Cheltenham Trials Day 2026 Tips - Selections through the full card on Saturday
This article offers expert tips for the Cheltenham Trials Day 2026. The races are expected to be challenging due to soft ground conditions following predictions of rain. Key recommendations include betting on Barlovento at 12:05pm and The Blue Room at 4:10pm. Barlovento is considered underrated, having shown strong potential in previous races with a modest weight rise. The Blue Room is viewed as an overlooked contender, demonstrating impressive performances at Grade Two level. Prepare for a thrilling day as each race promises intense competition.
- Free tips through the full card on Cheltenham Trials Day 2026
- Key trials for the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Stayers' Hurdle will take place on Saturday
- Lord Byron, Grey Dawning and The Blue Room feature in our selections
Trials Day Tips
- 12:05pm Cheltenham - Novices' Handicap Chase Tips
- 12:40pm Cheltenham - Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle Tips
- 1:15pm Cheltenham - Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase Tips
- 1:50pm Cheltenham - Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase Tips
- 2:25pm Cheltenham - Cotswold Chase Tips
- 3:00pm Cheltenham - Unibet Hurdle Tips
- 3:35pm Cheltenham - Cleeve Hurdle Tips
- 4:10pm Cheltenham - AIS Novices' Hurdle Tips
Free tips through the full card on Trials Day at Cheltenham this Saturday.
Cheltenham hosts their excellent Trials Day card this weekend. The ground at National Hunt racing HQ is already soft, and there's nothing but rain in the forecast for the foreseeable future, so I'm expecting conditions to be rather testing come Saturday afternoon.
Here are my best betting tips for every race at Cheltenham this Saturday.
Cheltenham Trials Day 2026 Tips
12:05pm Cheltenham - Novices' Handicap Chase Tips
I was keen on BARLOVENTO (9/2) going into Kempton's Christmas Festival, and was delighted to see Olly Murphy's charge get off the mark over fences.
Barlovento had run well in defeat behind U Cant Be Serious at Exeter, and jumped even better on his second start over the larger obstacles. Sean Bowen's mount travelled menacingly into contention, hitting the front after the second-last, but got in a little too tight to the final flight, which allowed his rivals to fight back on the run to the line.
I thought Barlovento was much better value for his victory than the winning margin suggests, and a mere four pound rise seems lenient. Murphy's charge should handle soft ground, and the way Barlovento travels will be an asset around the Old Course.
12:40pm Cheltenham - Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle Tips
This race has been extremely good for punters down the years, and both of the top two in the betting, Maestro Conti and Minella Yoga have won on heavy ground. I rarely back juveniles at such short prices, so I'm going to take a chance on LORD BYRON (33/1) at much longer odds.
Faye Bramley's recruit raced twice on the flat for Aidan O'Brien during the autumn, finishing fifth over a mile on debut before a solid runner-up effort over 14 furlongs at Navan. Harry Cobden gave Lord Byron a steady ride on his hurdling debut at Exeter, but Bramely's charge finished his race strongly to cross the line just a length behind market-rival Klycot.
Lord Byron dealt with heavy going well that day, and Klycot has proven himself to be a fairly precocious juvenile since. The in-form Ben Jones comes in for the ride this afternoon, and he won't be worried about Lord Byron's ability to handle testing going.
1:15pm Cheltenham - Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase Tips
Jagwar won the novices' handicap chase on this card 12 months ago, before going on to score in the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival. Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero's star was a huge eyecatcher on his belated reappearance in the December Gold Cup, and I expect Jagwar will take a whole heap of beating on Saturday.
That being said, I like one at a much longer price. DONNACHA (20/1) looked progressive as a novice chaser last term, winning soft-ground handicaps at Exeter and Chepstow, and remains on a decent mark after three defeats this season.
Donnacha was challenging Filanderer on his reappearance at Ffos Las, before a terrible blunder at the second-last put an end to his chances. Nigel Hawke's star has since been narrowly beaten by U Cant Be Serious at Exeter, and had to settle for second again on his most recent outing at Chepstow, where he was giving well over a stone to the winner, Lunar Discovery.
