THERE were five beaten long odds-on favourites at the Festival, but what are the chances of them returning in triumph next season?

Majborough

He was the best horse in the Arkle and so nearly won despite almost stopping following his second last fence error. It’s not hard to see him gain compensation, especially as the two novice hurdles winners are not going chasing – and as Sir Gino has to recover from his illness.

Ballyburn

There were doubts about his jumping from the beginning and he is the latest to prove the belief that top hurdlers do not automatically become top chasers. He just loses half a length at most fences and that won’t do at the top level. Hard to see him progressing to Gold Cup level or even dropping back to the Ryanair.

Constitution Hill

The jury is out here. The repeated tendency to go long at a hurdle finally caught him out after similar jumps at Kempton and Cheltenham this season. He’s good enough and young enough to come back next season – Hurricane Fly won his second Champion at nine. Rooster Booster was also a good winner at nine. But it will be a tougher race in 2026.

It might be crazy but I would love to see him over a fence while still in his prime. He has point-to-pointing schooling as a young horse. Try him over a fence, that he will respect more. If he jumps well – go for the Champion Chase next year!

Jonbon

Difficult one, still no Festival win, a new crop of novices coming along and he’ll be 10 next year. Was his error was as much to do with his rider asking too much (remember the second last in the Tingle Creek?) but it looks a tough task even though the Ryanair must be a more likely target in 2026.

Galopin Des Champs

The dual Gold Cup champion went out on his sword, a credit to all, he never runs a bad race. But he was never travelling as comfortably as he can. He dismissed Fact To File in two Leopardstown runs but that horse may join Inothewayurthinkin as rivals next year. At 10, and on softer going, Galopin could still be a leading contender, but you might not expect him to be favourite.

THE interesting feature from the betting turnover figures on the Festival 2025 was, despite having odds-on favourites, the three championship races, the Gold Cup, Champion Chase and Champion Hurdle featured in the top four races.

Doubts over Constitution Hill and Jonbon were obviously taken into account by punters compared to 2024 which had odds-on favourites in State Man and El Fabiolo and saw the two races then come in at 22nd and 25th place in betting activity.

For those querying the need for three novice hurdles, the more competitive Albert Bartlett again fared best, in second place last year and third this time.

On the Friday, all seven races featured in the top 12 for betting turnover with the Hunter Chase following the Gold Cup remaining in seventh place.

Interestingly, the races with the least betting interest were the last race on each of Tuesday to Thursday with the National Hunt Chase, despite it being a competitive handicap, being the race with the least betting turnover of the whole meeting. These of course were not shown on mainstream TV.

Majborough appeared to be considered home and hosed in the Arkle and it came in 27th of the 28 races, a drop from 13th in 2024. The Pertemps was the other significant drop from 15th place in 2024 to 24th this time, while the newly created Jack Richards Novice Handicap did not fare as well as might have been expected, for a 19-runner competitive handicap, in 23rd place.