Cheltenham Day four betting preview: Race predictions for Cheltenham Festival
DAY four at the Cheltenham Festival brings a sensational week of National Hunt action to a close, while hosting the biggest race of the week in the Gold Cup.
There are seven races in total with three of those coming in Grade 1. It all gets underway at 1.30 and here's the races that will be run and over what distance.
There's a mixture of sadness that it'll be over but huge anticipation ahead of Cheltenham Gold Cup day on the Friday.
21 races have come and gone at this point with punters and racing fans looking to finish the week on a high by taking the bookies to the cleaners!
There's two Grade 1s before the big one and it's a hugely competitive selection of races with three hurdle contests to start!
Day four at Cheltenham is a special afternoon in the national hunt racing calendar.
The JCB Triumph is one of the highlights of the entire week and has Tiger Roll, Vauban and Lossiemouth as past winners in the last decade alone.
It's the big race of the week and it sure doesn't look like disappointing with a star-studded field set to assemble at the post.
Last year's hero Galopin Des Champs is back to defend his crown for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins and will go off favourite for the 3m 2 1/2f contest.
That seven length win over Bravemansgame was special last year and he's won two of his four races since then.
The bad news for him is the victor of both of the losing runs lines up against him in Fastorslow.
The pair clashed in the Punchestown Gold Cup and John Durkan at Punchestown, with Fastorslow winning both, before Galopin Des Champs claimed revenge with a four and a half length victory in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup last month.
Shishkin is just behind the pair and after a tough end to 2023, he started this year with a strong showing when winning the Denman Chase last month.
Nicky Henderson's star kept on well despite blundering the last and showed a great return to form after refusing to race in November and unseating in the King George.
King George hero Hewick - bought famously for just £800 - will have plenty of supporters on the day with Gerri Colombe, LHomme Presse and Bravemansgame ensuring it's a top field.
It's the most prestigious race of the Cheltenham Festival and has been won by some of the sport's greats.
As a result, it comes with a huge prize purse.
In 2024, the Cheltenham Gold Cup has £625,000 in prize money to be handed out, putting it second to only the Grand National in that regard.
As it stands, jockeys have not yet been assigned to their rides for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Of course, they'll know and we're fairly confident who'll take each ride.
However, in terms of the leading fancies, Paul Townend will ride Galopin Des Champs, JJ Slevin will be on Fastorslow with Nico de Boinville on Shishkin.
Further details will be added here when they're released.
Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls have both won this race three times in the last 20 runnings.
Irish maestro Mullins has the favourite again here in Galopin Des Champs having trained the winner of this race in 2019, 2020 and last year, 2023.
Paul Nicholls has Bravemansgame who is considered an outsider in this line-up.
Nicky Henderson has won the Gold Cup twice and saddles Shishkin looking for a third win.
While Martin Brassil is hoping Fastorslow can continue his own fine form to clinch what would be a historic win for the yard.
*Odds correct at time of writing, with final declarations for each race 48 hours before raceday.
- Sir Gino 8/11
- Majborough 6/1
- Kargese 7/1
- Salvator Mundi 12/1
- Storm Heart 10/1
- Salver 14/1
- 16/1 bar
- King Of Kingsfield 13/2
- Iberico Lord 8/1
- Absurde 12/1
- L'Eau Du Sud 12/1
- Pied Piper 12/1
- Under Control 12/1
- Bialystok 14/1
- Zenta 14/1
- 14/1 bar
- High Class Hero 6/1
- Readin Tommy Wrong 6/1
- Dancing City 7/1
- Gidleigh Park 8/1
- Shanagh Bob 8/1
- Captain Teague 10/1
- Lecky Watson 10/1
- 16/1 bar
- Ferns Lock 5/1
- Its On The Line 11/4
- Premier Magic 11/1
- Billaway 11/2
- Samcro 6/1
- Vaucelet 12/1
- Ramillies 12/1
- Sine Nomine 14/1
- Time Leader 14/1
- 20/1 bar
- Dinoblue 11/10
- Allegorie De Vassy 4/1
- Limerick Lace 11/2
- Brides Hill 15/2
- Riviere Detel 16/1
- Carole's Pass 20/1
- Fantastic Lady 20/1
- 33/1 bar
- Sa Majeste 3/1
- Quai De Bourbon 7/2
- No Ordinary Joe 8/1
- Built By Ballymore 10/1
- Lisnagar Fortune 10/1
- Nurse Susan 10/1
- Waterford Whispers 10/1
- Better Days Ahead 12/1
- 14/1 bar
- Choose an online bookmaker form our list.
- Verify your account and make a deposit.
- Head over to the horse racing section of the site.
- Select the race you wish to bet on.
- Look through the available markets and select your bet.
- Cheltenham Day 3 preview
Picking a winning bet involves a lot of things; skill, a bit of luck but also research.
Using previews can help you secure the best free bets out there on the market, ensuring you have more in your betting bank heading into the racing on day four.
Not just that, you can notice trends in previous winners and recognise a stable's first choice jockey, giving an indication who the yard prefer if a trainer runs more than one horse.
There are several key components to consider when making a selection at Cheltenham.
Most importantly though is the horse's form and how they've been faring.
Top Jockeys and trainers will also have a huge bearing in any race and the odds so keep an eye on any market movers.
As well as that, it's important to consider other horses performances, track conditions, past results and trends in previous winners.
Track preference is also key - how do they do running right-hand courses?
Yes. For events like Cheltenham there will always be a battle for your custom, so make sure you shop around for the best Cheltenham betting offers and free bets.
Most bookies will have some form of price boost on the big race for the day and even sometimes for most races, particularly containing a big name.
These could also take the form of daily doubles or accumulators, where two or more strong favourites for the day are put together in a multiple at bigger odds.
There will be an abundance of free bets handed out over the course of the four days too - for runners that fall, lose but finish in the places or when you bet on a certain race - so keep an eye out for those.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
