The Cheltenham Festival top trainers betting is always a popular market that gives punters an added interest over ALL four days at the meeting.
With that in mind, we take a look back at the best EVER Cheltenham Festival top trainers list (past and present), plus reveal the 2024 betting odds on which stables are fancied to be the top trainer this year.
Willie Mullins Leads The Cheltenham Festival Top Trainers List
Leading Irish trainer Willie Mullins is simply ‘the man’ when it comes to training winners at the Cheltenham Festival. He’s been firing in winners since his first success in 1995 and now heads into the 2024 meeting with a record 94 victories.
Meaning the popular Closutton-based trainer needs only six more Cheltenham winners to hit the magic 100 mark and having had 6+ successes in ALL of the last four Festivals, then it will be a brave punter that goes against him hitting the milestone in 2024.
Heading into the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, Galopin Des Champs is Willie Mullins’ most recent winner at the meeting, when winning the Gold Cup on the final day in 2023 (watch below).
Next best in the all-time Cheltenham Festival trainers list is Nicky Henderson with 73 winners, with the six times British Champion jumps trainer having his first winners at the meeting back in 1985.
Henderson has since gone onto have many successes, that have included two Gold Cups and a remarkable nine Champion Hurdle wins that could be increased to ten if Constitution Hill wins again in 2024.
Paul Nicholls is next best with 48 winners coming into 2024, with of the current batch of handlers Gordon Elliott on 37, Jonjo O’Neill on 26 and Henry De Bromhead with 21.
All Time Cheltenham Festival Top Trainers List (Top 20)
See below the current top 20 Cheltenham Festival top trainers list (past and present), which sees Willie Mullins top of the Prestbury Park tree with 94 winners.
- Willie Mullins (Ire) 94
- Nicky Henderson 73
- Paul Nicholls 48
- Fulke Walwyn 40
- Gordon Elliott (Ire) 37
- Martin Pipe 34
- Fred Winter 28
- Fred Rimell 27
- Jonjo O’Neill 26
- Tom Dreaper (Ire) 26
- Vincent O’Brien (Ire) 23
- Bob Turnell 23
- Ivor Anthony 22
- Henry De Bromhead 21
- Philip Hobbs 20
- George Beeby 19
- Edward O’Grady (Ire) 18
- David Nicholson 17
- Nigel Twiston-Davies 17
- Alan King 15
What Is The Cheltenham Festival Top Trainers Award?
Each year, the trainer with the most winners will be crowned the Cheltenham Festival top trainer.
In the event of a tie, it will then be done on the best number of seconds and if still a tie the thirds and fourth-placed finishers for each trainer.
The most wins in a single meeting stands at 10 for Willie Mullins in 2022, while since 1999 the top trainer award has been won with just three winners seven times.
However, it’s worth remembering that the Cheltenham Festival was staged over three days until 2005, when it was moved to four days and covered more races.
Cheltenham Festival Top Trainers Since 1999
- 2023: Willie Mullins (6)
- 2022: Willie Mullins (10)
- 2021: Willie Mullins (6)
- 2020: Willie Mullins (7)
- 2019: Willie Mullins (4)
- 2018: Gordon Elliott (8)
- 2017: Gordon Elliott (6)
- 2016: Willie Mullins (7)
- 2015: Willie Mullins (8)
- 2014: Willie Mullins (4)
- 2013: Willie Mullins (5)
- 2012: Nicky Henderson (7)
- 2011: Willie Mullins (4)
- 2010: Nicky Henderson (3)
- 2009: Paul Nicholls (5)
- 2008: Paul Nicholls (3)
- 2007: Paul Nicholls (4)
- 2006: Paul Nicholls (3)
- 2005: Howard Johnson (3)
- 2004: Paul Nicholls (4)
- 2003: Jonjo O’Neill (3)
- 2002: Martin Pipe (3)
- 2001: Festival cancelled
- 2000: Nicky Henderson (4)
- 1999: Paul Nicholls (3)
Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer Odds 2024
See below the latest betting odds for the Cheltenham Festival top trainer. Where trainer Willie Mullins is as short as 1/6 in the betting – meaning a ÂŁ60 bet on him would return just a ÂŁ10 profit (stake returned).
- Willie Mullins 1/6
- Gordon Elliot 7/1
- Nicky Henderson 15/2
- Paul Nicholls 40/1
- Henry De Bromhead 50/1
- Dan Skelton 100/1
Note: Odds are subject (others on request) to change and are pre the 2024 Cheltenham Festival
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