Cheltenham Festival tips: Gold Cup odds, experts' best bets and 13 horses to watch on day four
The Cheltenham Festival is back, and neither snow nor rain will keep the horses from running. Races continue as we gear up for the weekend, with one of the most hotly anticipated races of the event coming in the shape of Friday evening's Gold Cup, where Galopin Des Champs is eyeing up a history-making third title. He would be just the fifth horse to manage the feat.
Day three was not short of entertainment as Bob Olinger took an unlikely win in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle and rank outsider Air Of Entitlement was first over the line in the day's opening race.
Friday, though, promises to be among the best of the weekend so far. The last race of the day will see one of the Festival's highest-rated horses in Kopeck de Mee vie for a first title of the weekend in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.
The Gold Cup will, of course, be the event of the day, though the question will be whether Galopin Des Champs can be upset by the likes of Banbridge and Inothewayurthinking.
Our racing expert Sam Turner will be at Cheltenham all week, plus legendary former jockey Ruby Walsh has shared his tips with Paddy Power while Oli Bell and Ed Chamberlin have given their Thursday picks to Sky Bet:
Day four, Gold Cup – Friday, 14 March
1.20: JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m1f | 8 hurdles | New Course
Ruby Walsh's tip: East India Dock (2/1)
'Willie Mullins has 11 runners in this race and Paul Townend has opted for Lady Vega Allen. He's the top one for Willie but I fancy East India Dock. I really liked his win on Cheltenham Trials Day. I love the way he jumps, I love his attitude and the way he tries. He's gutsy, he's tough and he can get the better of Lulamba.'
Sam Turner's tip: East India Dock (2/1)
'A larger field than in recent years with Willie Mullins saddling nearly two thirds of an 18-strong contingent. Britain provides just six of the runners, but they look to boast a stranglehold with East India Dock and Ascot winner Lulamba both holding strong claims. The former gains the nod as he was a highly talented flat performer when trained by James Fanshawe and he has carried that level on to his new vocation, winning twice in highly impressive fashion at today's venue, including by 10 lengths last time. Of those at bigger prices, recent Gowran scorer Blue Lemons could outrun his odds.'
Ruby Walsh's tip: Ndaawi (14/1)
'I expect the winner to come from one of the five-year-olds like Lark In The Mornin, Kargese, Ndaawi and Ethical Diamond. I can see why Paul has gone for Kargese and while he could go close, the price is gone unfortunately. Gordon Elliott's Ndaawi is a bigger price and he offers more value. He's five and he looks ahead of the handicapper.'
Sam Turner's tip: Valgrand (13/2)
'Kargese has been well found in the market – her price collapsed as soon as Paul Townend was confirmed as rider – but her form in last year's Triumph Hurdle and at Aintree behind Sir Gino makes her an enticing prospect off her current mark. Last year's winner Absurde wouldn't be out of place in a Champion Hurdle, while another Closutton inmate, Ethical Diamond, has been well touted for this race. Willie Mullins or Dan Skelton have won nine of the last 10 runnings so the lightly raced Valgrand narrowly gains the vote providing the ground remains on the good side. Given the form of Gary & Josh Moore and with bookmakers offering enhanced place terms, Hansard also catches the eye with the cheekpieces applied.'
'I'm with Dinoblue but I'm not massively confident! This could be another race where we get a bit of a surprise.'
Sam Turner's tip: Dinoblue (11/10)
'Dinoblue sets a good standard here and ought to atone for her narrow defeat in this event 12 months ago. She was ridden to see out the trip on that occasion and arguably gave Limerick Lace a little too much rope at the head of affairs. She warmed up for Cheltenham with a snug defeat of Allegorie De Vassy at Naas and must surely go close again. Limerick Lace has been struggling to recapture last year's form but the cheekpieces maybe the catalyst to an improved showing.'
