It has been a rocky road to Cheltenham for many of the 2026 Champion Chase runners, but 10 are left standing ahead of Wednesday's Festival feature.
Usually run at a frenetic pace over two miles and 13 fences, star names such as Badsworth Boy, Moscow Flyer, Sprinter Sacre and Altior stand out on the roll of honour.
Here, we look at those trying to join them and have ranked each contender in reverse order.
Betting Odds
2026 Cheltenham Champion Chase Odds
Horse | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Majborough | 4/5 | 55.56% |
L'Eau Du Sud | 9/2 | 18.18% |
Il Etait Temps | 5/1 | 16.67% |
Quilixios | 9/1 | 10.00% |
Irish Panther | 14/1 | 6.67% |
Found A Fifty | 40/1 | 2.44% |
Captain Guinness | 50/1 | 1.96% |
Saint Segal | 50/1 | 1.96% |
Libberty Hunter | 66/1 | 1.49% |
Brookie | 100/1 | 0.99% |
*Odds are correct at the time of writing, but subject to change.
Runner-by-Runner Guide
Runner-by-Runner Guide: 2026 Champion Chase Runners Ranked
Brookie
10. Brookie – 100/1
A decent handicapper despite being pulled up when last seen at Ascot in November, but looks in far too deep at this level.
Libberty Hunter
9. Libberty Hunter – 66/1
Similar comments apply to this 2024 Grand Annual runner-up, who fell three out when 33/1 for this event last term.
Saint Segal
8. Saint Segal – 50/1
Form figures of 112122 highlight his consistency and he hasn't been out of the first three for 10 straight outings, but none were in this grade.
Captain Guinness
7. Captain Guinness – 50/1
This Cheltenham stalwart took home the Champion Chase trophy two years ago in between a couple of other placed efforts.
Moscow Flyer was the last 11-year-old to prevail back in 2005 and Captain Guinness isn't in his class, but the valiant veteran deserves another decent day out at the Festival.
Quilixios
6. Quilixios – 9/1
Henry de Bromhead's 2021 Triumph Hurdle hero ran a mighty race as a 40/1 shot here 12 months ago, being right alongside Marine Nationale when falling at the final fence, but he hasn't been seen in public since.
Irish Panther
5. Irish Panther – 14/1
The nine-year-old novice made an impressive start to his career over fences at Naas in November before pushing Romeo Coolio all the way at Leopardstown over Christmas and tackles this event rather than the Arkle.
Explaining that decision, joint-trainer Eddie Harty said: "If the Champion Chase was the Premier League, except for Majborough they'd all be in the bottom half of it, whereas in the novice division you're possibly talking about horses who could get into the Champions League spots."
Found A Fifty
4. Found A Fifty – 40/1
Flopped badly at Navan last month when 4/9 but did beat Majborough in the Hilly Way at Cork in December and was second in the 2024 Arkle after a Grade One novice win at Leopardstown.
Stays much further than two miles, so may tempt some each-way punters in the hope that he carries on galloping while others cry enough.
Il Etait Temps
3. Il Etait Temps – 5/1
Willie Mullins' enigmatic eight-year-old made it five straight wins when absolutely bolting up by nine lengths from Jonbon in Sandown's Tingle Creek but then blotted his copybook with a below-par effort in the Clarence House at Ascot, where he was a tired horse when falling two out.
Past Festival defeats in the Supreme and the Arkle further cloud the issue, although Ross Doyle, racing manager for the owners, insisted: "He's a different horse nowadays compared to other years he's gone to Cheltenham, he can switch off and go a good pace, so hopefully the race suits him."
L'Eau Du Sud
2. L'Eau Du Sud – 4/1
Rattled off four straight novice chase wins last season before running well for a long way in the Arkle and smashed Jonbon by 15 lengths on his seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham in November.
L'Eau Du Sud disappointed when a distant third in the Tingle Creek, but Dan Skelton believes that Sandown event may just have come too soon and he has reportedly impressed at home off the back of a three-month break.
Majborough
1. Majborough – 4/5
The Mullins-trained youngster powered up the Cheltenham hill to win the 2024 Triumph Hurdle but his jumping let him down when beaten at odds-on in the Arkle 12 months ago.
There were more issues in that department on his first two starts this term but, when fitted with cheekpieces for the first time, Majborough bounced back to form in devastating fashion at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Majborough is a hot favourite to follow up that 19-length demolition job, which Mullins described as "poetry in motion", and his task has been made easier by the defection of defending champion Marine Nationale.
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