13:20 Cheltenham

Friday 13 March 2026

All13:2014:0014:4015:2016:0016:4017:20

JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

4YO only | Class 1 | 2m 179y | 20 Runners | Turf

Apolon De Charnie¹⁸¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins

20/1

Last of 6 in maiden only outing on Flat but much more like it when 6 lengths second of 18 to Proactif in newcomers race at Auteuil on hurdling debut. Willie Mullins has acquired both and while this one hasn't raced since, that's no concern given yard he represents.

Form: 2

Berto Ramirez¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: A J McNamara| OR: 115

250/1

Has garnered plenty of experience on the level without winning and right up against this on what he's achieved over hurdles.

Form: 574

Fantasy World^p1²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| BF

50/1

A useful performer on Flat who signed off for Andrew Balding with victory in 1m6f Ascot listed race in October. Changed hands for 600,000 gns after and looks expensive on what he's achieved both starts over hurdles. Cheekpieces go on and he is in expert hands.

Form: 43

Forty Fifty¹⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Burke| T: W P Mullins| BF

33/1

Tongue tied when 7¼ lengths fourth of 14 to Macho Man in newcomers hurdle at Auteuil. Has left N. George & A. Zetterholm and another to transfer to Willie Mullins. Quite a tall order on the face of it but yard won the race with a hurdles newcomer a year ago.

Form: 4

Indian River⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Kielan Woods| T: A Keatley| OR: 122| D

66/1

Shaped well in a pair of 1m4f maidens in Ireland for John Joseph Murphy and has taken extremely well to hurdling for his new yard, able to shrug aside mistakes when completing the hat-trick on handicap debut at Sedgefield. This is a totally different environment but he's promising.

Form: 111

Kai Lung^h⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins

33/1

Fairly useful Flat winner for Francois Rohaut who took advantage of a significant mistake from Mon Creuset when making a winning hurdles debut fitted with a hood at Naas in January. Could do with settling down and that aforementioned runner looks more interesting.

Form: 1

Lord Byron^p¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Ben Jones| T: Faye Bramley| OR: 123| BF

66/1

Fairly useful form when runner-up on second of 2 Flat starts for Aidan O'Brien and sound start over hurdles for new connections, 4 lengths fourth to Maestro Conti in Grade 2 Finesse at Cheltenham. Later errors told when occupying same spot at Kelso (with cheekpieces on) and limit looks established.

Form: 244

Macho Man⁵⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| BF

12/1

Decisive winner of 14-runner juvenile at Auteuil for Gabriel Leenders and having joined Willie Mullins, he shaped well when second of 8 to stablemate Proactif at Fairyhouse in January. Expected to build on that and helps form a very strong hand for the yard.

Form: 1-2

Maestro Conti⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 135| CD

7/1

Made a winning debut in France for Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm and looked a smart recruit for Dan Skelton when readily following up at Kempton over Christmas. Overcame keenness and a slightly troubled passage to follow up in the Finesse on Trials Day and he could be smart.

Form: 111

Minella Academy¹¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| D

11/1

Heavily backed and ran out an 8-length winner on debut at Cork for John Nallen in November. Bare form is ordinary but since transferred to Willie Mullins so he's open to plenty of progress.

Form: 1

Minella Study⁹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Ryan Mania| T: A Nicol| OR: 139| CD

5/1

Unbeaten in 3 hurdles (trained by John Nallen in Ireland for first win) making all in listed Wensleydale at Wetherby in October on first run for Adam Nicol. Improved again to comfortably see off a useful one over C&D in December and that form right up there with best on offer.

Form: 1-11

Mon Creuset⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: H Cobden| T: W P Mullins| BF

20/1

French bumper winner who was much better than end result starting out over hurdles for Willie Mullins at Naas in January, making a very serious error 2 out and not knocked about after. Backed at big prices for this and he could be a big improver.

Form: 1-4

North Shore³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell

25/1

Useful on the Flat and made encouraging start in this sphere when 11 lengths third of 10 to Narciso Has in juvenile hurdle at Leopardstown on Boxing Day. Matched that form when fourth to that rival but has work to do with Selma de Vary.

Form: 34

One Horse Town²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Harry Derham| OR: 132| BF| C

40/1

Fair Flat winner for this yard and won first 4 stats over hurdles, including making all in a Grade 2 here in November. Trio of placed efforts since suggests his form has levelled off and his ceiling has been ascertained.

Form: 111322

Proactif⁵⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Mark Walsh| T: W P Mullins

9/2

Big-field winner at Auteuil and acquired by leading connections after, he looked potentially smart when delivering a very professional performance at Fairyhouse in January, 2¾ lengths too good for Macho Man. Demands respect.

Form: 1-1

Wolf Rayet^t³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: R T Dunne| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 120

175/1

Just modest form in 3 Flat outings for Donnacha O'Brien in 2024. Changed hands for 32,000 gns after and encouragement to glean from 3 hurdles runs this winter, albeit this is asking a lot.

Form: 243

Highland Crystal³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 133

7/1

Looked a filly with a bright future when making a winning debut at Punchestown in November and continued theme of big race-by-race progress when completing the hat-trick at Naas last month. Runner-up that day emphatically boosted the form on Tuesday so she's on the shortlist.

Form: 111

Noemie De La Vis⁵⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Daniel King| T: W P Mullins| BF

50/1

Tongue tied and a big price when runner-up at Compiegne in April for Mme P. Butel & J-L. Beaunez. Unable to advance her form when occupying same spot starting out for Willie Mullins at Fairyhouse in January but she definitely has a bigger performance in her.

Form: 2-2

Selma De Vary^h³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 136| D

10/3

French recruit who won 13-runner fillies juvenile at Auteuil in November by 9 lengths. Transferred to Willie Mullins and very promising start when runner-up to stablemate Narciso Has pitched into the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown last month. Can improve again.

Form: 2-512

Tenter Le Tout⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: G Sheehan| T: Chester Williams| OR: 123| D

50/1

Supplemented hurdles debut success in the Grade 2 Finale at Chepstow over Christmas. That wasn't a deep race by Grade 2 standards and was put in her place by a couple of these in the Triumph Hurdle Trial (Finesse) over C&D latest.

Form: 4116

Forecasts

Proactif (3/1), Selma De Vary (7/2), Minella Study (5/1), Maestro Conti (6/1), Macho Man (8/1), Highland Crystal (10/1), Mon Creuset (10/1), Minella Academy (12/1), Kai Lung (25/1), North Shore (25/1), Forty Fifty (33/1), Apolon De Charnie (33/1), One Horse Town (50/1), Tenter Le Tout (50/1), Noemie De La Vis (50/1), Fantasy World (66/1), Indian River (66/1), Lord Byron (66/1), Wolf Rayet (100/1), Berto Ramirez (150/1)

Willie Mullins saddles nearly half of the field but the British-trained MINELLA STUDY may trump them all for his small yard having created a very favourable impression over C&D in December. The runner-up that day did plenty for the form of that race on Tuesday and his limit hasn't been reached. Highland Crystal beat the Fred Winter winner last time so she demands respect, with Proactif perhaps the pick of the Closutton battalion.