Gaelic Warrior stormed to victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday, the final day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, with jockey Paul Townend becoming the most successful rider in the race's history. Trained by Willie Mullins, Gaelic Warrior won by eight lengths, finishing ahead of Jango Baie in second and last year's winner Inothewayurthinkin in third.
The victory capped a remarkable week for Mullins, who also won the Champion Hurdle with Lossiemouth and the Champion Chase with Il Etait Temps. Earlier on Friday, Mullins celebrated a 50/1 winner in the JCB Triumph Hurdle with Apolon De Charnie, who just beat Sir Alex Ferguson's Maestro Conti.
Other notable results on Friday included Dinoblue defending her crown in the Mares Chase, and Johnny's Jury winning the Albert Bartlett Novices Chase at odds of 20/1. The Festival saw fewer clear favourites this year, with big names like Constitution Hill and Galopin Des Champs absent.
The Cheltenham Festival has made efforts to boost attendance by reducing the price of Guinness by 30p, reintroducing Ladies Day, and featuring retired jockey Rachael Blackmore as the face of the day. However, the main draw remains the high-quality racing at the course.
