Herefordshire-based trainer Venetia Williams is dreaming of a first success in the Cheltenham Gold Cup this year with her star chaser L’Homme Pressé. The 11-year-old missed the race last season due to a setback but is now on course for a return to the Blue Riband event in the sport.

Williams, a winner of the Grand National and King George VI Chase, would join an elite club of trainers to prevail in the three prestigious British chases, if L’Homme Pressé can triumph in the Cheltenham Festival feature.

Positive performance on comeback run

L’Homme Pressé made his first start in 10 months when he lined up in the Grade III Turners Handicap Chase at Cheltenham’s December Meeting. He carried top weight of 12 stone in the race and finished a respectable second place behind Blaze The Way. After such a positive run, he is now 66/1 in the horse racing betting for the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

As the horse racing results show, L’Homme Pressé is an eight-time winner over fences. Williams is set to give her experienced chaser one more run before the Cheltenham Festival, and that is likely to be in the Cotswold Chase on Cheltenham Trials Day.

L’Homme Pressé has an excellent record at the course. He has featured five times at Cheltenham before, winning three of those races, and finishing no worse than second place. Williams will be hoping he can produce another big run when he lines up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup this March.

Fourth place in the blue riband in 2024

This year will be L’Homme Pressé ’s second shot at the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was fourth of 11 runners in the race in 2024, when Galopin Des Champs defended his crown. Williams’ chaser was one of the early pace setters in the 3m2½f contest but weakened in the closing stages.

Williams has had plenty of time to reflect on the Cheltenham Gold Cup two years ago. She will have been pleased with the way her horse competed with some of the best staying chasers in the UK and Ireland, in what was a strong renewal. Apart from a mistake at the fifth fence, her horse jumped well in the race.

L’Homme Pressé will be making his third appearance at the prestigious meeting this year. He is already a winner at the Cheltenham Festival, landing the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase in 2023. That race has a history of producing Cheltenham Gold Cup winners.

Defending champions head Gold Cup field

Inothewayurthinkin continued Ireland’s excellent recent record in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last year, prevailing in the Blue Riband contest after being supplemented for the race. The defending champion is set to return to the meeting bidding to replicate what Galopin Des Champs achieved in 2024.

Gavin Cromwell’s runner has been beaten on both of his two outings in the 2025/26 campaign so far, with defeats coming in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase and Savills Chase. He will feature in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in the Dublin Racing Festival before making the trip across the Irish Sea.

This year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup will be the 98th running in history, and takes place on Friday, March 13th.