As the most successful owner in Cheltenham Festival history, there aren’t too many Festival contests missing from the JP McManus CV. The highest profile absentee, and the only one of the big four to have eluded the Limerick native, is the Day 2 feature race, the Queen Mother Champion Chase. The odds suggested that may change in 2026, with the McManus-owned Majborough starting as the odds-on favourite on the day.
Brilliant last time out in the Dublin Chase and a Cheltenham Festival winner in the 2024 Triumph Hurdle, the Willie Mullins runner looked like the one to beat – if he could avoid the jumping errors that have plagued his chasing career.
Second favourite Il Etait Temps also hailed from the Mullins yard and arrived with six Grade 1 wins to his name. On the downside, he was well below his best in the Clarence House Chase in January and boasted form figures of 5-5-3 in his three previous appearances at the Cheltenham Festival.
Dan Skelton’s L’Eau du Sud was the clear pick of the home team on ratings. A dual winner at Cheltenham, he hadn’t managed to get his head in front at the Festival, but had performed with credit when finishing second in the 2024 County Hurdle and a close fourth in the 2025 Arkle. He had 18 lengths to find with Il Etait Temps on their Clarence House Chase clash, but that solid course form counted in his favour.
Henry de Bromhead’s Quilixios also ticked the Cheltenham Festival form box, having burst onto the scene with a win in the 2021 Triumph Hurdle. He was zero from two at the meeting, but led when falling at the last in the 2025 edition of this. Irish Panther caught the eye among the outsiders, meanwhile, having lost out only narrowly to the talented Romeo Coolio in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase.
Captain Guinness was the only previous Champion Chase winner in the field, having claimed the 2024 edition under Rachael Blackmore, but started as an unconsidered 50/1 chance this time around. Of the others, the Grade 1 winner Found A Fifty needed to leave his recent efforts well behind, while Brookie, Libberty Hunter, and Saint Segal had done most of their winning in handicap company.
Result
- 1st – Il Etait Temps 5/2, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd – Libberty Hunter 50/1, Jockey: Sean Bowen, Trainer: Mrs C Williams
- 3rd – L’Eau du Sud 13/2, Jockey: Harry Skelton, Trainer: Dan Skelton
Prize Money Breakdown
- 1st – £225,080
- 2nd – £84,800
- 3rd – £42,440
- 4th – £21,200
- 5th – £10,640
- 6th – £5,320
- 7th – £2,640
- 8th – £1,360
Tote and Forecast Payouts
- Tote Win – £3.50
- Tote Places – 1st – £1.30, 2nd – £8.00, 3rd – £1.60
- Exacta – £111
- Computer Straight Forecast (CSF) – £111.98
- Trifecta – £479
- Tricast – £759.53
Recap
Having made the running to such devastating effect in the Dublin Chase, many expected Mark Walsh to adopt similar tactics aboard Majborough once again. However, that plan went out of the window with a slightly tardy start, allowing Quilixios to seize the initiative. Saint Segal and Libberty Hunter put themselves on the back foot with significant errors at the first, but Majborough jumped it well to move onto the heels of the leader. The two greys, L’Eau du Sud and Il Etait Temps, came next, with a gap back to Irish Panther, Captain Guinness, and Brookie. Found A Fifty, Saint Segal, and Libberty Hunter made up the final trio.
Looking to increase the early pace, Mark Walsh kicked Majborough into the lead over the fifth fence. The market leader had opened up a five-length advantage by the sixth, with Quilixios remaining in second, followed by Irish Panther, L’Eau du Sud, and Il Etait Temps. Found A Fifty was finding the pace too hot, while Saint Segal pulled up at the back of the field.
So far, so good for Majborough, but it all began to unravel in the second half of the race. A small error at the eighth did little to halt his momentum, but that was followed by another at the ninth. Over the fourth last, Quilixios had closed the gap to Majborough to around a length, with four lengths back to L’Eau du Sud. Irish Panther, Captain Guinness, and Il Etait Temps came next, with a three-length gap back to Libberty Hunter and Brookie.
Having wobbled on landing over previous obstacles, Majborough ploughed through the top of the third last, losing significant momentum and all but ending his chance. Quilixios forged on from L’Eau du Sud, with Il Etait Temps beginning to make ground stylishly around the outside.
Sweeping into the lead over the second last, Il Etait Temps was five clear approaching the final fence. A jarring landing no doubt gave connections a fright, but he soon gathered himself to power to an impressive 10-length success. Only fifth over the final fence, Libberty Hunter flew home to grab second from L’Eau du Sud in third. Majborough only seventh.
It proved a seventh Grade 1 for Il Etait Temps, who showed he does handle Cheltenham after all, and a third Champion Chase for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend.
Runners
- 1. Brookie – SP: 150/1, Trainer: Anthony Honeyball, Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
- 2. Captain Guinness – SP: 50/1, Trainer: Henry de Bromhead, Jockey: Jordan Gainford
- 3. Found A Fifty – SP: 20/1, Trainer: Gordon Elliott, Jockey: Jack Kennedy
- 4. Il Etait Temps – SP: 5/2, Trainer: Willie Mullins, Jockey: Paul Townend
- 5. Irish Panther – SP: 16/1, Trainer: Eddie & Patrick Harty, Jockey: Kieren Buckley
- 6. L’Eau du Sud – SP: 13/2, Trainer: Dan Skelton, Jockey: Harry Skelton
- 7. Libberty Hunter – SP: 50/1, Trainer: Mrs C Williams, Jockey: Sean Bowen
- 8. Majborough – SP: 5/6F, Trainer: Willie Mullins, Jockey: Mark Walsh
- 9. Quilixios – SP: 14/1, Trainer: Henry de Bromhead, Jockey: Darragh O’Keeffe
- 10. Saint Segal – SP: 50/1, Trainer: Jane Williams, Jockey: Ciaran Gethings
Non-Runners
All ran.