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Episode 10 of Upping The Ante sees David Jennings and Johnny Gooden continue the countdown to the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, with much of the focus falling on the rapidly emerging Old Park Star, who is firmly positioned as a leading Supreme Novices’ Hurdle contender. Trials Day markets, Champion Hurdle implications around Sergino, and Gold Cup clues via Grey Dawning are all assessed through Johnny’s familiar value-first lens, while big-price Festival angles such as No Walk Over and tracker horse Shaunie Khan underline the episode’s recurring theme: patience, perspective, and resisting the temptation of underpriced hype.
Episode 10 of Upping The Ante felt like a proper reality check as we moved another step closer to the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. While there’s plenty of noise building around short-priced ante-post favourites, my main takeaway was the importance of keeping perspective and not forcing bets for the sake of action. Old Park Star clearly stood out as the horse generating the most excitement, but even there the discussion was as much about price, timing and patience as raw ability. With Trials Day approaching, races like the Cotswold Chase and International Hurdle offered useful Festival clues rather than betting opportunities, while the addition of No Walk Over to my Festival squad summed up the balance I’m trying to strike, selective, speculative, and always value-driven.
4.5/5
| Horse | Race | Trainer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Park Star | Supreme Novices’ Hurdle | Not mentioned | Standout novice; relentless galloper and very hard to pass |
| Mighty Park | Supreme / Turners Novices’ Hurdle | Not mentioned | Could enter the picture with another big win |
| Grey Dawning | Cotswold Chase | Not mentioned | Expected winner; short-priced favourite |
| Spillane’s Tower | Cotswold Chase | Not mentioned | Only real danger to Grey Dawning; now-or-never profile |
| Sergino | Champion Hurdle | Not mentioned | Potentially best horse in training; favourite |
| The New Lion | Champion Hurdle | Not mentioned | Main threat to Sergino; confidence questioned after fall |
| No Walk Over | Champion Bumper | David Pipe | Added to Festival squad; big-price, strong visual impression |
| Shaunie Khan | Not specified | Not mentioned | One for Racing Post Tracker; expected to win next time |
| Stafford Or Not | Handicap Hurdle (Gordon Park) | Not mentioned | Midweek selection; thrives in deep ground |
| Tell Me For France | Stayers’ Hurdle | Not mentioned | Long absence; big engine if ground is testing |