3.20: Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £150,000 | 3m | 12 hurdles | New course
Ruby Walsh's tip: Jasmin De Vaux (8/1); Argento Boy (each way) (12/1)
'Jasmin De Vaux needs to improve but the track will help with his jumping. He has a great chance and Argento Boy could be worth keeping on side at a bigger price. Rachael Blackmore rides and he wasn't that far behind The Big Westerner in a maiden hurdle at the end of last year. He's an each-way play but the race should shape up perfectly for Jasmin De Vaux.'
Sam Turner's tip: Jet Blue (6/1)
'The Big Westerner has a pedigree to win this given she is a half-sister to 2023 winner Stay Away Fay and she was highly impressive in graded company at Limerick on Boxing Day. However, racing experience can be a valuable attribute in this race so Jet Blue gains the vote as he won with a degree of authority here on his debut for new connections, improving markedly for the step up to three miles. Intense Approach is another with abundant experience and he relishes good ground so could prove a threat with Sean Bowen on board.'
Oli Bell and Ed Chamberlin's tip: Derryhassen Paddy (17/2)
Oli Bell: 'My bet of the day comes in the Albert Bartlett trained by Lucinda Russell, who's already a winner here at Cheltenham with Myretown. I love Derryhassen Paddy – I love this horse, I think his run at Windsor when he won was really good cause I don't think he handled the track and he's a big price. I think he'll run well. Lucinda Russell does brilliantly with these types of horses. He's my big, big fancy on Gold Cup Day, which should be like the rest of the week here at Cheltenham, absolutely incredible.'
Ed Chamberlin: 'Day 4, best bet of the day. I don't agree on many things with Oli Bell – he could be like an annoying younger brother, but unfortunately I do on this, and that's Derryhassen Paddy in the Albert Bartlett. I think Lucinda Russell thinks this horse might be the best she's ever had. She's had some very good horses – looks a decent price.'
Ruby Walsh's tip: Galopin Des Champs (8/15)
'I hope Galopin Des Champs wins as he's an incredible horse. Inothewayurthinkin is the danger to him as he's guaranteed to stay and he'll come home well. Galopin Des Champs should win as he should have far too many gears for the rest of these. A forecast of Galopin Des Champs to beat Inothewayurthinkin could be an extra value pick.'
Sam Turner's tip: Galopin Des Champs (8/15)
'A week ago, the prospect of a soft surface and a real test at the trip looked to be perfect conditions for Galopin Des Champs to complete an historic hat-trick in the blue riband event. However, a dry forecast and the likelihood of spring ground have enhanced the chances of King George hero Banbridge seeing out today's trip, while the supplemented Inothewayurthinkin, seven lengths behind Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown, has added further depth to a race which looked a little thin on competition a fortnight ago. The reigning champion should still have too much class for this field as he is so tactically versatile and jumps brilliantly in the main, although after some of the high- profile jumping failures this week, nothing is taken for granted. The best outsiders look to be Ahoy Senior, who is reported in good shape following a wind operation, and The Real Whacker who wasn't disgraced behind Banbridge on Boxing Day at Kempton. Backing them each-way in the markets without the favourite could be the way to go.'
Oli Bell's tip: Galopin Des Champs (8/15)
Oli Bell: 'Friday at Cheltenham, Gold Cup Day, the blue ribbon of the week where Galopin Des Champs is hoping to make history and win three Gold Cups. I think he'll do it – I love the horse, and I think he deserves his place in the pantheon of Cheltenham greats.'
4.40: St James's Place Hunter Chase (Listed) Race conditions: £50 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course
Ruby Walsh's tip: Angels Dawn (NAP) (10/3)
'Angels Dawn's form at Cheltenham is outstanding. She won the Kim Muir a couple of years ago and she would have placed in last year's race if she didn't fall two out. I'll keep her on side.'
