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The release of the Cheltenham Festival handicap entries is usually a day of excitement and “plot” hunting. However, for many punters, Tuesday turned into a day of frustration as it was confirmed that the Gordon Elliott-trained The Wallpark—the long-time ante-post favorite for both the National Hunt Chase and the Kim Muir—does not feature in a single race.
As the news filtered through the betting shops and exchange forums this morning, the reaction was one of disbelief. The Wallpark had been backed into as short as 4/1 for the marathon novice events, with many viewing him as the “banker” of the handicap ranks following a staying-on second in the Grade 2 Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan earlier this month.
The silence from Cullentra House was finally broken by Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, who provided a blunt assessment of the situation that left many bettors feeling “burned.”
“He’s not going over,” Berry confirmed. “Everything is fine with the horse, but he was never going over. There is no real plan at the moment, but he’ll run somewhere at home, possibly the Irish Grand National.”
The revelation that the horse was “never” intended for the trip has sparked a fresh debate regarding the transparency of stable targets in the ante-post era. For those who backed the horse without the safety net of “Non-Runner No Bet” (NRNB) terms, the investment has vanished before the first roar of the Festival.
The removal of The Wallpark has caused a seismic shift in the staying handicap markets.
The Wallpark‘s season has been a curious one. After a stellar hurdles campaign that saw him finish third in the 2025 Stayers’ Hurdle, his transition to fences was initially sluggish with several heavy defeats. However, his recent Navan performance suggested he was finally “clued up” for a major spring prize—just not the one the public expected.
By keeping The Wallpark in Ireland, Gordon Elliott is clearly prioritizing the Irish Trainers’ Championship. Every penny of prize money counts in his titanic struggle with Willie Mullins, and a tilt at the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse offers a lucrative alternative to the grueling trip to the Cotswolds.
For the punters left holding worthless slips, the “Wallpark Affair” serves as a stark reminder of the risks inherent in the road to Cheltenham. The master of Cullentra still has a formidable squad heading to the Festival, but for many, the “banker” that wasn’t has left a bitter taste in the mouth.
