.
Moneygarrow, Bossman Jack, Le Beau Madrik, Soldier Reeves and A Pai De Nom are all in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, giving him the option to run one or two with live place claims depending on how the form lines settle between now and March.
None dominate the market at this stage, but Skelton has shown before – notably with novice chasers like Grey Dawning – that his horses can improve again when they get to the Festival environment.
In the Queen Mother Champion Chase, Calico, L’Eau Du Sud and Thistle Ask are entered, though they currently sit a notch below the likes of Majborough and reigning champion, Marine Nationale.
Of the trio, Thistle Ask is likely to skip the Festival entirely, with L’Eau Du Sud his best chance however, Calico’s experience in deep two‑mile handicaps and may make him the most interesting each‑way angle if the race cuts up.
Risky Obsession in the Champion Bumper adds further depth; as an early‑closer bumper horse from a yard that handles young talent well, he is a dark horse rather than a marquee name at this stage.
Thursday – Mares and Stayers with Real Upside
Day three looks a much stronger Dan Skelton day on paper, particularly in the mares’ races and the staying hurdle division.
In the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, he potentially fields Mille Et Une Vies, Tralee Girl, Made U Blush and Getawhisky, a powerful squad that practically guarantees he’ll have tactical options and at least one runner arriving with a winning profile from the winter.
Without a stand‑out at the head of ante‑post markets yet, the race may hinge on which of his quartet takes the biggest step forward between now and the Festival.
But, this is exactly the sort of contest – strongly run intermediate‑trip races for progressive horses – that his team have farmed in recent years.
The Mares’ Hurdle itself sees Listentoyourheart, Kateira, Nurse Susan and Take No Chances all entered, and it is easy to imagine one of these ending up single‑figure prices on the day.
Skelton has won this with Roksana, knows exactly what is required, and often targets mares carefully at Prestbury Park.
Kabral Du Mathan is a fascinating potential runner in the Stayers’ Hurdle: Stayers’ books have him as a double‑figure price (around 25/1 in places), but he rocketed into the conversation by winning the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and clearly handles the track.
Connections have hinted that the Aintree Hurdle is “plan A” with the Stayers as “plan B”, but if he lines up on Thursday, he would be a lively outsider rather than just a no‑hoper.
Panic Attack and Protektorat give Skelton a strong hand in the Ryanair Chase.
Protektorat is already a Festival Grade 1 winner in this race, while Panic Attack has blossomed into a serious staying handicap and graded chaser, landing a major Newbury handicap off top weight before further enhancing his reputation in open company.
Current Ryanair markets are dominated by Fact To File, but Skelton’s duo bring proven Cheltenham and Grade 1 form to the table, and on a day that suits his training profile, it would be no surprise if Thursday emerged as the key Skelton day of 2026.
Friday – Grey Dawning and Juvenile Depth
Friday revolves around Grey Dawning’s Gold Cup bid, but Skelton has interesting depth earlier on the card.
In the Triumph Hurdle, he has four early‑closer juveniles – Precious Man, Merci Mam, Maestro Conti and Mille Et Une Vies – and the juvenile division often takes shape late, so any of them could yet emerge as a “springer” in the betting if winning a key trial.
The Albert Bartlett team of Moneygarrow, Dalston Lad, and A Pai De Nom again shows his strength in depth at three miles; his recent handling of stayers suggests at least one will go there with realistic place aspirations, especially if the ground turns testing.
The Gold Cup at 4pm is his chance to land the race that still defines training careers in Britain.
Grey Dawning, already a Cheltenham Festival winner in the novice ranks and a Grade 1 scorer since, has been cut to around 12/1 after an emphatic Betfair Chase victory and is viewed as a live player.
Bookmakers currently have Irish stars such as Gaelic Warrior at shorter prices, but Skelton’s own comments that his horse is now a “Gold Cup player” reflect the growing belief that Grey Dawning can at least hit the frame and maybe cause an upset if the race turns into a stamina test.
Unexpected Party, meanwhile, returns to Cheltenham as a previous Festival winner and now lines up in the Hunters’ Chase, where his past course form gives him a solid profile against the traditional pointing and hunter‑chase specialists.
Trainers’ Title Picture
The latest trainers’ championship standings for 2025‑26 underline just how strong a position Skelton holds going into the Festival.
He leads the British jumps table with over 139 winners and more than £2m in domestic prize money, with Paul Nicholls his nearest home challenger.
Olly Murphy, Nicky Henderson and Ben Pauling round out a competitive top five, but Skelton’s volume of winners and earnings give him a clear advantage at this stage of the season.
The complicating factor, as in the last two campaigns, is Willie Mullins. Although Mullins is languishing further down the British table, his Cheltenham dominance – and the massive prize money on offer for races like the Champion Hurdle, Stayers’, Ryanair and Gold Cup – has twice been enough to swing the overall trainers’ crown away from Skelton late in the season.
If The New Lion can land the Champion Hurdle and Grey Dawning, Panic Attack or Kabral Du Mathan can add even one more Grade 1, Skelton could build a Festival prize‑money haul large enough to finally fend off Mullins in the closing weeks.
Equally, if he emerges with only placed horses while Mullins racks up his usual Cheltenham tally, the pattern of the last two years – Skelton leading for long stretches, only to be collared late – could repeat again.
In that sense, the 2026 Festival feels like a tipping point. Dan Skelton arrives as the established British number one, armed with favourites and live contenders across all four days.
That said, Cheltenham’s rich Grade 1 pots may once more decide whether that domestic dominance is finally reflected in the end‑of‑season title – or whether Mullins’ spring firepower denies him again.
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