Minella Yoga And Grey Dawning Headline Cheltenham Trials Day Drama

Excitement is building at Prestbury Park as Cheltenham Trials Day 2026 gets underway, with trainers, punters, and racing fans all eager to glean clues for the upcoming Festival. Saturday’s card features a packed lineup of Grade Two contests, competitive handicaps, and promising young talent, all under the watchful eye of trainers like Paul Nicholls, whose runners are poised to make a statement ahead of March’s showpiece event.

Paul Nicholls, a familiar and formidable presence at Cheltenham, previewed his runners with the sort of candor that’s become his trademark. One name stood out above the rest: Minella Yoga. After a decisive win on heavy ground at Fairyhouse in November and a commanding performance at Newbury in December, Minella Yoga has emerged as Nicholls’ leading hope for Trials Day glory. “He is without a doubt my best chance of the day,” Nicholls declared, underscoring the confidence in his young charge.

Minella Yoga’s journey to this point has been one of swift progression. Bought for a hefty £360,000 after that Fairyhouse triumph, he quickly justified the investment by besting the odds-on favorite Act Of Innocence at Newbury, drawing clear in the final furlong. Nicholls reflected, “We are still learning about him after he surprised us a little with the manner of his win at Newbury in December. The way he travelled and stayed on strongly to put the race to bed in the last furlong impressed me.”

Saturday’s JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at 12:40 will be a crucial test for Minella Yoga, not only as a stepping stone to the Triumph Hurdle in March but also as a chance to gain valuable experience against quality opposition. Dan Skelton’s Maestro Conti, unbeaten in two starts, looms as a formidable rival, and the race promises to be a genuine learning curve for all involved. As Nicholls put it, “We are learning all about him. Dan Skelton's horse in this race, Maestro Conti, has won two from two, and there are other smart horses in there, so this is going to be a good race.”

Elsewhere on the card, the Betfair Cotswold Chase (2:25pm) is shaping up as a clash between established stars and rising challengers. Grey Dawning, fresh from an impressive Betfair Chase victory, has been installed as the overwhelming favorite. Nicholls, who knows what it takes to win this contest—having done so five times—was unequivocal: “Grey Dawning is an absolute certainty, that's my view. He'll love the ground, he's been kept fresh, he was very impressive in the Betfair Chase, it's a good time away from the Cheltenham Gold Cup and I think he'll be very hard to beat.”

But there’s a twist in the tale. Spillane’s Tower, representing Irish interests, is tipped by some pundits to halt the longstanding British dominance in the Cotswold Chase. With only one Irish-trained winner in the last two decades, history isn’t on his side, but his recent form—runner-up to Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs and a strong showing against stablemate Fact To File—suggests he could spring a surprise. Notably, Spillane’s Tower receives 6lb from Grey Dawning, a factor that could come into play on what is expected to be testing, possibly heavy, ground.

“It is not ideal on Saturday, with testing ground, and I would not be running him over three miles on testing, because he likes decent ground, but two-and-a-half is ideal for him on soft. After this he will have to go again somewhere in the next fortnight, so we can prepare him for a Cheltenham run in something like the Ultima Handicap,” Nicholls said of another runner, Qubecois, who is also gaining experience for a Festival target.

In the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (1:15pm), Jagwar is fancied to build on a strong third in the December Gold Cup, with many expecting him to go two places better on the New Course he enjoys. However, Uncle Bert, a lively each-way contender at 11/1, could spoil the party if he recaptures the form of his Aintree win last month. The field is deep, with Booster Bob, Javert Allen, and last year’s winner Moon D’Orange all respected.

The Pertemps Network Cleeve Hurdle (3:35pm) is another race where Festival form is often forged. Impose Toi, unbeaten in three starts this season and fresh from victories in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and the Long Walk at Ascot, is the hot favorite. “Impose Toi holds all the aces after collecting Newbury's Long Distance Hurdle and the Long Walk at Ascot on his way here,” noted one tipster, highlighting the horse’s growing reputation as a potential Stayers’ Hurdle winner in March. Strong Leader, a consistent rival, will look to reverse recent form, but all signs point to Impose Toi continuing his winning streak.

Looking beyond Cheltenham, Doncaster’s card also features some intriguing prospects. The Price of Peace, described as a “young horse on the up,” lines up in the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places River Don Novices' Hurdle (12:55pm), while Deep Cave is set to benefit from a strong pace in the Virgin Bet Great Yorkshire Chase (2:05pm). Both runners are seen as ones to watch as their careers progress.

Back at Cheltenham, the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase (1:50pm) sees Placenet with favorable conditions, and Sam Twiston-Davies takes the ride for trainer David Cottin, known for his expertise in this unique discipline. The Grade Two Unibet Hurdle (3:00pm) features Sir Gino, Nicky Henderson’s highly regarded thoroughbred, who faces off against The New Lion and Final Orders in a competitive renewal.

In the later races, Kripticjim is a value play in the AIS Novices' Hurdle (4:10pm), stepping up to Grade Two company after a pair of solid wins. Act Of Innocence, the favorite, is up in trip after being outpaced by Minella Yoga at Newbury, and connections are hoping the extra distance will bring out his best.

As the day unfolds, punters and racing enthusiasts will be searching for Festival clues, with many runners using Trials Day as a springboard to bigger targets in March. The ground is expected to be soft, possibly heavy, which could throw up some surprises and test the stamina and class of every horse on the card. Ruby Walsh famously remarked that “the ground on Trials Day has no bearing on the ground at the Festival because it's very different,” a sentiment echoed by trainers and pundits alike.

With so many storylines in play—rising stars like Minella Yoga, established favorites like Grey Dawning and Impose Toi, and intriguing challengers such as Spillane’s Tower—Cheltenham Trials Day 2026 is set to provide plenty of drama and insight. Whether you’re a seasoned punter or a casual fan, there’s no shortage of intrigue as the road to the Cheltenham Festival continues to gather pace. The action is ongoing, the rivalries are heating up, and all eyes are on how these key contenders handle the famous Cheltenham hill.