Cheltenham Festival Hunter Chase Entries 2026 - 35 Entered for Amateur Riders' Gold Cup

35 hunter chasers have been entered for the 2026 St James’s Place Hunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The race is commonly referred to as the amateurs’ Gold Cup given its proximity to the big race. The contest is the penultimate race at the Festival, beginning just forty minutes after the blue riband. Plenty of racing’s grassroots figures are set to be represented by former classy rules chasers too.

They are headed by 2025 hero Wonderwall and three-time runner-up Its On The Line. The former got the better of the latter in a tight finish last season. He is trained by Sam Curling in Ireland and has won his last four, while Its On The Line represents powerful owner JP McManus. McManus will be seeking a fifth winner in this contest.

Former Cheltenham Festival hero Stattler is also among the entries. He was a winner of the National Hunt Chase in which Chemical Energy was second the following season. The pair are luminaries of the Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott yards respectively, while Panda Boy has contested a Grand National in the past.

Golden Son will be a representative for Paul Nicholls should he run, though the most romantic winner could be Con’s Roc. He has only ever raced in point-to-points and hunter chases, showing excellent form and is trained by Terence O’Brien.

2026 Cheltenham Hunter Chase Entries