This is a big step up in class for Donnacha, and he's never raced at Cheltenham before. However, James Davies' mount is a straightforward sort, who handles testing ground and enters near the bottom of the weights.
1:50pm Cheltenham - Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase Tips
I rarely bet in the Cross Country Handicaps at Cheltenham, but I do feel like ANNUAL INVICTUS (25/1) is overpriced. Chris Gordon's star won the Great Yorkshire Handicap off this mark of 137 in 2024, and was only beaten a neck by Minella Cocooner in the bet365 Gold Cup off 143 a few months later.
Annual Invictus missed all of last year through injury, and has suffered 30-length defeats on his two starts around Newbury this term. Freddie Gordon's mount will only have to shoulder 11-2 on Saturday, and he's a classy, versatile type who should take well to the Grand National course.
2:25pm Cheltenham - Cotswold Chase Tips
I won't be spending too much time covering the big Graded races on Saturday, as most are fairly unappealing, small-field affairs.
GREY DAWNING (4/7) has been trained for this contest since his victory in the Betfair Chase. If Dan Skelton's star can't beat two aging rivals in L'Homme Presse and Flooring Porter, and an out-of-form Spillane's Tower, then he's got no chance of challenging the big guns in the Gold Cup.
3:00pm Cheltenham - Unibet Hurdle Tips
Read our guide to the 2026 Unibet Hurdle to find out who we've backed in this new Champion Hurdle trial.
Visit our Unibet Hurdle Live Stream page if you plan on watching any of Saturday's races from Cheltenham via a mobile or tablet.
3:35pm Cheltenham - Cleeve Hurdle Tips
I'd be surprised if IMPOSE TOI (Evens) was beaten en-route to the Stayers' Hurdle. Nicky Henderson's eight-year-old has been completely transforms since stepping up to three miles, beating Strong Leader in both the Long Distance Hurdle and the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
Henderson's star has run well around Cheltenham before, unlike Strong Leader, who never seems comfortable at this venue. Ma Shantou has to prove that he's up to Grade Two level, and Doddiethegreat has plenty to find with his market-topping stablemate after their meetings this season.
4:10pm Cheltenham - AIS Novices' Hurdle Tips
Act Of Innocence and Taurus Bay have both impressed this season, and warrant their places in the market. However, THE BLUE ROOM (10/1) placed at Grade Two level on his most recent outing, and can be backed a double-figure price.
Olly Murphy's six-year-old ran well in bumpers last term, and did just enough to score on his hurdles debut at Chepstow. Sean Bowen decided to track No Drama This End in the Winter Novices' Hurdle, and was travelling every bit as well as the odds-on favourite approaching the second-last. The Blue Room slowed down markedly going into the penultimate flight - giving away a good three of four lengths to the field - and had to fight back bravely to finish a five-length second to Paul Nicholls' star.
Olly Murphy will have been delighted with that performance, and even more pleased to see No Drama This End frank that form in the Challow Hurdle. The Blue Room has handled testing ground well in the past, and I fancy he's been overlooked in this fascinating card-closer.
Verdict
Top Tips for Trials Day at Cheltenham:
Barlovento
12:05pm Cheltenham
@9/2 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £40
in free bets
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply.
The Blue Room E/W
4:10pm Cheltenham
@10/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
with bonus code NEWBONUS
Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad
Donnacha E/W
1:15pm Cheltenham
@20/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £10
with promo code NEWBONUS
Join betgoodwin with promo code NEWBONUS and get access to their Bet £10 Get £10 as a free ACCA welcome offer. 18+ only. T&Cs apply.
Lord Bryon E/W
12:40pm Cheltenham
@33/1 - 5 Units
Bet £5, Get £20 + 2 Odds Boosts
Promo Code: NEWBONUS
Bet £5+ to receive £20 in Free Bets + 2 Rocket Odds Boosts on your 1st deposit. New customers only. 7-day free bet expiry. Stake not returned. Promotional Terms Apply. 18+. GambleAware.org
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