Sam Turner's tip: Fairly Famous (10/1)
'Another big field for backers to sift through, but the vibes for previous Festival scorer Angels Dawn are strong and she arrives here in great form again having won both her starts in points this term, including a decisive defeat of the well-regarded Ryehill who reopposes. The drier ground will play to the strengths of the progressive Willitgoahead who impressed with his jumping at Thurles last time, while a sounder surface should also showcase the abilities of Fairly Famous who is unbeaten in two starts at this venue and could spring a mini surprise for his talented trainer/rider.'
Ruby Walsh's tip: Kopeck De Mee (9/4)
'Kopeck De Mee is better than a 136 horse but it's hard to know how good he actually is! All of his form in France has been on soft ground though. The question is how much better than a mark of 136 does he need to be to win this race. He has a great mentality and he'll be an easy ride. I'm not going to go against him.'
Sam Turner's tip: Doyen Quest (28/1)
'Punters must wait until the final race for one of the biggest hype horses of the meeting, Kopeck De Mee. The five-year-old has yet to race outside of France but has accumulated a strong body of work in his native country prior to joining Willie Mullins, with the perception being he is a very well-handicapped horse. Wodhooh has had this race as her target since a smooth course and distance success before Christmas where the talented duo Joyeuse and Take No Chances were among her victims. Others which catch the eye in a highly competitive affair include No Questions Asked and The Enabler with the latter expected to improve for the return to today's trip. Doyen Quest also looks hugely overpriced with the cheekpieces applied given he beat Gowel Road comfortably here before Christmas.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
34 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Goliath regains winning thread with La Coupe strike
Francis-Henri Graffard's charge was a brilliant winner of Ascot's midsummer highlight in 2024, but returned to home soil with a point to prove having since failed to make his presence felt in either the Japan Cup in November or Hong Kong's QEII Cup in April. Dropping down to Group Three level, the five-year-old was sent straight to the lead by Christophe Soumillon and while Grand Stars briefly loomed up as a threat early in the home straight, Goliath picked up again once challenged and was well on top at the line. On the front-running tactics, Graffard told Sky Sports Racing: 'We decided with Christophe that his two best races were when he jumped and not to fight with him. We decided to let him roll along on his own and let him be very comfortable and when he's like that he's a very good horse. 'Off any pace he can quicken, he has this ability, he just needs to be relaxed. He's a horse that can be very tense, that's why he ran so poorly in Hong Kong. I'm very happy because I was unsure how he was going to behave mentally and this race will do him good, so we can restart the season with him.' On whether a defence of his King George crown could be on the agenda, the trainer added: 'I have to discuss it with the entourage. We'll see how he comes back and what Christophe says, but obviously he will target the big races again.' Maranoa Charlie stamped his class on the Group Three Prix Paul de Moussac. An impressive winner of the Prix Djebel on his seasonal reappearance, Christopher Head's charge was subsequently beaten into fourth place when dropped back to six furlongs in the Prix Texanita. The free-going three-year-old was unable to get to adopt his customary pacesetting tactics that day, but was soon out in front in this seven-furlong contest and confirmed his superiority over Djebel runner-up Silius with a clear-cut victory. Head said: 'He's really a beast! I can't wait to see him in the Group One Prix Jean Prat as his next race. That is why we were here today and I'm happy he has shown he has the capacity to win over 1400 metres (seven furlongs). 'It was important (to run in the Prix Texanita) because if he could have been a sprinter he could have been to Royal Ascot and everything, but he's showing that's he's not a sprinter and he's not a miler, he's in between and he's doing it very well. 'This horse keeps on surprising us and we just can't wait to see his next race.' Ed Walker's British raider Troia claimed Listed honours in the Prix Volterra. Winner of two of her previous four starts and third in Listed company at York last month, the daughter of Kingman knuckled down to go a couple of places better under Kieran Shoemark. 