Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer Odds: Can Anyone Stop Mullins In 2026?

Every March, the prestigious Cheltenham Festival showcases the best of National Hunt racing, and one of the biggest betting questions is which trainer will saddle the most winners over the four days (March 10–13, 2026).

The title of Top Trainer is awarded to whichever yard accumulates the most winners across the 28 races at Prestbury Park.

Irish yards have dominated this battle in recent years, with Willie Mullins winning it repeatedly, but leading British and Irish rivals are keen to challenge in 2026.

With ante-post markets priced up and early stable news emerging, here’s a look at the top trainers in contention and how their chances stack up.

Mullins To Extend Cheltenham Dominance?

Mullins arrives at Cheltenham 2026 as the overwhelming favourite in the Top Trainer markets on betting sites, with best prices around 1/6 on many books.

He has been crowned Top Trainer at the Festival for the past seven renewals and has amassed a record 113 winners over his career at Prestbury Park - more than any other handler in history.

This season, the Closutton maestro brings an army of strong contenders across all divisions, including standout prospects in the Supreme Novices’, Ryanair Chase and other big races, meaning he doesn’t need all his stars to fire to stay ahead.

Mullins’ sheer depth - a blend of seasoned Grade 1 performers and well-placed handicap horses - makes him very hard to beat in the race for top trainer once again.

Henderson Looking To Break Irish Stranglehold

Nicky Henderson is once again leading the home challenge and is the shortest priced of the British trainers with most betting apps to finish as top trainer at the 2026 Festival.

The Seven Barrows handler has a legendary Festival record himself, with 73 winners and multiple Leading Trainer titles, but hasn’t claimed the top spot since 2012.

This year, his team has some high-grade chances, although the absence of stars like Constitution Hill - now retired to a flat career - and uncertainty over other entries disrupts the picture somewhat.

Still, Henderson’s strength in novice hurdles and championship races means he could accumulate winners early and keep the pressure on the Irish contingent.

Elliott Still A Major Festival Force

Gordon Elliott is another experienced Festival operator, and he is the biggest danger to Mullins if the Cheltenham odds are to be believed.

The Meath-based trainer has taken the accolade twice before and remains dangerous thanks to a strong spread of contenders, particularly in staying races and competitive handicaps.

His entries have shown good form through the season and have placed in high-class contests, meaning inconsistency in one or two races doesn’t derail his chances overall.

Elliott’s path to the top trainer crown typically combines one or two feature victories with multiple smaller wins, and he will be hoping that Brighterdaysahead can give him his first Champion Hurdle win on the opening day.

Skelton Could Surprise

Dan Skelton heads into the 2026 Cheltenham Festival as one of Britain’s most progressive trainers and could be poised for a significant week at Prestbury Park.

The Warwickshire handler has steadily built a deeper and stronger squad over the past few seasons, giving him credible chances across both graded contests and competitive handicaps.

His team includes horses capable of running prominently in some of the Festival’s biggest races, which is essential if he is to challenge for the leading trainer title.

He may not have the numerical strength of the dominant Irish yards, but a sharp strike-rate and a couple of marquee wins would put him firmly in the mix.

Other Trainers To Mention

Beyond the main quartet, Paul Nicholls remains a major Festival figure and is always capable of producing a multi-winner week when his team is in form.

Gavin Cromwell continues to enhance his Cheltenham reputation with carefully targeted runners who often outperform market expectations, as seen last year with Inothewayurthinkin's Gold Cup win.

Henry de Bromhead, meanwhile, has repeatedly shown his ability to land championship prizes when it matters most, although his team for 2026 is not as strong as in recent years.

Any of those three could make their presence felt if they build early momentum, but sustained success across all four days is usually required to claim the top trainer crown.

Do you think anyone can get the better of Willie Mullins this year, or will it be another demolition job for the legendary Irish trainer? Let us know in the comments below!