What an incredible 2026 Cheltenham Festival! Take the issue down at the start aside, which will hopefully be rectified for next year, and it was one of the best Festivals in a long time! Big fields, competitive races and hard to find a winner! Adrian Wall has picked out a horse for the 2027 Gold Cup – read on for more!
Ever since Bryan Drew and Caroline Tisdall teamed up with Willie Mullins with regard to their horse Final Demand, I am certain that they only had one target in mind and that is the Cheltenham Gold Cup 2027, and I’m amazed you can get 16/1 for him now myself.
Don’t get me wrong, if Gaelic Warrior turns up in the same form as he did this year then nothing will be beating him. It was one of the most visually impressive winners of a Gold Cup I’ve ever seen and all going well, he will line up again next year.
Nonetheless, 16/1 about his stablemate Final Demand is the wrong price. He looked a monster as a novice hurdler and although beaten in the Turners last year, he was always going to turn into a better chaser given his sheer size, which is intimidating.
He won his first two chase starts this season before a below-per performance at Limerick, but he was right back to his best when runner-up to stablemate Kitzbuhel in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory. Credit to the winner who was extremely game from the front on the day.
The way Final Demand travelled through the race though really impressed me and he looked a sure winner turning for home. He bumped into a very gutsy boy on the day but Final Demand will only strengthen again I feel and we will see the very best of him next season. I have taken the 16/1 now because if he turns up there next year, he won’t be that!