News: despite the 10mm rain overnight and the official going being good to soft, soft in places, the trainer Jimmy Mangan has decided there’s not enough juice in the ground for his horse Spillane’s Tower to run. Yesterday another Irish handler Willie Mullins pulled Fact To File out of the big race as he considered the ground at Cheltenham hadn’t got enough ease in it.
Good morning from Cheltenham on the final day of the 2026 festival meeting, on what could be one of the most memorable days here for many a year if Harry Redknapp’s unbeaten chaser, The Jukebox Man, could give his popular and high-profile owner the win in the chasing’s championship race: the Gold Cup.
The Jukebox Man is one of three horses that were involved in a blanket finish to the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day – Jango Baie and Gaelic Warrior are the others – that are currently vying for favouritism for the day’s feature race. After plenty of rain overnight, meanwhile, support is also beginning to develop behind Haiti Couleurs, the Welsh Grand National winner, whose stamina is guaranteed.
Jon Pullin, the clerk of the course, reported this morning that the going at Cheltenham is now good-to-soft, soft in places on the chase track, after 10mm of rain overnight, and it is soft, good-to-soft in places on the hurdles course.
