The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt Steeple Chase run over around two miles. It is a staple of the Cheltenham Festival and has been the highlight of Day 2 since 1959. This year, a stacked field will take on the 13 fences in the pursuit of glory, but who will come out ontop? Keep reading to find the most accurate Queen Mother Champion Chase predictions and betting tips for 2026.
Queen Mother Champion Chase Preview
Majborough heads the betting on the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Willie Mullins’ six-year-old is 4/5 on his return to the Cheltenham Festival, after losing the Arkle by ¾ of a length last year in a thriller. He has looked outstanding over fences this season and arrives as one of the most exciting two-mile chasers in training. With his strong jumping and turn of foot, it’s easy to see why Majborough sits at the top of our online betting site.
L’Eau du Sud is one of the main challengers and is expected to attract strong support. Dan Skelton’s runner has been consistently competitive at the highest level and brings solid two-mile chase form into the race. His slick jumping and ability to travel strongly through races make him a genuine threat if the favourite makes mistakes.
Il Etait Temps further strengthens Willie Mullins’ hand. The talented chaser impressed earlier in the season, including a high-class performance in the Tingle Creek. However, a fall in the Clarence House Chase raised some concerns about reliability. If he returns to his best form, he has the raw ability to challenge the market leaders.
Quilixios is another experienced campaigner in the lineup. The Henry de Bromhead-trained runner has previous Festival success, having won the Triumph Hurdle earlier in his career. He fell at the last in this race twelve months ago but retains enough ability to outrun longer odds if returning to peak condition.
Irish Panther is a very interesting entrant after an excellent season so far. The nine-year-old is 2-1-0 from his three races this season and is one of the oldest runners in this renewal. He was second in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown at a similar price in December and is one to keep an eye on when betting each way.
Elsewhere in the field, runners such as Libberty Hunter, Found A Fifty, Saint Segal and Captain Guinness provide depth but will likely need significant improvement to challenge the principals. With a competitive field assembled, the race once again promises to deliver a thrilling two-mile championship contest.
Queen Mother Champion Chase Predictions
One of our best Cheltenham predictions is for Majborough to secure the Queen Mother Champion Chase to hand Willie Mullins a third victory in the race. His dominant 19L victory over Marine Nationale, who won this race last year, in the Dublin Chase in February, highlighted his improvement since that Arkle run. He travelled smoothly throughout that race and produced a powerful turn of foot after the final fence. That is a trait that is often decisive in championship two-mile chases at Cheltenham. If he reproduces that level of form and avoids any jumping mistakes, getting anywhere near him will be a tough task for the rest of the field.
However, there is no avoiding the trend against favourites in this race. There have been high-profile losses for odds-on favourites in the previous two races. L’Eau du Sud looks the most likely to chase him home. The Dan Skelton-trained runner has built a reputation for consistency in top-level company and rarely runs a poor race. His jumping and ability to travel strongly through a fast pace could put him firmly in contention turning for home.
Il Etait Temps could also be involved if he returns to his best form. The Willie Mullins-trained chaser has already shown he has the raw speed required for this trip and has proven himself at the Grade 1 level. If he jumps cleanly throughout, he can challenge the favourite, expected to finish thereabouts.
Champion Chase Trends and Key Stats
Age trends show a fairly consistent profile, with 10 of the last 12 winners aged between seven and nine. Two of the last three renewals were won by nine-year-olds, while only two seven-year-olds have won during the last 12 runnings. The SP betting market has also been a strong guide. Eleven of the last 12 winners started in the top three in the betting, while four were favourites. Two of the last four favourites to win the race were trained by Willie Mullins.
Form and experience are also key indicators. Five of the last 12 winners had won their previous race. Ten had already run at Cheltenham, and seven had previously won at the track. Nine of the last 12 winners were rated 162 or higher, including two of the last four rated 175. Only one winner in the last four renewals was rated below 160. Irish-trained runners account for six of the last 12, while 14 of the last 17 winners had previously won a Grade 1 chase.
Queen Mother Champion Chase Betting Tips
Majborough at 4/5 is not a bad price for anyone betting on horse racing, especially considering that he could float out closer to 1/2. That victory over Marine Nationale last month firmly put him in the driver’s seat for this race, and while there is plenty of talent spread throughout the field, Majborough takes the fancy above all.
One of the most interesting choices when betting each way would be Irish Panther. His improvement this season has been remarkable, and he was very unlucky not to secure a Grade 1 when ½L behind Romeo Coolio at Leopardstown in December. Lightly raced since, he will be ready for his festival reappearance and is worth a punt in the places at 14/1.
Another is Found A Fifty. Gordon Elliott’s runner looks very underrated at 159, with a Racing Post rating of 171. Most importantly, he had some massive wins this season, including a victory in front of Majborough. That came in a Grade 2, where he also beat Energumene. Found A Fifty has proven he can hang in that company, and at 40/1 he is definitely worth an each-way punt.
Cheltenham Day 2 Betting Tips and Predictions
Betting on Day 2 at Cheltenham always offers tremendous value. There are several high-profile races with plenty of opportunities for upsets and clear favourites. Below, you will find the top tips for all the races on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival 2026.
Turners Novices’ Hurdle – Ballyfad (13/2)
Gordon Elliott’s five-year-old has won three of his four starts under rules. He produced an excellent run when finishing second in the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown in February. That performance showed Ballyfad can compete with the best novice hurdlers in Ireland, and his progressive profile suggests there is still improvement to come.
Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – Final Demand (4/1)
Final Demand has developed into one of the most exciting staying novice chasers this season. His strong jumping and stamina make him well-suited to the three-mile trip. If he continues his progression, he looks well placed to land this prestigious novice chase.
Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle – I Started A Joke (10/1)
The Coral Cup is one of the most competitive handicaps of the week, but I Started A Joke has been strongly supported in the market. The Charles Byrnes-trained runner has the profile of a well-handicapped horse and could thrive in a large-field scenario.
Cross Country Chase – Stumptown (11/4)
Stumptown has already proven himself over the unique Cheltenham cross-country course. His experience over the unusual obstacles gives him a significant advantage, and he looks well-positioned to repeat his strong performances in this specialist race.
Queen Mother Champion Chase – Majborough (4/5)
Majborough has been one of the most talked-about two-mile chasers this season. His impressive improvement over fences has seen him rise to the top of the betting for this championship race. If he produces the same level of performance he showed in Ireland earlier in the season, he will be extremely difficult to beat.
Grand Annual Handicap Chase – Be Aware (13/2)
Be Aware heads the market for the Grand Annual and brings solid handicap chase form into the race. Dan Skelton’s runners often perform well at the Festival, and this progressive runner could be well treated by the handicapper.
Champion Bumper – Love Sign D’Aunou (9/2)
Love Sign D’Aunou is expected to be one of the leading contenders in the Champion Bumper. Willie Mullins has an outstanding record in this race, and this exciting young prospect has shown plenty of ability in National Hunt flat races so far.
