Coral's trainers to watch at Cheltenham Festival 2026

Joe Tizzard

Coral ambassador Joe Tizzard has been having a great season with plenty of winners, and he is no stranger to a winner at Cheltenham. His horses tend to go well at the track and his biggest hopes could go much better than the market currently predicts that they will, for example Alexei in the wide-open Champion Hurdle and Kripticjim in the Turners. 

Nicky Henderson

Even without the season’s talking horse, Constitution Hill, Nicky Henderson never fails to send a strong team of runners to Cheltenham. Renowned as being THE trainer for preparing horses for the March Festival, the Seven Barrows-based handler approaches Cheltenham week with a very strong strike rate and has the likes of the well-fancied Old Park Star, Jonbon, Jango Baie and Lulamba to look forward to over the week. 

Gordon Elliott

The County Meath-based trainer has been in notably strong form all season long, and has a very good record of training winners at the Cheltenham Festival. He has an astounding number of entries over the week, making his potential to add to his winning tally look all the higher,  and he might even hit 70 total winners at Cheltenham if he has at least three winners over the 28 races.

Willie Mullins

Such a powerful trainer that he was both Champion in Britain and Ireland last year, a runner of Willie Mullins’ can never be ignored. He has trained four of the last 7 winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and the market fancies him to add to that statistic this year with Gaelic Warrior. Closing in on 125 winners at Cheltenham Racecourse, Mullins is the trainer with the upset the British apple cart and can be expected to do so again. 

Emma Lavelle

One of the top five most successful trainers at Cheltenham this term with a current strike rate of 43% at the track, Emma Lavelle’s Festival runners aren’t too high in the betting at present, but punters would be unwise to disregard her. Having amassed nearly £1million in prize money at the track over time, Lavelle is looking for her 20th course winner this year and this is typically a good time of year for the yard. Her biggest Festival hope, Ma Shantou, is three from three at Cheltenham so far this season, which promises plenty.

More Cheltenham betting

As well as a rundown of our longshot tips, Coral has more specific information on Cheltenham Festival, including a rundown of each day, so bettors can stay informed.

• Cheltenham Festival betting hub page

• Cheltenham Festival Tuesday betting page

• Cheltenham Festival Wednesday betting page

• Cheltenham Festival Thursday betting page

• Cheltenham Festival Friday betting page

• Coral's longsghot picks for Cheltenham Festival

• Coral's jockeys to look out for at Cheltenham Festival

View the latest Cheltenham betting odds

All odds and markets correct as of date of publication.