Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer Odds: Can Anyone Stop Mullins?

The opening day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival produced a fascinating start to the Top Trainer race, with both Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson recording two winners each.

Mullins struck with Kargese in the Arkle and Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle, while Henderson landed the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with Old Park Star before Holloway Queen won the National Hunt Challenge Cup.

Dan Skelton also got on the board thanks to Madara in the Plate Handicap Chase, while Padraig Roche and Jonjo and A J O’Neill trained the other Day 1 winners. 

Despite the shared early success, Mullins remains a very short-priced favourite in the Top Trainer odds on betting sites going into Day 2 as he bids to extend his extraordinary Cheltenham dominance.

Mullins Still The One To Beat

Mullins enhanced his position on Day 1 with two more Festival winners, as Kargese landed the Arkle before Lossiemouth produced a dominant display in the Champion Hurdle.

That brace leaves him firmly in control of the Top Trainer market heading into Wednesday, and it is easy to see why, given the sheer strength in depth at his disposal.

Day 2 gives him another major opportunity, with a deep squad in the Turners, a particularly strong Brown Advisory team, and leading contenders again in the Champion Chase, the BetMGM Cup and the Champion Bumper.

With quality spread across the graded races, handicaps and bumper division, Mullins is still the man the rest have to catch.

Henderson Made A Stunning Start

Henderson could not have asked for much more from the opening day, with Old Park Star winning the Supreme before Holloway Queen added a second success in the National Hunt Challenge Cup.

That early double has kept him right in the conversation and ensured the British challenge remains very much alive going into Day 2.

He also has some solid chances on Wednesday, including Act Of Innocence in the Turners and a useful trio of Lucky Place, Jingko Blue and Iberico Lord in the BetMGM Cup. 

If those runners can build on Tuesday’s momentum, the veteran trainer has the sort of team that could keep him firmly in the hunt for a while yet.

Elliott Needs A Rapid Response

Elliott may have gone winless on the opening day, but there was still encouragement in the way Brighterdaysahead chased home Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle.

He remains one of the main names in the Top Trainer market with most betting apps, which reflects both the quality and quantity still to come from the Cullentra yard over the final three days.

Wednesday looks especially important for him, with Ballyfad and Skylight Hustle featuring in the Turners, Romeo Coolio and Western Fold in the Brown Advisory and Favori De Champdou a major player in the Cross Country Chase. 

Add in runners like Found A Fifty in the Champion Chase, Relieved Of Duties in the Grand Annual and a strong hand in the Champion Bumper, and Elliott still has plenty of time to make his presence felt.

Skelton Still In The Picture

Skelton made his mark on Day 1 when Madara struck impressively in the Plate, giving him an early Festival winner and an immediate foothold in the Top Trainer race.

That success means he heads into Wednesday with momentum, and his team looks strong enough to build on it if things fall right.

Bossman Jack and Soldier Reeves represent him in the Turners, Kateira lines up in the BetMGM Cup, L’Eau du Sud is one of the standout contenders in the Champion Chase and Be Aware gives him a live chance in the Grand Annual.

He may still need a big day to close the gap on Mullins, but Skelton has enough quality on the card to remain a serious part of the story.

Other Trainers Off The Mark

There were also notable Day 1 wins for other yards, with Padraig Roche enjoying a memorable success through Saratoga and Jonjo & A J O’Neill striking with Johnnywho.

Both results added a bit more variety to the opening-day honours list and showed that the Festival can quickly throw up winners from outside the obvious leading yards.

Looking ahead to Wednesday, Paul Nicholls has a big chance with No Drama This End in the Turners, Henry de Bromhead is well represented in several of the major races, and Gavin Cromwell brings a particularly interesting team into the Cross Country. 

None of those trainers has the same overall depth as Mullins, but a productive second day from any of them would add another twist to the Top Trainer race.

Can anyone stop Mullins from dominating again at Prestbury Park? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!