Ultima Handicap Chase Tips: Konfusion to reign at Cheltenham

The Cheltenham Festival is upon us and Tuesday’s Ultima Handicap Chase is always one of the most fiercely contested betting races at the meeting. 

A field of 22 runners were declared and this will take some solving. Can Myretown follow his brilliant victory in 2025? Or will something else come to the fore? 

Read on for our Ultima Handicap Chase tips.

Our in-house Horse Racing tipster Owen McMahon has gone through the card for Tuesday's Races and made a selection for every race. Read who he's backing and why with our Cheltenham Day 1 Tips. Add to that former Jockey Katie Walsh has passed on her Cheltenham Tuesday Tips to us here at Betfred.

Who is JP’s best?

JP McManus’s three-pronged attack is a fascinating one. Jagwar and Iroko, two of the best horses Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero have trained, are on the team, along with Johnnywho, who almost landed a gamble for the powerful owner in the Kim Muir a year ago.

Jockey bookings imply Jagwar is the number one hope with Mark Walsh aboard and that makes sense. He’s long shaped as if his future lies over at least three miles and this is his first crack at the trip.

He knows Cheltenham like the back of his hand, running well in top 2m4f handicap chases at the track on his past four starts and beating all bar three of his rivals in those.

The concern is whether this hold-up merchant ends up too far back. Iroko is using this as a springboard to the Grand National and may be best watched, while Johnnywho, the oldest of the trio, has become a little too inconsistent for his own good.

He was left poorly positioned in a slowly run affair and did well to get up on the line. A more truly run race can only benefit him and he surely won’t be far away.

Nothing confusing about this massive player’s chances

It should be remembered that Konfusion held a Gold Cup entry earlier in the campaign, such is the regard in which he is held by Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith.

Those plans were put on ice after Konfusion’s Peter Marsh third at Haydock in January, but that was a solid effort considering the stable’s horses were struggling during that point of the year.

Grand Geste and Get On George, two of the yard’s big talents, ran poorly the following week before bouncing back with massive efforts in top races at Haydock and Sandown respectively. If Konfusion is able to find half a stone of improvement from his Peter Marsh display, he simply won’t be far away.

A bold-jumping prominent racer, he looks tailor-made for the demands of the Ultima and can add another handicap success to a stellar season following his Rehearsal Chase and Rowland Meyrick strikes in the first half of the campaign.

Grade 1 winner catches the eye

Ben Pauling has been bullish about Handstands throughout his career and he also catches the eye on his handicap debut.

Touted as a potential Gold Cup candidate this time last year after his defeat of the brilliant Jango Baie in the Scilly Isles, Handstands has been sent for wind surgery since his resurgent third to Protektorat in the Fleur de Lys Chase at Windsor in January.

That was more like it from Handstands after his flop in the Betfair Chase and this Grade 1 winner is the class horse in the field. Perhaps first-time cheekpieces can see him take his game to another level.

Bet £10 & Get £10

Opt in req. £10 Win/EW single on 13:20 Cheltenham 10-13/03/26. £5 E/W will count. Free Bets on settlement. Restricted to bets on Cheltenham. Removed 17:30 on same day. T&Cs Apply.

Sports Welcome Offer

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.

Bet on Cheltenham at Betfred

Find more Cheltenham Tips here at Betfred Insights