Cheltenham: Local heroes favored in Grade 1 jump races
The 9-year-old geldings Fact to File and Teahupoo have thrived at Cheltenham Racecourse in western England the last few years, a consistency that will make them favorites to win Grade 1 races on Thursday’s third day of the four-day National Hunt festival.
Fact to File, trained in Ireland by Willie Mullins, was the 4-5 favorite in early betting on Tuesday to win Thursday’s $503,250 Ryanair Chase at 2 5/8 miles for the second consecutive year.
Fact to File recorded a commanding win by five lengths in the Grade 1 Irish Gold Cup at three miles at Leopardstown Racecourse on Feb. 1, ending a three-race losing streak in Grade 1 races since the 2025 Ryanair Chase. Fact to File won a Grade 1 chase for novices at Cheltenham in 2024,
On Thursday, Fact to File has eight rivals, including the popular 10-year-old gelding Jonbon, who has won 20 of 27 starts. Despite that record, Jonbon is winless in three starts in Grade 1 races at the Cheltenham festival since 2022, including an 18-length loss as the 5-6 favorite in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at two miles last year.
Jonbon has won two Grade 1 chases at Ascot this year.
Teahupoo will have a tougher time winning the $436,100 Stayers’ Hurdle against 10 rivals at three miles.
Trained in Ireland by Gordon Elliott, Teahupoo won the 2024 Stayers’ Hurdle, and was second by 1 3/4 lengths to Bob Olinger last year. Thursday’s race has such depth that the 11-year-old Bob Olinger was a 12-1 outsider in early betting on Tuesday.
Teahupoo was 11-4 on Tuesday, a clear favorite over three capable contenders in Kabral Du Mathan (9-2), Honestly Policy (5-1), and Ma Shantou (7-1).
Kabral Du Mathan won the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on Jan. 1. Honestly Policy was third in the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in December. Ma Shantou has won 3 of 4 career starts at Cheltenham.
Hewick, winner of the 2022 American Grand National in New Jersey, was 40-1 on Tuesday. An 11-year-old, Hewick is trained in Ireland by Shark Hanlon.
The Elliott-trained Wodhooh was 4-5 in early betting to win for the 10th time in her 11th start over obstacles in Thursday’s Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle at 2 1/2 miles. She is a standout in a field of seven in the $167,700 race.
Wodhooh won a 24-runner handicap hurdle for apprentice jockeys at 2 9/16 miles at Cheltenham last March. She is unbeaten in two starts in graded stakes at Ascot and Leopardstown during the current jump racing season.
Lossiemouth wins Champion Hurdle
The 7-year-old mare Lossiemouth extended her perfect record at Cheltenham with a handy win by 6 1/2 lengths in Tuesday’s Grade 1 Champion Hurdle at 2 1/16 miles.
Lossiemouth is the eighth mare to win the Champion Hurdle, and the fourth this decade, joining Epatante (2020), Honeysuckle (2021-2022), and Golden Ace (2025).
Golden Ace finished fifth of nine on Wednesday.
Lossiemouth, ridden by Paul Townend for Mullins, was always near the front in the $621,400 Champion Hurdle, stalking Brighterdaysahead, a 9-2 chance. Lossiemouth took the lead after the second-to-last hurdle and was clear through the uphill finish.
Lossiemouth paid $4.20 in American pools, the shortest-priced winner on the seven-race program.
Brighterdaysahead finished a half-length in front of 2-1 The New Lion.
Lossiemouth, a French-bred mare by the King’s Theatre stallion Great Pretender, has won 14 of 18 starts. She was second by 3 1/4 lengths to Brighterdaysahead in the Grade 1 Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Feb. 1.
Lossiemouth has won five times at Cheltenham, including four races at the festival. She won the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle for 4-year-olds in 2023, and the Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle in 2024 and 2025.
Mullins won the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar last November with 27-1 Ethical Diamond.
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Earlier on Tuesday’s opening-day program, the Mullins-trained Kargese, a 6-year-old mare, won the Grade 1 Arkle Chase for novices at two miles after leading most of the race. Kargese ($14.80) finished 2 1/4 lengths in front of 4-5 Kopek Des Borders, also trained by Mullins.
Kopek Des Borders made a critical jumping error at the last fence, essentially losing all chance.
In the day’s first race, Old Park Star ($5) remained unbeaten in four starts over hurdles with a smart-looking win in the Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 2 1/16 miles.
Old Park Star, trained in England by Nicky Henderson, stalked pacesetter Sober Glory (5-1) and beat that rival by 1 1/2 lengths.
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