The Cheltenham Festival ante-post markets are starting to liven up, with racing at Prestbury Park over the weekend giving even more clues to punters for three months’ time.
Matty Sutcliffe begun his quest for ante-post profit at the Festival months ago, with his latest best bet for the 2026 meeting coming in the Triumph Hurdle.
His selection ran at the weekend and could be a livewire British chance against the Irish battalions after impressing for a Grade 2 victory.
Triumph Hurdle – Minella Study 20/1 1pt EW 3 places
The Irish contingent predictably top the Triumph Hurdle market with Mange Tout and Narciso Has, who finished in that order in a Fairyhouse Grade Three that has thrown up Triumph winners such as Lossiemouth in the past. Outside of that couple however, you’d have to go down five horses in the market to find one that’s had a run in either Ireland or Britain, with Manlaga (Nicky Henderson), Proactive, Macho Man, Charme De Faust (Mullins) and Leopard Du Berlais (owners didn’t appear confident in bringing him over) heading Macktoad, who was an impressive performer on debut for the Moore’s at Sandown earlier this month.
Now there is a chance that we’re yet to see the best juvenile come March and it may be in the shape of one of those aforementioned laid soundly in their stables at Closutton, but both Mange Tout and Narciso Has don’t set a particularly high standard and there may be value in the 20/1 about Minella Study, who I thought put in a remarkable performance in the Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham on Saturday.
The Study Of Man gelding won a fairly moderate Tipperary 3YO Maiden Hurdle for John Nallen in July and subsequently changed hands to Adam Nicol, where he was beaten a neck by a subsequent twelve length winner on his flat debut for the yard. Connections then sent him to the Listed Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle at Wetherby where he overcame a bad error two out to fend off the formerly 90 rated flat horse in Amnes, who was previously unbeaten in both his two starts over hurdles. There appeared little fluke about that success with the third second to a Gordon Elliot trained mare in Listed company next time out, and the eleven length fourth was a comfortable five length winner for the Moore’s at Plumpton next time out.
Minella Study was a bet for the column on the back of that effort on Saturday and he posted one of the best, if not the best Juvenile performances we’ve seen this season. He was keen initially off what looked to be a slow gallop, but he hurdled fluently and had to be nimble to overcome a faller to the head of affairs where despite losing momentum, he was quickly back into his rhythm and able to recover his prominent position on the rail.
He was upsides the well-backed One Horse Town for the most part of the latter stages, and despite being well backed into 4/6F, he easily swooped by him and winged the last, powering up the Cheltenham hill in the manner of a fresh horse hitting the line strongly. I don’t think there was any obvious excuses for the favourite who was rated 131 going into the contest after winning the Grade Two Trial here at the November meeting, and the handicapper will subsequently ensure that the Fred Winter is out of the equation for Minella Study. He pulled six lengths clear of the second who was potentially favoured by his pitch in rear once the pace lifted and the field came back to him, and he was smart enough on the flat himself with a rating of 89.
It remains to be seen how worthy that form is, but visually it’s hard not to be anything else other than impressed with Minella Study in a race that’s thrown up Triumph clues in the past. Adagio won the race in 2020 and was subsequently beaten three lengths into second by Quilixios in the 2021 Triumph, Langer Dan was second in the race in 2019 with only an RPR of 125 and he was beaten just four lengths in the 2020 renewal, Apples Shakira was fourth in the 2018 Triumph after posting an RPR of 133 when winning this contest, and Defi Du Seuil completed the double in 2017.
I don’t think Minella Study’s performance was that far off, if at all, than those aforementioned and I certainly wouldn’t suggest it was any less impressive than Mange Tout’s Fairyhouse success who heads the betting so while we’re admittedly yet to see some of the better Juveniles, if Minella Study was trained by a more formidable name he’d by vying closer to the 10/1 favouritism than the current 20/1 and at this stage he’s my likely candidate of a winner, particularly given I think he’d be much better suited to a stronger gallop which he’ll receive in March.
FAQs: Cheltenham Festival ante-post tips
When & where is the Triumph Hurdle run?
The Triumph Hurdle will take place on Friday 13 March 2026 at 1.20pm at the Cheltenham Festival.
When was this Cheltenham ante-post tip published?
The Arkle ante-post tip was published at 11.10am on Monday 15 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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