Date: Friday 13th March 2026
The Gold Cup trends remain brutally strong and once again they point towards the top of the market. Irish-trained runners continue to dominate this race, and the ideal profile is still a high-class staying chaser aged 7 to 9 with Grade 1 form and enough Cheltenham experience already in the book.
Recent winners have also tended to arrive after a light but high-quality campaign and that remains a major positive. This year’s race looks deep, but the ratings still narrow it down to a very manageable group.
These are the three that come out best on the Turf Talk figures.
TURF TALK RATINGS - LEADING CONTENDERS
| Horse | Turf Talk Rating |
|---|---|
| Gaelic Warrior | 229 |
| Jango Baie | 221 |
| The Jukebox Man | 217 |
| Inothewayurthinkin | 206 |
| Haiti Couleurs | 198 |
| Grey Dawning | 184 |
| Envoi Allen | 171 |
The ratings again place strong emphasis on age, Grade 1 class, Irish-trained strength, previous Cheltenham experience and whether the horse has already shown the blend of stamina and pace required for a modern Gold Cup.
MAIN SELECTION
Gaelic Warrior (5/1 available)
He comes out top on the ratings and looks the most likely winner on profile.
He has the age, the Grade 1 class and the Festival form, and the step up in trip over the last year has turned him into a very serious Gold Cup contender. He also comes from the yard that has absolutely dominated this race in the modern era.
BACKUP SELECTION 1
Jango Baie (6/1 available)
The most obvious danger and one who still has the profile of a horse improving into a race like this.
The Arkle route has translated well into staying chases for some top-class horses and he looks very well suited by the stiffer Gold Cup test. He has enough speed and class to make him a very serious player.
BACKUP SELECTION 2
The Jukebox Man (9/2 available)
Another very strong contender who makes huge appeal on current form.
He has progressed rapidly over fences, arrives with a major staying chase win in the book and has the right age profile for the race. He still has a little more to prove than the top two at Festival level, but he is impossible to leave out of the shortlist.
SUMMARY
Gaelic Warrior tops the ratings and gets the vote, with Jango Baie the biggest danger and The Jukebox Man another very strong alternative in a race where Irish-trained class and the right age profile continue to dominate.
