Cheltenham Gold Cup: Haiti Couleurs aims to go from ‘career-threatening’ injury to Gold Cup hope
Haiti Couleurs has emerged as a leading contender for the cheltenham gold cup after a recovery from a severe tendon injury, trainer Rebecca Curtis says; the nine-year-old has claimed the Irish Grand National and Welsh Grand National and has been deliberately aimed at the race.
Cheltenham Gold Cup bid: where Haiti Couleurs stands
More than three decades after a Welsh-trained horse last won the Cheltenham highlight, Wales can now boast one of the 2026 favourites in Haiti Couleurs, the Rebecca Curtis-trained nine-year-old. Curtis explains the horse’s campaign has been carefully planned: he won the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham, followed by the 2025 Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse and later the Welsh Grand National, carrying the largest weight in that race’s history. Those victories form the backbone of a campaign that has been steered toward the cheltenham gold cup.
Injury, comeback and momentum
Curtis says Haiti Couleurs almost never made it back to the track after a serious setback a few weeks before his planned debut when “he struck straight into his tendons and needed the best part of 18 months off. ” She adds that the time off may have helped: “He was always a bit of a weak, backward horse, you wonder if having that time off on the sidelines has been the making of him, he’s just been allowed to mature and progress. “
The gelding’s first race under rules came at Chepstow in December 2023, and his National Hunt Chase success at Cheltenham last year drew attention to his potential. Curtis notes steady improvement: “He has genuinely just kept progressing with each run. ” The trainer also highlights the rapport with his rider: “Each time Sean Bowen gets on him, he thinks he’s got better and better. “
Immediate reactions from connections and jump-racing figures
Rebecca Curtis, Pembrokeshire-based trainer, described the reception after the Irish Grand National: “It was amazing because we always whinge that the Irish come over here and beat us all the time, so I think going over there and doing it on their own doorstep, people loved it. ” Curtis reflected on public affection for the horse: “I think because of the way he races as well, there’s something about him and his colours. He puts everything into it, doesn’t he, and I think everyone loves those staying chasers. “
On a related Cheltenham note, Ben Jones, leading jockey, previewing rides at Cheltenham Festival 2026 commented on a different contender: “I think he’s got a very good chance, ” speaking of a runner he will ride on day three. Jones highlighted how preparation and experience matter at the meeting.
What’s next for Haiti Couleurs
Curtis has long targeted the Cheltenham stage and now seeks to complete a remarkable comeback arc that began with a career-threatening injury and has included wins in major staying races. She has joined an exclusive list of trainers to have won the Welsh, Scottish and Irish nationals and is now eyeing an English National as part of the campaign that leads toward the cheltenham gold cup. The immediate horizon will focus on keeping the gelding fit, building on momentum from recent wins, and finalising entries and preparations for the meeting.
