Cheltenham Festival 2026: Was it the year of the outsider at the four-day festival?

So who is doing all this? In short, it strengthens the bettors.

Speaking to ITV Racing, punter Jerry White said: “The punters were literally on the ropes from the start, most of the shorts expected to win were beaten.

“Honestly, if we had dumped piles of money all over the course and set it on fire, it would have taken a lot of time.”

But coach Dan Skelton said “everyone has really embraced” having fewer short-priced winners and it showed the depth of talent in the sport.

“This sport has it all,” Skelton told BBC Radio 5 Live. “When I got into this, I felt like the depth was better than ever.

“We’re used to short-priced winners. This year that’s less and less and everyone’s really embraced it. The crowds have been phenomenal.”

Festival organizers are also smiling; The number of participants increased every year, from 218,093 to 226,223 in 2025.