Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer Odds: Betting ‘without Willie’ could be the plan!

William Peter Mullins (69 years young) has been Top Trainer at the Cheltenham National Hunt Festival for the past seven years straight. In 12 of the last 15, in fact. He's a force of nature, period. Up there in this era with fellow countryman Aidan O'Brien, who boasts similarly ridiculous longevity, and accompanying awesome stats, on the level. 

No-one will offer any fancy odds about Willie doing exactly the same in 2026, but if we think he's past the post so to speak (always a dangerous presumption in sport), how can we engineer a little tickle for ourselves that offers perhaps a wee bit of value?

Cheltenham Betting odds

Gordon Elliott (without Willie Mullins) @ 5/4

Willie's entries can be counted in the dozens ahead of hostilities breaking out at Prestbury Park on Tuesday. However it maps out he's sure to have a mightily strong hand to play in most if not all of the contests as the week unfolds, and I'm not going to oppose him in the outright Top Trainer market, for which as I write he's around a 1/5 shot.

His record at the meet is awesome, as I've already alluded to, and though he's arguably been a little less dominant this campaign than in recent seasons, this is his kingdom. A week where the yard stretches its legs and shows its enduring class. A hatful of winners for P Townend, the Riccis - all the usual suspects.

There is, however, a value alternative in my humble opinion. Willie's great rival Gordon Elliott has had over 160 winners in Ireland over the current jumping season, at time of writing; about 10 more than Willie.

In case there's some significant movement in these figures in the handful of days between now and Tuesday, let's just say at least that numerically at any rate, there's precious little in it.

The 'feeling' is that both Gordon and his number one jock Jack Kennedy have had cracking seasons. Remember back in October, when the pair secured a sensational five-timer in America?

This is such a massive week for the sport that the yard is another who will be contesting keenly pretty much every race, with many multiple entries, and indeed if anyone were to do the semi-unthinkable and dethrone Willie outright it would surely be Gordon.

He's got numbers, quality, and a superb horseman on board many of his top hopes in Jack; a gentleman who knows how to win here (12 Festival winners to date).

For the purposes of our bet all G Elliott has to do (!) is to come out on top of the pile on his own, or be next best behind Willie - because, as the bet suggests, we're removing WP Mullins from the equation, expecting him in all likelihood to win.

Hope that's clear - so if you fancy a tickle on Gordon Elliott being Top Trainer without Willie Mullins, and he's either second to Willie or indeed the top dog on his own, you collect.

At the 5/4 available as I write, that looks a very decent bet to me. Enjoy what I'm sure will be a sensational week of high-quality National Hunt racing, at the spiritual, physical and utterly awe-inspiring home of the sport.

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New customers only. 00:00 06/03/26 – 23:59 13/03/26. Deposit via Debit Card & place first bet £10+ (1/1)+ on Sports in 7 days. £20 Sports & £20 in Acca Free Bets within 24 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility, payment excls & T&Cs Apply.

Cheltenham Tips with Betfred Insights.