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Willie Mullins and the Irish operation shaded the 2026 Cheltenham Festival as they so often do, but the Prestbury Cup finished 15-13 to Ireland, the closest Britain have come since 2019 and a genuine marker of the home team’s growing strength.
Whether you were tracking horse racing bets through the ante-post markets or following stakes across the afternoon cards, British trainers gave their supporters plenty to cheer about across the four days. Here is a look at the three training operations who stood out most.
Nicky Henderson: The old reliable
Nicky Henderson once again proved that Seven Barrows remains a force at the highest level, recording three wins, three seconds, and two thirds across the week. His standout moment came in the very first race of the meeting, when Old Park Star justified his 15/8 market position to win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle by a length and a half from Sober Glory.
It was Henderson’s sixth win in the Supreme, following an illustrious sequence that includes Altior, Shishkin, and Constitution Hill, and he led home a British 1-2-3-4 that was remarkable in its own right, given Irish dominance of the race in recent years.
Henderson’s week was also defined by the emergence of James Bowen as a genuine Festival force. The 25-year-old Welshman rode his first two Cheltenham Festival winners in the space of 24 hours: Holloway Queen won the National Hunt Challenge Cup at 12/1 on day one, pulling clear on the run-in to score by five and a half lengths, while Jingko Blue followed up with a front-running display to take the Cup Handicap Hurdle at 9/2 favourite on day two, winning by six lengths.
It was a breakout week for Bowen, who had missed the previous year’s Festival through suspension, and a timely reminder of why Henderson continues to operate at the very top of the training ranks.
Dan Skelton: The growing presence
Dan Skelton arrived at this year’s Festival with arguably his strongest squad to date, but his wait for a Championship race success goes on. The New Lion, L’Eau Du Sud, Kabral Du Mathan and Grey Dawning all carried sizeable expectations into their respective Grade 1 contests without delivering the big prize. Nonetheless, Skelton was not leaving Cheltenham empty-handed, finishing the week with two winners, two seconds, and three thirds.
Both of his wins came in the handicap division, which is where Skelton has consistently excelled at the Festival. Madara, ridden by his brother Harry, romped home in the Festival Plate Handicap Chase on day one, while Supremely West justified his position as 10/3 favourite in the Pertemps Network Final on day three, winning by three and a half lengths to give owner Jimmy Fyffe a first Festival success.
Skelton’s record in the Festival handicaps continues to grow, and while the Championship prizes remain elusive, there is little doubt the Alcester operation will be back with an even stronger hand in 2027.
Jonjo and AJ O’Neill: The family affair
It was a fantastic Festival for the father-son training partnership of Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, who returned two winners and a third from Jackdaws Castle across the week. Their campaign opened with Johnnywho’s 18/1 success in the Ultima Handicap Chase, giving the yard an early marker. But the moment that meant most came on the final day, when Wilful won the County Handicap Hurdle at 14/1, ridden to victory by three lengths by Jonjo O’Neill Jr.
It was the first time Jonjo Jr had ridden a Festival winner for his father and brother as joint trainers, completing a genuine family clean sweep: Jonjo and AJ preparing the horse, and the son delivering the ride with a decisive late surge through the 23-runner field. The result was also particularly fitting for Jonjo Senior, coming on the 40th anniversary of his iconic Gold Cup victory aboard Dawn Run. To complete two winners in that context was a memorable week for a training partnership that continues to punch its weight at the highest level of the sport.
