Its On The Line again for Cheltenham hunter chase stalwart
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Wed 18 Feb 2026
Its On The Line is being readied for a fourth tilt at the Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase at Cheltenham.
The JP McManus-owned nine-year-old has won the major hunter chase prizes at Aintree and Punchestown, but has so far proved expensive to follow at Prestbury Park in March, filling the runner-up spot in each of the past three seasons.
Its On The Line was a neck second to Wonderwall last term and his trainer Emmet Mullins will be doing everything he can to ensure he can finally get his head in front this time around.
“It’s our fourth attempt, so we’ve been there and know what’s involved, so fingers crossed we can tweak one or two things and get him across the line,” he said.
“It was a good run when he won in Down Royal over Christmas and I think he’s as good as ever, there’s no issues that end.”
When asked what he needs to tweak, the trainer added: “Brain cells, I’d say! He just has his own ideas. We tried the cheekpieces but I don’t think they worked and I don’t think he enjoyed them.
“In Down Royal we employed more forceful tactics, rather than trying to kid him along and keep him on the bridle as long as we can.”
Its On The Line will be one of “four or five” Mullins-trained runners at this year’s Festival, with Backmersackme an obvious contender following his recent success at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Mullins added: “He seems to have come out of the DRF well. I suppose Cheltenham-wise winning over two-mile-five created a few more options for us as we originally thought we couldn’t go far enough with him, so the National Hunt Chase was always the plan.
“We were always hopeful he had that sort of run in him, we campaigned him highly enough over hurdles and the form was always there, we just hadn’t had our day. We were always hoping it was just a matter of time before he put it together.
“He’ll get plenty of entries, but I’d say we’d be leaning towards the National Hunt Chase.”
Minella Emperor is in line for the Pertemps Final after finishing second in a Haydock qualifier last weekend, while McLaurey is likely to have multiple entries, but is considered “a bit of a mudlark” by his trainer.
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