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Episode 11 of Upping The Ante continues the countdown to the 2026 Cheltenham Festival with Johnny Denine in typically forthright mood, as the episode is dominated by a strong stance on the Champion Hurdle picture and the belief that Lossiemouth must take her chance in the main event rather than sidestep to the Mares’. Alongside that headline view, the discussion ranges from ante-post staking strategy and how to turn a modest Festival bank into profit, to taking on several short-priced horses Johnny is keen to oppose across novice hurdles, chases and the bumper. Gold Cup doubts around Galopin Des Champs, confidence behind Triumph Hurdle hope Narcisso Has, and a renewed emphasis on discipline and selective punting reinforce the episode’s core message: back conviction early, question the favourites, and don’t be afraid to go against the market when the value isn’t there.
This episode leans heavily into opinion-led ante-post thinking, with Johnny Denine at his most uncompromising, particularly on the Champion Hurdle, where the case for Lossiemouth running in the main event rather than the Mares’ race is laid out with real conviction. For me, the episode is less about short-term results and more about mindset: how to approach Cheltenham betting with discipline, when to strike early (notably with Narcisso Has), and when to be brave enough to oppose fashionable favourites. The scepticism around Galopin Des Champs in a deeper Gold Cup, the willingness to take on single-figure novices, and the recurring emphasis on patience over hype all reinforce a familiar but valuable message – Cheltenham is won by asking hard questions of the market, not by blindly following it.
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 |
