Why 2026 was Cheltenham’s year of the outsiderImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Martator was the biggest-price winner at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival at 66-1ByCharlotte CoatesBBC Sport journalistPublished32 minutes agoThe 2026 Cheltenham Festival was the year of the outsider, with the average starting price of every winner at the meeting the highest it has been in the past 10 years at 14-1.And for the first time in six years, the Festival delivered two winners at 50-1 or more.The Venetia Williams-trained Martator beat Jazzy Matty to bring in the biggest-priced winner at 66-1 in Wednesday’s Grand Annual, while 50-1 shot Apolon De Charnie kicked off Friday’s racing with a surprise victory in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.What just happened?According to data supplied by RaceiQ, the average winning start price has risen from 12-1 to 14-1 year on year and is considerably up on the 10-year low of 7-1 recorded in 2024.Last year’s figure was also boosted by Poniros, which won at 100-1.This year, favourites have consistently failed to deliver, including Majborough which trailed home near the back of the field after going off as odd-on favourite in the Champion Chase.Kopek Des Bordes, Lulamba, Teahupoo and Jonbon all failed to lay a glove on the bookmakers while favourite Fact To File was withdrawn from Thursday’s Ryanair Chase by trainer Willie Mullins because of concerns over the ground.
In fact, Wodhooh, at 5-6, was the only odds-on favourite to win all week, being one of eight favourites to claim victory in the 28 races at the Festival – a success rate of less than 30%.
Other big-priced winners this week have included 40-1 shot White Noise in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle while Home By The Lee triumphed in the Stayers’ Hurdle at 33-1.
