Racing at Cheltenham: the track
Left-handed, undulating with a punishing uphill finish — the ultimate stamina test over jumps. Races here are run from 14f to 32.5f, most commonly around 17f, with an average field of 12 runners — from 1,210 Cheltenham races in our database.
The Cheltenham data that actually repeats
Before you back anything at Cheltenham, three numbers matter — and they come from 1,210 Cheltenham races in our settled-results database, not a pundit's hunch.
How often the favourite wins at Cheltenham
The SP favourite has won 31.7% of races at Cheltenham across 1,210 races. That is roughly the market-wide average — meaning the favourite still loses around two races in three here. Blind favourite-backing is not a plan at Cheltenham.
It's not just about winning: the Cheltenham favourite is placed 57.8% of the time (finishing in the official frame), which matters if you back each-way.
The ground shifts the picture too — on soft or heavy going the Cheltenham favourite wins 30.5% (718 races), versus 33.5% on good or firmer (492 races). Check the going before you trust the market.
Trainers with the best Cheltenham record (last 12 months)
| Trainer | Runners | Wins | Strike rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Skelton | 79 | 14 | 17.7% |
| W P Mullins | 64 | 8 | 12.5% |
| Nicky Henderson | 38 | 4 | 10.5% |
| Henry De Bromhead | 36 | 4 | 11.1% |
| Joe Tizzard | 24 | 4 | 16.7% |
Jockeys with the best Cheltenham record (last 12 months)
| Jockey | Rides | Wins | Strike rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Skelton | 59 | 13 | 22.0% |
| Harry Cobden | 35 | 6 | 17.1% |
| Sean Bowen | 44 | 5 | 11.4% |
| Sam Twiston-Davies | 38 | 4 | 10.5% |
| Ben Jones | 29 | 4 | 13.8% |
Trainer and jockey records: all Cheltenham runners in the last 12 months, minimum 8 runs, from our settled-results database. Favourite strike-rate: every Cheltenham race with a priced favourite, 2015 onwards. Most recent qualifying Cheltenham winner in our data: Gaelic Warrior (GER) (5/2, 2026-03-13).
How our Cheltenham tips are made
This isn't a tipster's opinion. The same engine that measures the records above scores every runner at Cheltenham each morning — form, class, the draw, the going, trainer and jockey signals across 11 years of UK & Irish results — and publishes a rated pick for every race before the off. Win or lose, every selection is logged on our public track record (verified 34.4% on max-bet selections).
Cheltenham tips — FAQs
What are today's Cheltenham tips?
There's no racing at Cheltenham today. When Cheltenham next races, our model publishes a rated pick for every race before the off — get them free on Telegram.
How often does the favourite win at Cheltenham?
The SP favourite has won 31.7% of races at Cheltenham across 1,210 races in our settled-results database. That's why we rate every runner rather than backing the market blind.
Which trainers do best at Cheltenham?
Over the last 12 months the leading yard at Cheltenham is Dan Skelton (14 wins from 79 runners, 17.7%). The full trainer and jockey breakdown is above.