Kitzbuhel Stuns at 11/1, Leading All the Way in Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

Harry Cobden silenced his critics and added a seventh Cheltenham Festival winner to his tally in the same afternoon, riding Kitzbuhel from flag to finish in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Prestbury Park to deliver an 11/1 shock over three miles on day two of the 2026 Festival.

The six-year-old grey, owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly and trained by Willie Mullins, had been somewhat written off by the market after falling in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown in January. But this was a different animal entirely. Cobden, partnering Kitzbuhel for the first time after facing scrutiny for his ride on No Drama This End in the earlier Turners Novices' Chase, bowled the grey along from the jump and never relinquished the lead, finding spectacular leaps throughout and conjuring two massive jumps out of his mount in the straight when the race was at its most dangerous.

The danger came primarily from Cobden's own stable. Final Demand, sent off 7/2 and ridden by Paul Townend, tracked the winner throughout and loomed ominously on the run to the line. Townend gave him a breather at the top of the hill to preserve energy for the climb, but Kitzbuhel would not be caught. Only three-quarters of a length separated them at the line, with 25/1 shot Salver, trained by Gary and Josh Moore, staying on from well off the pace to claim third. Oscars Brother finished fourth at 18/1.

"That was a hell of a performance to make all in a Brown Advisory and then fight off what is a top horse in Final Demand," Mullins said. "I thought the latter had his measure coming up the hill, but what a brave performance."

Mullins was equally effusive about the turnaround from Sandown. "At least he was back to himself as his previous run at Sandown he didn't jump out and he didn't look himself in the parade ring, but Harry said he knew going to the start he was in great form. Given what he did at Kempton, which is right-handed and flat, to come here and down left on a left-handed undulating course speaks volumes." The trainer was quick to project ambitions upward: "You'd have to be looking at the Gold Cup, but given how he whizzed around Kempton at Christmas the King George will definitely be on his agenda."

Kitzbuhel had won the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day before the Sandown fall derailed his momentum. His recovery here was emphatic, and the historical company he now keeps is noteworthy. He is the first six-year-old to win the Brown Advisory since Don Poli in 2015, a horse also trained by Mullins at that age. Before Don Poli, the last six-year-old winner was Florida Pearl in 1998, who gave Mullins his first victory in the race. The trainer now has eight Brown Advisory wins in total, three of them consecutive.

Final Demand's owner Bryan Drew took pride in the performance even without the result. "I'm very pleased with the run, but not very pleased with the result. He was back to his old self. He jumped like a dream and travelled like a dream. Paul let him have a blow at the top of the hill to try and get him up the hill and he has just not quite got to the leader. It was a fabulous run and there is lots to look forward with him."

Salver's trainer Josh Moore was proud of his 25/1 finisher but noted that drying ground had altered the race's complexion. "I'm delighted with the run, it's just a shame the ground has dried out. He can run on that ground, but it slows the others down when it's soft ground. He jumped fantastic and ran fantastic and stays and stays and stays." Moore mentioned a Charlie Hall or Betfair Chase as possible graded targets for Salver next season, contingent on getting the slow ground the horse prefers.

The race's most anticipated runner, Gordon Elliott's 9-4 favourite Romeo Coolio, was a significant absentee from the finish. Making his first start at three miles, the Dublin Racing Festival winner made a series of jumping errors before Jack Kennedy pulled him up. Elliott and Kennedy suggested the effort at the Dublin Racing Festival may have taken its toll, and the horse is likely finished for the season.

Kaid d'Authie added to the carnage among market leaders, falling early on the final circuit just as he was beginning to make ground. Between those exits and Kitzbuhel's relentless front-running, what looked a deep race on paper became a procession in grey.

Cobden's seventh Festival winner, delivered on a horse he had never sat on before Wednesday, also carries forward-looking weight. He is due to take on the number one riding role for JP McManus next season, a relationship that will likely keep him in the Mullins yard's orbit for years to come.