Donn McClean’s Verdict On The 5 Biggest Clashes At Cheltenham 2026

Racing TV pundit Donn McClean previews a handful of the headline races at this week's Cheltenham Festival, focusing on key match-ups and assessing which horses may have the edge.

Donn gives his view on which of the runners will come out on top in five of the races over the four days. 

He gets things started with the second race from the opening day in which Lulamba and Kopek Des Bordes are neck and neck on betting sites to win the Arkle Trophy.

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Lulamba Vs Kopek Des Bordes: Arkle Trophy (Tue)

This is one of the most anticipated match-ups of the week, and it happens early.

Lulamba has won six of his seven races, his only defeat coming in the Triumph Hurdle last year, when he was beaten by a neck, and he is three for three over fences. 

He was impressive in the end in winning the Game Spirit Chase against more experienced rivals at Newbury last time, but he hit a flat spot before they turned for home that day.  

His turbo kicked in, and he came away from Saint Segal and won impressively, but the Game Spirit was run over two miles and half a furlong on heavy ground.  

The Arkle will be run over just less than two miles, probably on good to soft ground which is being watered.

It is going to be a much greater speed test than that presented at Newbury, and Lulamba may be vulnerable.

He is obviously a huge talent, but you can see him fulfilling his potential over longer trips next season. 

Kopek Des Bordes has not had the ideal preparation; he hasn’t run since he won his beginners’ chase at Navan in November, but he was very good that day.

His jumping warmed up nicely as the race progressed, and he ran out an impressive winner from a good horse in Lovely Hurling, a 145-rated hurdler.

He proved his class when he won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, and the vibes about him recently have been positive. He may just have Lulamba’s measure.

Verdict: Kopek Des Bordes

The New Lion Vs Lossiemouth: Champion Hurdle (Tue) 

The New Lion has been high in the betting for the Champion Hurdle for 12 months, since he won the Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Cheltenham Festival.

He has run just twice this season in open company. He fell at the second-last flight in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in November when he may or may not have beaten Golden Ace. We will never know. 

Then he won the International Hurdle at Cheltenham in January when he was ridden defensively. Connections’ primary objective was to get him around and get him home, and that’s exactly what he did.

He showed a fine turn of foot, too, from the final flight to get the better of Nemean Lion and Brentford Hope. They are good horses, but it’s not Champion Hurdle-winning form. 

He was getting 3lb from Nemean Lion, and Brentford Hope finished fourth in a 0-140 handicap hurdle next time.  

Of course, The New Lion is better than the bare form of that run suggests, but he is going to have to be a whole lot better if he is going to beat Lossiemouth, the favourite on horse racing bettng sites.

The inclusion of Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle picture adds hugely to the race. 

She is an incredible mare. She is four for four at Cheltenham, and gets her shot at the Champion Hurdle. 

Cheekpieces on for the first time could even elicit a little bit more improvement, and make her the one that they all have to beat.

Verdict: Lossiemouth

Majborough Vs The Rest: Champion Chase (Wed)

It is a shame that Marine Nationale has been ruled out of the Champion Chase. 

He is a loss to the race and to the entire meeting, and it would have been fascinating to have seen him and Majborough go toe-to-toe again.

In his absence, it is difficult to see past Majborough. 

The Triumph Hurdle winner of 2024, he was desperately unlucky not to win the Arkle last year. He made mistakes at three of the last four fences, including a significant one at the second last, and he still nearly got back up to win it.

Wodhooh Vs Jade De Grugy: Mares’ Hurdle (Thu)

Wodhooh is a remarkable mare. She has run 10 times over hurdles and won nine times, her only defeat coming at the hands of Lossiemouth in the Aintree Hurdle last April.

She proved that she could operate at Cheltenham when she won the Martin Pipe Hurdle at last year’s Festival, and she has proved this season that she can operate at graded race level with wins at Ascot and Leopardstown.  

And the move of the Mares’ Hurdle from Tuesday to Thursday, from the Old Course to the New Course, should suit.

It looks like Jade De Grugy is going to take her on, now that her stable companion Lossiemouth has been re-routed to the Champion Hurdle, and she is a worthy adversary.  

Second behind Lossiemouth in this race last year, she improved on that to win a Grade 1 mares’ hurdle at the Punchestown Festival last April. 

But her three runs this season have all been over fences, and it could be a big ask for her, taking on Wodhooh, who has had this race as her primary target for a long time.

Verdict: Wodhooh

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Bambino Fever Vs Oldschool Outlaw: Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Thu)

There may not be much in this. 

Oldschool Outlaw beat Bambino Fever in a maiden hurdle at Naas when they met there in December, and she has since run out an impressive winner of the Grade 3 Solerina Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

But Bambino Fever was making her seasonal debut that day, when Oldschool Outlaw had race fitness on her side. Bambino Fever has since landed short odds in a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Also, Bambino Fever proved her ability to operate at Cheltenham, and under Cheltenham Festival conditions, when she won the Champion Bumper last year. 

You know that she will arrive at Cheltenham on Thursday at concert pitch, but so will Oldschool Outlaw.  

She is progressive and talented, too, and there is no knowing how good she could be. It should be a cracking contest.

Verdict: Draw

Do you agree with Donn? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!