This season’s Arkle Chase is shaping up to be a cracking renewal, with a trio of leading contenders dominating the ante-post market.
All three have already got off to a flying start over fences, but which one is fancied to prevail on day two of the Cheltenham Festival ?
Here’s how we currently rank them in our 2026 Arkle Chase betting tips:
Arkle Odds
Cheltenham Arkle Odds 2026
Horse | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Lulamba | 15/8 | 34.8% |
Kopek Des Bordes | 2/1 | 33.3% |
Romeo Coolio | 3/1 | 25% |
July Flower | 16/1 | 5.9% |
Brighterdaysahead | 16/1 | 5.9% |
Salvator Mundi | 18/1 | 5.3% |
Final Demand | 25/1 | 3.8% |
Kwaboomga | 25/1 | 3.8% |
Karniquet | 40/1 | 2.4% |
Kitzbuhel | 66/1 | 1.5% |
2026 Arkle Winner Prediction
Arkle Favourites Ranked
Lulamba @ 15/8
(3) Lulamba @ 15/8
Nicky Henderson knows what it takes to win this contest as he has struck with the likes of Remittance Man , Sprinter Sacre , Altior , Shishkin and last season’s hero Jango Baie among a record tally of eight victories.
Lulamba just missed out on Festival glory in the Triumph Hurdle when pipped by 100/1 outsider Poniros , but gained revenge over that rival in Punchestown’s equivalent event.
After an easy first success over fences at Exeter, he added another Grade One prize to his CV when powering clear of two solid opponents in Be Aware and Lump Sum to land the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown.
Just one more prep run is planned, but as Henderson himself declared, “he’s still a big, big baby”, and the big question is whether everything might just happen too fast for him early on over a furious two miles at Cheltenham .
Romeo Coolio @ 3/1
(2) Romeo Coolio @ 3/1
Big things have been expected of this strapping son of Kayf Tara ever since he changed hands for £420,000 at the Cheltenham sales in March 2023.
He was a fine second in the following year’s Champion Bumper and secured a Grade One novice hurdle success at Leopardstown before finishing third in the Supreme.
Chasing always looked set to be his game, though, and Romeo Coolio built on a 14-length Down Royal triumph by landing the elite-level Drinmore at Fairyhouse in impressive fashion under Jack Kennedy.
Both of those starts were over two and a half miles, but Gordon Elliott commented: “The one thing Jack did say is that he wouldn’t be afraid to bring him back to two off a real fast pace, the way he jumps.”
Kopek Des Bordes @ 2/1
(1) Kopek Des Bordes @ 2/1
Is anyone else old enough to remember the Fun Boy Three/Bananarama hit It Ain’t What You Do, It’s The Way That You Do It?
Well, the point is that while Kopek Des Bordes has so far only landed a beginners’ event at Navan over fences, the manner in which he beat Lovely Hurling by 13 lengths was electric.
Willie Mullins , who had used the same race to introduce the likes of Douvan and Vautour to bigger obstacles, beamed: "When he sees a fence, he just wants to go and jump it.”
Cheltenham’s fences are more formidable, but Paul Townend insisted Kopek Des Bordes will have enough respect, adding: “He wanted to attack them without doing anything stupid.”
Last season’s Supreme win showed what an engine this horse has, and a seventh Arkle success in 12 years looks on the cards for Mullins .
Bet on Cheltenham 2026 Odds at BOYLE Sports
*Prices are subject to fluctuation
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