The Cheltenham Festival is now a little over two months away and the Christmas period has proven highly informative regarding the movements of the meeting’s ante-post markets.
With the action still fresh in the memory, Matty Sutcliffe has provided his latest ante-post thoughts for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival below, with his latest tip running in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
His selection can be backed at 10/1 in some ante-post markets, with his tip an unlucky loser at Leopardstown after Boxing Day.
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – Talk The Talk 10/1 1pt WIN
The cards in the deck of the Supreme Novices’ market have shuffled drastically over the Christmas period. Mydaddypaddy held all the aces prior to the Formby at Aintree, but Harry Fry’s Idaho Sun put a halt to that momentum when drawing away in good fashion from Mydaddypaddy, who found little off the bridle when mounting his challenge up the run in.
Old Park Star has subsequently overtaken him in the market, but he now shares the top spot with El Cairos, who looked set to run away with a Leopardstown Maiden Hurdle before stumbling at the last. While that looked to be on the verge of impressive, you’d have to question the form in behind slightly as the eventual winner was beaten 12 lengths on his hurdling debut, yet still managed to finish a nose in front of the supposedly highly regarded Doctor Du Mesnil.
Another horse who stumbled at the last at Leopardstown was Talk The Talk, who looked to be in the process of being a well backed 13/2 winner for the column before stumbling in almost similar fashion to El Cairos the day before, with Gordon Elliott this time being on the succeeding end with Skylight Hustle.
The son of Born To Sea travelled and hurdled fluently in rear off what looked to be a proper gallop set by Le Divin Enfant, a twenty three length winner of his maiden hurdle at Thurles. I was very impressed with the moved he made throughout the field just before the turn for home to join that one and the 3/1 favourite Skylight Hustle, who won his latest outing by a similar distance, and while it’s impossible to say with any objectivity Talk The Talk would’ve continued to pass that one, he arguably looked to have his measure coming to the last.
The mare in second had some strong back form in bumpers and the unbeaten Love Me Tender appeared to run his race too, so I’d be inclined to suggest that it was some of the strongest two mile novice form we’ve seen this season. An RPR of 147 was awarded to Talk The Talk and I’d suggest that may have been marginally higher had he stood up, which is around about the level where you’d like to see a potential Supreme winner perform to at this stage in the season. El Cairos couldn’t only manage 131 prior to his fall albeit that was in significantly weaker company, Old Park Star performed to 143, and the Formby pair produced RPR’s of 143 and 140 respectively.
I still think Talk The Talk is improving, and a strongly run Supreme is clearly going to play into his strengths as he’s proven three times now he’s capable of coming from off the pace. That Grade One has long provided strong clues to the Supreme with the likes of Romeo Coolio, Facile Vega and Abacadabras subsequently placing in the race, along with Appreciate It completing the double in the 2019/20 season and Talk The Talk can emulate that feat in March providing he’s none the worse for his stumble.
FAQs: Cheltenham Festival ante-post tips
When & where is the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Hurdle run?
The Triumph Hurdle will take place on Tuesday 10 March 2026 at 1.20pm at the Cheltenham Festival.
When was this Cheltenham ante-post tip published?
This Cheltenham ante-post tip was published at 8.20am on Wednesday 31 December 2025.
Who is Matty Sutcliffe?
Matty Sutcliffe is one of GG’s newest contributors and is now a regular guest on our flagship Weekend Watch podcast. His angle is value bets, making him a perfect fit for our Cheltenham Festival ante-post series.
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