Welsh Grand National winner Haiti Couleurs is on course for a shot at the Cheltenham Gold Cup following a success in the Denman Chase at Newbury. The nine-year-old chaser won the Grade Two contest by seven lengths, beating L’Homme Presse, who had to settle for second place.
The victory for Rebecca Curtis’ runner was an important one, as it has convinced his trainer that they are on the right path ahead of the Blue Riband event at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
One of the Leading Chances for the Home Team
Haiti Couleurs is considered one of Britain’s best chances of winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup for the first time since 2018. He is now +800 in the betting on Cheltenham Festival for the feature race.
With proven stamina, Haiti Couleurs is likely to be one of the leading Cheltenham tips for this year’s Gold Cup. He was triumphant in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow earlier in the season, and he is already a Cheltenham Festival winner, as he won the National Hunt Challenge Cup in 2025.
Haiti Couleurs was set to test himself against some of the leading chasers in the 3m division at the Dublin Racing Festival in the Irish Gold Cup; however, travel problems prevented Curtis’ runner from making the trip across the Irish Sea. With a victory going his way at Newbury, he has now had his final prep run before the Cheltenham Festival.
Irish Challengers Appear Strong This Year
Recent Irish Gold Cup winner Fact To File may spearhead Ireland’s challenge in this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup. The Leopardstown winner does not have an entry in the Cheltenham feature, but his owner is considering supplementing their horse for the race.
Fact To File overcame a strong field at the Dublin Racing Festival that included stablemate Gaelic Warrior and dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs. All three of those horses are on course to tackle the day four contest at the Cheltenham Festival.
The front three from the Irish Gold Cup are also likely to be joined in the race by Cotswold Chase winner Spillane’s Tower. James Mangan’s runner was successful on Cheltenham Trials Day, beating L’Homme Presse and Grey Dawning in the Gold Cup Trial. That victory should give the horse’s connections optimism about his chances of further success at the course.
Defending Champion May Not Line Up
Last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Inothewayurthinkin, may not line up in the latest renewal of the Blue Riband event, as his form this season has been disappointing. The Irish horse has featured three times, and he has finished a long way behind the winner on each occasion.
On his most recent start, Inothewayurthinkin fell at the last fence in the Irish Gold Cup. The eight-year old was tired in the closing stages of that race and made a mistake at the final obstacle. That result has left his connections thinking about their options for the rest of the campaign.
The final declarations for the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup will be revealed on March 11, with the race scheduled for the final day of the Cheltenham Festival on March 13.
