From Prestbury Park to Newbury, Navan to Fairyhouse, November turned out to be a pivotal month in how this thrilling National Hunt racing season could develop, with potential clues for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival emerging on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Punters watched the big races keenly and acted sharply afterwards, causing fluctuations in the ante-post markets for the Spring’s championship contests. There were changes in the odds for a whole host of races, including the Champion Hurdle, Stayers’ Hurdle and Ryanair Chase.

That said, let’s look at some of the key moments from last month and the potential Cheltenham Festival winners that emerged in the early stages of the season.

The Arkle conundrum – Kopek Des Bordes vs Lulamba vs Romeo Coolio

One of the races that saw the most movement in the ante-post market over the month of November was the Arkle, with Kopek Des Bordes, Lulamba and Romeo Coolio all laying down their early-season markers.

Kopek Des Bordes and Lulamba both sent the market for the prestigious two-mile novice chase crashing on the same day (November 17). The former, trained by veteran handler Nicky Henderson, made his move first when winning a Beginners’ Chase at Exeter by a commanding 10 lengths.

The Willie Mullins-trained Kopek Des Bordes struck back an hour and 20 minutes later, landing a Beginners Chase of his own at Navan, beating his nearest challenger, JP McManus’ Lovely Hurling, by a comfortable 13 lengths.

It was on the final day of the month that Romeo Coolio entered the frame for the Arkle. Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old made it two for two over the larger obstacles, following up his Down Royal success at the end of October in the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

It’s worth noting that both of Romeo Coolio’s wins this year have come over two-and-a-half miles. However, with no novice chase over that distance on offer at the Cheltenham Festival, he either drops back to two miles for the Arkle or steps up to three miles for the Brown Advisory.

With that said, Kopek Des Bordes is now as short as 15/8 for the Cheltenham Festival opening day Grade 1. Lulamba remains his biggest challenger with odds of 9/2, while Romeo Coolio comes in at 11/2.

Outright favourite emerges for the Champion Hurdle

At the start of November, the Champion Hurdle picture looked competitive as ever. Lossiemouth and The New Lion were vying for favouritism at the fore of the market, with Constitution Hill and Anzadam challenging just behind.

Racegoers and pundits alike were devastated when connections decided to send Lossiemouth back down the Mares’ Hurdle route at Cheltenham in March, and given how the Champion Hurdle ultimately panned out, Rich Ricci and Mullins may have been left ruing their decision.

However, the early-season pointers suggest that the classy six-year-old should be all systems go for the day-one championship contest. Lossiemouth romped home by 19 lengths on her seasonal reappearance in the Grade 1 Morigana Hurdle at Punchestown on November 22.

Meanwhile, chief challengers The New Lion and Constitution Hill had nightmare starts to their respective campaigns in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle. Henderson couldn’t stop raving about Constitution Hill’s fantastic work at home, but the legendary hurdler took a third fall in four races at just the fourth flight.

That appeared to leave the door wide open for The New Lion. However, when put under pressure from Harry Skelton as Golden Ace and Anzadam were travelling better, The New Lion took a tumble himself two out from the finish.

A victory would have been a statement from Dan Skelton’s charge. Instead, Lossiemouth now stands firm at the fore of the ante-post market. The New Lion is still the second favourite and a threat, but what’s interesting is that Henderson could now switch Sir Gino back to hurdles for a crack at the race.

A key battle in the race for the Stayers’ Hurdle

If you were to ask a jumps racing fan to rank the Cheltenham Festival championship races, the majority are likely to put the Stayers’ Hurdle last behind the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup.

It’s fair to see why. A three-mile contest over hurdles is never going to be as exciting as the speed of the Champion Hurdle, and it doesn’t have the prestige of the Gold Cup. However, when there’s a narrative or storyline behind anything, it instantly makes it more engaging.

And the build-up to this season’s Stayers’ Hurdle started with a bang in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse at the end of last month. Teahupoo, seeking a third win in the Grade 1 contest, faced Ballyburn, who was making the switch back to the smaller obstacles after an unsuccessful novice chasing campaign last year.

Teahupoo looked to have the race wrapped up after taking the last, but Ballyburn and Paul Townend rallied on gamely in the closing stages to put the Gordon Elliott-trained horse and Jack Kennedy under immense pressure.

The favourite ultimately held on by a whisker for the hat-trick. However, the way Ballyburn finished the two-mile and four furlongs race so strongly suggests that he will get his revenge when the pair are stepped up in trip to three miles for the Stayers’ Hurdle.

The updated ante-post market for the Cheltenham Festival day three feature race reflects that, with Ballyburn’s odds slashed in half by the bookmakers to make him the new favourite for the Stayers’ Hurdle ahead of Teahupoo.

Gaelic Warrior vs Fact To File

It’s rare these days, certainly outside of the Cheltenham Festival, for the big yards to pit two of their top horses against each other. However, Mullins did precisely that in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase last month.

Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File were at loggerheads just before the last of the 15 fences, with the latter reigning in the long-time leader and heading his stablemate as they jumped the final flight. Neither would give in on the run-in, but Gaelic Warrior and Townend kept on all out to win by a neck.

Losing out by the slenderest of margins didn’t do Fact To File a disservice. In fact, the JP McManus-owned horse stayed strong in the market to retain his Ryanair Chase crown on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival in March.

As for Gaelic Warrior, his odds were slashed for the Gold Cup by the bookies after the win. Now on a run with three consecutive wins over fences, and with any doubts over his jumping extinguished, the next stop on the road to Prestbury Park will be the King George VI Chase at Kempton.

A victory in that prestigious Grade 1 at the Surrey course on Boxing Day would surely propel Gaelic Warrior further into the Gold Cup picture.

November was a massive month for shaping the narrative of this National Hunt racing season. The festive period, with major meetings at Kempton and Leopardstown worth noting, will only further build anticipation for the Cheltenham Festival. You won’t want to miss it.