'She broke cleanly from the gates and we were able to get a beautiful position and we weren't going overly quick on the front end,' said Shoemark. 'We were able to save and save and she stays this trip really well. It actually surprised me as it just took her a few strides to hit top gear, but when she found it I felt she was comfortable at the line. 'She's a pretty straightforward filly and she wants to do it, which is the main thing.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Cristiano Ronaldo to score a header in 90 minutes is BOOSTED to 11/1 as Portugal take on European champions Spain in Nations League final
With Portugal set to take on Spain for the Nations League crown on Sunday night, they will likely need their greatest ever player to come good when it matters most if they're to return home with a new piece of silverware. Portugal came from behind to beat Germany 2-1 in the semi-final in a brilliant second-half comeback, with Francisco Conceicao and Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the goals after Florian Wirtz's opener. Spain meanwhile just about held on in a nine-goal thriller, having led 4-0 and 5-1 before being pegged back to 5-4 by France, but Lamine Yamal and Co held on to book their own spot in the final. La Roja are favourites to win the tie - 1/2 to Portugal's 6/4 - and the game is subject of three Price Boosts from Sky Bet. The first requires 10+ match shots on target in 90 mins, which is boosted to evens, while Lamine Yamal to win three or more fouls in 90 minutes is up to 2/1 from 6/4. The Barcelona star won four fouls in his last outing for Spain, while there were a combined 28 match shots in the last round of the Nations League. The other boost requires Portugal's living legend Ronaldo to score a header in 90 minutes, which is priced at 10/1. Sky Bet odds for Portugal vs Spain: Portugal 6/4 Spain 1/2 Price Boosts: 10+ match shots on target in 90 minutes WAS 4/6 NOW 1/1 Lamine Yamal 3+ fouls won in 90 minutes WAS 6/4 NOW 2/1 Cristiano Ronaldo to score a header in 90 minutes WAS 17/2 NOW 11/1
Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Telegraph
Sir Nick Faldo: Donald Trump always picks up when I call
The last thing Sir Nick Faldo wants to do after four days of talking about golf is more of the same. But when it is the president of the United States ringing to dissect the latest major's talking points, it is a call you have to take. 'He always calls me Nicky,' Faldo tells Telegraph Sport, explaining that the pair have struck up an unlikely bromance. A routine, which Faldo estimates has happened nearly 30 times, started at the beginning of his TV work with US broadcaster CBS. 'So when I started TV, out of the blue, a Monday after a tournament, I remember I was down hitting golf balls and it's Donald, back when he was just a businessman,' Faldo says while beginning to transition into a Trump impression before thinking better of it. ''Nicky,'' Faldo says, pretending to be Trump, his giant hand now a fake phone. ''Nicky, how did he blow that tournament? You wouldn't have done that, Nicky. You'd have done this, you'd have done that, Nicky.' 'Over 10 years, that happened two or three times a year out of the blue,' Faldo, back as himself, adds. A close, personal relationship with the president of the US could be exploited for any number of reasons. For Faldo, it has simply become a party trick. 'For fun, I could be anywhere in the world and if somebody was talking about this and that, I'd say: 'I'll call him'. And I always get through. Honestly. One hundred per cent of the time.' Phone calls are frowned upon on the putting green of The Berkshire in Ascot, where Faldo is hosting the Husqvarna Invitational, so, sadly, there is no opportunity to put his claim to the test. 'Nicky, Nicky, how did he win this?' There is one chat, however, that stands out from the rest for Faldo. In 2019, Tiger Woods completed one of sport's great comebacks to end an 11-year wait for his 15th major by becoming Masters champion for the fifth time. While it was a brilliant day for Woods, it quickly became an uncomfortable scenario for Faldo and his CBS colleague Jim Nantz. 'By now, he's the president,' Faldo says. 'And I've got this relationship with him. So, imagine, 20-30 times he's called me and we'd chat, chat, chat, chat. No big deal. 'It's the 2019 Masters. Tiger's just won. And you know, they played in the morning, we're done at 2.30pm and so now Jim Nantz and I – we're in Butler Cabin and we've got five hours of TV to fill. 