Cheltenham Festival confirmations: 14 left in Gold Cup

Hot favourite Galopin Des Champs will face a maximum of 13 rivals in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The seven-year-old has won five of his six starts over fences to date, his only defeat coming at last year’s Festival when falling at the final fence with the Turners Novices’ Chase at his mercy.

He has been thoroughly impressive in winning the John Durkan at Punchestown and the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown this season and is a warm order to provide Willie Mullins with a third success in Friday’s blue riband following the back-to-back victories of Al Boum Photo in 2019 and 2020.

Mullins has a major second string to his bow in the form of Stattler, who is a proven stayer having won the National Hunt Chase 12 months ago and finished best of the rest behind Galopin Des Champs in last month’s Irish Gold Cup.

Henry de Bromhead has saddled the one-two in the last two editions of the Gold Cup, with Minella Indo beating A Plus Tard in 2021 before the latter turned the tables with an imperious display under Rachael Blackmore last year.

Both horses are in contention once more, but A Plus Tard returns to the Cotswolds with something to prove after being pulled up in Haydock’s Betfair Chase on his only previous outing this term.

A formidable Irish challenge is further strengthened by Grand National winner Noble Yeats, Savills Chase hero Conflated and American Grand National victor Hewick, trained by Emmet Mullins, Gordon Elliott and Shark Hanlon respectively.

The pick of the home team on form is Bravemansgame, who was brilliant when giving Paul Nicholls a 13th King George VI Chase win at Kempton on Boxing Day and now bids to provide him with a fifth Gold Cup.

Ahoy Senor won the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January for Lucinda Russell and will renew rivalry with the runner-up Sounds Russian (Ruth Jefferson), the third placed Noble Yeats and the fourth home Protektorat (Dan Skelton), who was best of the British when third in last year’s Gold Cup.

Eldorado Allen (Joe Tizzard), Royale Pagaille (Venetia Williams) and the novice The Real Whacker (Patrick Neville) complete the acceptors.

Mullins trio head Triumph Hurdle confirmations

Willie Mullins appears to have a stranglehold on the JCB Triumph Hurdle with the first three in the ante-post betting among 17 confirmations for the day four opener at the Cheltenham Festival.

Blood Destiny, who has recently overtaken stablemate Lossiemouth at the head of the betting, and Gala Marceau, who beat Lossiemouth at the Dublin Racing Festival, give Mullins a very strong hand in the juvenile event.

Comfort Zone, the winner of Grade Two events at Chepstow and Cheltenham already for Joseph O’Brien, and Gary Moore’s Bo Zenith were among those taken out.

JP McManus’ new purchase Corbetts Cross, a Grade Two winner on his debut for Emmett Mullins, is among 34 left in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott’s Three Card Brag, who has been taken out of the Martin Pipe later on the card, is another leading ante-post fancy, while stablemate Favori De Champdou and Willie Mullins’ Embassy Gardens all stand their ground.

Among those taken out were Absolute Notions, Maximilian and Saint Davy.

There are 52 left in the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle, with previous Champion Hurdle contenders Zanahiyr and Sharjah heading the weights.

Betfair Hurdle one-two Aucunrisque and Filey Bay are in the mix along with Willie Mullins’ well fancied pair of Hunters Yarn and Winter Fog.

Last year’s winner Billaway and David Christie’s pair of Vaucelet and Winged Leader head 30 left in the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase, while in the closing Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle 53 remain.

Only nine have been left in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase and they include market leaders Allegorie de Vassy and Impervious.

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