Cheltenham Gold Cup day: trends and a super stat for every race
Need a helping hand finding Friday's big winners, or simply fancy a walk down memory lane? We have got every race covered.
Our guides to all seven races on Gold Cup day include a plethora of videos and mini reports, plus clues and hints that will hopefully keep you a step ahead of the bookmakers when the big meeting starts on March 15.
Simply click on the Festival race you want more information about and you will be away. Enjoy!
Walk the courses at Cheltenham with Ruby Walsh, who rode 58 Festival winners, and top Racing TV presenter Lydia Hislop
1.30 JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 179y
No fewer than seven of the past ten winners ran in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown in February, with Quilixios and Vauban doing the double in the past two years. This season’s renewal was won by Gala Marceau after Lossiemouth, who finished second, ran into traffic problems. Both are prominent in the betting.
2.10 McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) 2m 179y
Half of the past 16 winners have been trained by a member of the Mullins family (Willie x 6, Thomas x 1 and Tony x 1), while Dan Skelton, who has had three winners during this time, seems to enjoy lining one up for this contest. Between them, they have the first four in the betting: Hunters Yarn, Filey Bay, Pembroke and Sharjah. Only two winners this century have scored off a rating in the 150s, so beware supporting those near the head of the weights. Sharjah drops in class but is in this category.
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2.50 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 7f 213y
The Nice Guy became the eighth of the past nine winners to go off at double-figure odds last year. The SPs have been 50-1, 33-1 (twice), 18-1, 16-1, 14-1 (twice)) and 11-1, so do not be worried if your fancy is overlooked in the market. Among the 18 winners of the race, Monkfish and The Nice Guy are the only victors not to have won or been placed in a Graded novice hurdle beforehand, although the former had won his previous two starts and the latter was unbeaten.
3.30 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) 3m 2f 70y
In the past 40 years, Imperial Call, Best Mate, Kicking King, War Of Attrition, Kauto Star, Sizing John and Al Boum Photo have won chasing’s biggest prize as a seven-year-old. Three of those – Best Mate, Kauto Star and Al Boum Photo – would go on to scoop the spoils at least once more. Galopin Des Champs will emulate the septet if successful. He’s had six runs over fences and, but for his unfortunate fall at the final fence in the Turners, would be unbeaten. Best Mate had also had six runs beforehand, but Imperial Call (10), Kicking King (11) War Of Attrition (9), Kauto Star (10), Sizing John (9) and Al Boum Photo (7) had more experience. Kauto Star and Al Boum Photo both fell at the Cheltenham Festival the year before winning the Gold Cup, so don’t let his tumble 12 months ago worry you. Noble Yeats will emulate Golden Miller and L’Escargot if he adds a Gold Cup triumph to his Grand National victory of last year. The stats are stacked against Minella Indo, the 2021 winner, as Kauto Star is the only Gold Cup winner to regain his crown and the last horse older than nine to win was Cool Dawn in 1998. He was also the last Gold Cup winner not to have won a Grade One race beforehand.
4.10 St. James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase 3m 2f 70y
Perhaps appropriately, 29 of the past 34 winners began their careers in point-to-points or hunter chases. Last year’s winner, Billaway, was among them and like seven of the past 13 winners had finished in the first five in a previous year’s renewal. This year’s favourite, Vaucelet, had his first run over fences in a point-to-point, and has continued to pop up in that sphere. But this will be his first run in the race.
4.50 Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase 2m ½f
It’s only the third running of the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase, so we have no stats or trends to play with. But it is worth recognising that 15 of the 24 races run at the Festival exclusively for mares in recent years have been won by French-breds – including Elimay in this race last year. This year’s favourite, Allegorie De Vassy, was herself bred in France. And, like the first two winners of this, she’s trained by Willie Mullins.
5.30 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (0-145) 2m 4f 56y
Eight of the past 12 renewals have been plundered by Irish runners, with all bar two of them having their first run in a handicap. None of Willie Mullins’ four winners had previously run over hurdles more than three times beforehand. His runners this time include Spanish Harlem, who makes his handicap debut having had four runs (a minimum now in order to qualify to run). David Pipe would naturally love to win the race that honours his father but his quest will have to wait for at least another year as he has no entry. Since the first running, in 2009, he has had 23 runners and got no closer than third. Big Eared Fran (third in 2009 at 7-2); Ashkazar (seventh in 2010 at 9-2) and Gevrey Chambertin (pulled up at 9-4) all went off favourite, while he has had four other runners beaten at single-figure odds, including Umbrigado three years ago.
Cheltenham Festival tips for Friday:
A chance to win £50,000 with Paddy's Pick 5
Lydia Hislop's top tips for day four
✍ GOLD CUP RUNNER-BY-RUNNER GUIDE
How To Bet £20 on Gold Cup Day
Trends and a super stat for every race
The Irish Angle: Johnny Ward's top tips
Tote Placepot picks for Friday
