Prestbury Cup Odds: Can the Irish be stopped?

One of the many stories of the Cheltenham Festival is the competition between British and Irish trainers for the Prestbury Cup, awarded to the side with the most winners across the week.

I've had a look at the Prestbury Cup Odds for 2026, pondering the all-important question - can the Irish be stopped?

Ireland have won the Prestbury Cup nine times since its inception in 2014, while Great Britain have done so just twice. In 2019, there was a tie.

It's been total dominance from the visitors - and the odds imply more of the same this year, with Ireland as short as 1/7 to have the most winners at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.

Great Britain are 6/1 to do what hasn't been done in 10 years and hit that magic number of 15 or more winners across the week, while it's 14/1 about another stalemate.

A quick look at the markets for all 28 races suggests this is a fair assessment of the state of play. Of all the favourites, using NRNB prices at time of publication, only nine are British-trained and the other 19 will be making the journey across the Irish Sea.

It makes for pretty grim reading for the British - although it's not completely hopeless.

The home team often make a good start and it could be a similar story on Tuesday. Nicky Henderson's Old Park Star has a huge chance in the Supreme and stablemate Lulamba could easily follow up in the Arkle half-an-hour later. Then it's the Ultima, which almost always goes to a British trainer.

It would be semi-interesting if the scoreline was 3-0 after the first three races, but there's no getting away from the inevitable avalanche of Irish winners as the meeting progresses.

One thing I will say is, I'm hopeful of a good year for the Brits in all of the handicaps, not just the Ultima. There's some big chances in the majority of those races, and in general I think the handicapper has been kinder than usual.

There's also a couple of live ones in the Gold Cup - namely Jango Baie and King George hero The Jukebox Man - as well as the likes of The New Lion and Golden Ace in the Champion Hurdle, No Drama This End in the Turners, Kabral Du Mathan in the Stayers'.

A lot of luck is required, but I don't think it's quite a foregone conclusion. Not far off, mind you.

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