Gold Cup Day: Cheltenham Festival Day Four

Cheltenham Betting Guide | Day 1: Champion Day | Day 2: Ladies Day | Day 3: St Patrick’s Thursday

When: Friday, 17th March 2023

Feature Race: 15:30 Cheltenham Gold Cup

Races: 7

Friday, 17th March is a date with destiny for some of Britain and Ireland’s top three-mile chasers. But who’ll be the one to add their name to the illustrious Gold Cup roll of honour?

Last year saw the day belong to the Irish as they had a clean sweep on the card, with A Plus Tard surging clear of his rivals to win the Gold Cup for Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead, reversing the 2021 form with Minella Indo.

This time around, all eyes are on the Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs, while A Plus Tard, Bravemansgame and Grand National winner Noble Yeats all look set to make this a high-class renewal.

Gold Cup Day Schedule

Here’s what we can look forward to on Gold Cup Day at the Champion Festival.

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Gold Cup Day Results 2022

The day couldn’t have gone any better for the Irish travelling party – seven races, seven winners.

Paul Townend steered home the first two Mullins winners as Vauban claimed the Triumph Hurdle in a 1-2-3 for Ireland, before State Man justified favouritism to land the County Handicap Hurdle.

Sean O’Keeffe gave The Nice Guy a canny ride to beat stablemate Minella Cocooner in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle to give Mullins the first three races on the card.

However, Mullins’ run ended in the Gold Cup as A Plus Tard lowered the colours of 2021 winner Minella Indo with a dominant performance, which saw Rachael Blackmore become the first female jockey to win the blue-riband race.

Mullins was soon back in the winners’ enclosure as Billaway edged out Winged Leader in the Hunters’ Chase. While there was another rousing finish in the Mares’ Chase as Elimay saw off Pink Legend to complete the Mullins five-timer.

Banbridge was the final star of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, with him continuing his improvement to take home the Martin Pipe to cap a red-letter day for Irish racing.

Galopin to Gold Cup glory?

Galopin Des Champs has always been held in high regard, and at last year’s festival, he looked to be on his way to a commanding victory in the Turners’ Novices’ Chase before a final-fence fall. However, that didn’t knock his confidence getting straight back to winning ways in the Gold Cup Novice Chase at Fairyhouse last April.

And this season, the seven-year-old has looked as good as ever, winning the John Durkan Memorial Chase and Irish Gold Cup in good style, with both victories showing his many of his qualities. Can he give Willie Mullins a third win in the blue-riband race?

There’s plenty of quality lining up to have a pop at him. Grand National winner Noble Yeats proved his stamina with a 50/1 success at Aintree. Since then, he’s stormed home to win a Many Clouds Chase and made late ground to finish third in the Cotswold Chase to set him up for a crack at Cheltenham glory.

Bravemansgame is another of the chances for Britain with the Paul Nicholls-trained eight-year-old winning six of his seven chase starts. The King George VI Chase winner was flattered by the winning distance but has continually impressed with the way he jumps. Could he end Paul Nicholls’ 14-year wait for a fifth Gold Cup success?

Last year’s winner A Plus Tard hasn’t been seen since being pulled up in the Betfair Chase where his jumping let him down and he never found any sort of rhythm. And the nine-year-old missed his engagement in the Savills Chase after been withdrawn.

Conflated, the 2022 Irish Gold Cup winner, could be Gigginstown’s representative after capitalising on A Plus Tard’s absence to land the Savills Chase by five lengths. While Lucinda Russell believes Ahoy Senor deserves his place in the race following his success in the Cotswold Chase on Festival Trials Day.

It looks set to be a top-class renewal of the famous race. Look out for our racing ambassadors giving their Cheltenham Festival tips.

More Triumph for Mullins?

Vauban had too much for Fil Dor and Pied Piper to give Willie Mullins a second Triumph Hurdle victory in three years. Now which of the Closutton horses could go well in this renewal?

Mullins has a couple of fillies in Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau who know plenty about each other. Lossiemouth had won her first two starts after moving from Yannick Fouin in France, including the Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on Boxing Day. That saw her come home 7½ lengths ahead of her stablemate.

However, it was Gala Marceau who got her revenge in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival under a well-judged Danny Mullins ride. The race did see some drama, with Lossiemouth facing trouble in-running, which saw her forfeit ground.

Another of their stablemates is Blood Destiny, who would have to give weight to the fillies if all three were to line up in the opening race on day four. However, this chestnut was mightily impressive with an all-the-way win at Fairyhouse in January, which saw his price slashed for this contest. He looks like another useful Mullins type and one who cannot be discounted from the mix.

Comfort Zone won a Grade 2 Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow over Christmas and took another step forward to land the race’s trial at Cheltenham’s January meeting. Joseph O’Brien’s charge edged out Scriptwriter over course and distance, showing he’ll handle the track on the big day.

The British contenders could be led by the aforementioned Scriptwriter after narrowly being edged out on Festival Trials Day. He won the Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle in November – another of the trials for this race and his trainer Milton Harris believes he’s continuing to improve.

Then, there’s Afadil, who took his record to two from two when he won the Listed Scottish Triumph Hurdle at Musselburgh in February. This son of Camelot did that quite nicely and could have plenty more to come for Paul Nicholls, who has won this race twice in the past with Celestial Halo (2008) and Zarkandar (2011).

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• Day 1: Champion Day
• Day 2: Ladies Day
• Day 3: St Patrick’s Thursday
• Cheltenham betting guide
• Cheltenham Festival betting odds