Which horses are leading the home challenge for the Prestbury Cup?

Since its inception in 2014, the Prestbury Cup has been somewhat one-sided.

Brought in to add something to the rivalry between UK-based trainers and their Irish counterparts, few could have imagined the way the results have gone in the interim.

Things started well for the home team with a 15-12 win, it was tighter in 2015 with the deficit reduced to just one, but since Ireland’s 15-13 success in the first year since the current 28-race programme was introduced the season after, it has been one-way traffic bar a draw in 2019.

The low point for the home team was in 2021 when they could muster just five winners when the Festival was held behind closed doors.

In two recent editions Willie Mullins on his own has tended to outscore the home-based trainers with his incredible tallies of 10 in 2022 and 2025, but – and whisper it quietly – the champion trainer just might not be as well stacked this season.

Britain has tended to get off to a flying start on the Tuesday, although there was the ignominy in 2021 of the Prestbury Cup being decided with a full day to spare.

The Irish obsession with Cheltenham can be traced in some part back to Cottage Rake’s exploits in the Gold Cup between 1948-1950, but there were many years the visitors left empty-handed.

It was not until the turn of the century when things started to wing around with that man Mullins, who has now trained an incredible 113 winners at the meeting, which would have been unthinkable just 10 years ago.

The emergence of Gordon Elliott and Henry de Bromhead has forced Mullins to reach new heights, and their success has led to many owners from Britain sending their horses to be trained in Ireland.

But are there signs of a wind of change? Certainly this year there appears to be green shoots of recovery for the downtrodden home squad, and The Jukebox Man winning the King George hinted at better things to come.

While losing Sir Gino from the Champion Hurdle was a bitter blow for Nicky Henderson given he would have been a banker for many, there is still seemingly a stronger than usual squad ready to reclaim the Prestbury Cup.

Here, we take a look at the headline acts:

Old Park Star – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – Nicky Henderson

Incredibly Henderson’s first winner in the Festival opener was way back in 1986 with River Ceiriog and he has won it four times since, including with the great pair Altior and Shishkin. Old Park Star drew comparisons with those two the way he bounded clear at Haydock and while, like those two former Seven Barrows inmates who were even better over a fence, his best days may lie ahead, it will take a smart one to beat him.

Lulamba – Arkle Novices’ Chase – Nicky Henderson

As ever the first day of the meeting will be crucial for Henderson when all his big bullets tend to come early and there are none bigger than this lad. Touched off by a 100-1 Mullins newcomer in the Triumph Hurdle last year, he always looked a chaser and that is how it has proved. The way he attacked the final fences and flew up the hill at Sandown and his performance in the Game Spirit did nothing to detract from the feeling we are dealing with something special.

The New Lion – Champion Hurdle – Dan Skelton

A Festival winner 12 months ago, his season did not get off to the best start when falling in the Fighting Fifth but it shows the regard in which Skelton holds him that he was prepared to take on Sir Gino in January. While he was ultimately not that impressive, if he is ever going to win a Champion Hurdle it is surely this year.

No Drama This End – Turners Novices’ Hurdle – Paul Nicholls

Racing is better when Paul Nicholls is involved in the big races. The former champion trainer says what he thinks in victory and defeat, making his pre and post-race comments gold dust. Not many trainers have their own memes on social media, but Nicholls does because he enjoys the good days and No Drama This End has already given him a few. His experience in the Champion Bumper last year should stand him in good stead and he has barely come off the bridle in winning his three races over hurdles to date.

Bass Hunter – Champion Bumper – Chris Gordon

Chris Gordon is one of the most likeable characters in the game and had built up a niche reputation as something of a Plumpton specialist. However, in the last couple of years that has changed, with the quality in his yard rising coinciding with the success of his son, Freddie, in the saddle. This horse has a huge engine and if he can be kept calm beforehand, looks sure to play a hand in the finish and should he win, the scenes in the winner’s enclosure will be epic.

Ma Shantou – Stayers’ Hurdle – Emma Lavelle

Emma Lavelle knows exactly what it takes to win this race having done so with Paisley Park and if she is drawing comparisons between the two herself, you know we are dealing with a smart horse. His demolition job in the Cleeve Hurdle, beating Impose Toi in style, suggested the improving seven-year-old, who loves Cheltenham, will be a player.

Jango Baie – Gold Cup – Nicky Henderson

Most horses who win the Arkle are out-and-out two-milers who are immediately promoted to the head of the betting for the following year’s Champion Chase. Not this one. To say he won the Arkle in unusual circumstances is an understatement. In danger of being tailed off coming down the hill, he was still fourth at the second-last, which he walked through, but he flew up the hill to win going away. While only fourth in the King George he was only beaten half a length suggesting the Gold Cup trip is well within his grasp.