'You've got producers in your ear, cameras are rolling, everything. And one of the ladies from CBS leans over to me and goes, 'I have a call from the president of the United States for you, sir...'' Faldo, with a smirk, imitates waving the phone call away with his hands. 'I say, 'Oh, tell him to call me on Monday.'' Faldo then takes on the role of the producer, gawking, eyes wide and white. 'She goes, 'no, it's the president of the United States'.' ''It's fine, tell him that I'm busy, I'm on with Nantz!''. The CBS studio falls into stunned silence. 'So anyway about 4pm, and luckily I'm out of my chair, and my phone rings and I've got the president of the United States on the line. I've got Donald saying, 'Nicky, Nicky, how did he win this? How did he win this? How did he do that?' 'I go back: 'Do you realise that I'm live on flipping TV! Do you mind!' 'So my claim to fame is that he called two golfers on that day, and Tiger was second.' Faldo's appearance at Republican rally The Faldo-Trump relationship has now moved beyond just the phone call stage. Last year, Faldo took up Trump's offer to attend a rally in Montana, where he now resides in Bozeman. The then-Republican candidate thanked Faldo and his wife, Lindsay De Marco, for their support, telling his adoring crowd that politics could be the next step for the former golfer. 'This guy is a major golfer. He is a major friend of mine. One of the best ever,' Trump proclaimed. 'He could take people, he'd play the best players in the world, and they would always fold in front of him. In fact, I think I need to bring him into government because we like to get other people to fold.' Trump: And one of our greatest golfers in the history of. I'm a golfer, I love golf. This guy is a major golfer. He's a major friend of mine, one of the best ever. They knighted him in in England or in UK. I'd like to bring him into government. Nick Faldo. — Acyn (@Acyn) August 10, 2024 De Marco, an ardent Trump supporter, headed straight for the now-US president after the rally and the three posed for a photograph together. Faldo, however, was more concerned with stamping out any speculation that he could be entering front-line politics. 'To all those overly concerned. Before I head out the door this morning into the great outdoors of Montana to cast a fly in the river, I will make a short and sweet statement about former president Donald Trump's tongue-in-cheek compliment of my competitive fortitude,' Faldo posted on social media. 'For those who took his comments seriously, I must say that I am amused that I need to clarify and announce that I have zero interest in and no intention of taking a political position.' But this swift distancing should not be mistaken for a lack of interest in politics. Faldo Farm in Montana is where he calls home and he watches the news there every morning. More often than not, the news cycle centres around Trump. 'Well, we quite like the guy,' Faldo says. 'I quite like the guy. I get on fine with him. Boy do they get wound up with that stuff, but day-to-day it's very good out there.' 'Britain is struggling' Faldo may have grown up in leafy Hertfordshire, but he has no plans to return home to the UK. And it was a walk down one of the UK's wealthiest high streets that reaffirmed to him that the nation is in trouble. 'We walked down Eton high street because we used to live near there and it's looking a bit rough,' he says. 'You know, things have gone down. The shops are closing, there's boarded up windows and I'm disappointed to see that the country is struggling, to be honest. And, I mean, that's a shame.' So, could the UK learn from Trump's America? 'You've got to say the attitude [in the US] is good,' Faldo says. 'It's back to the good old psychology of life. You've got to be seeing good things and saying good things. Self-hypnosis is really powerful, you know?' Pushing out his bottom lip, and hunching over his putter, he continues. 'If you're saying life is miserable and I'm fed up then, guess what, life is going to be miserable and you're going to be fed up. But if you wake up in the morning and think, 'What opportunities have I got today?' or 'What am I going to enjoy today?' 'It's a simple trick. I do it. What am I going to enjoy doing today? Then you go completely at it and you're already looking forward to doing something that you are going to enjoy.' There is something else Britain could adopt from the US, too, it turns out. 'The best thing about America is that you can turn right at a set of traffic lights [even if the light is red]. That's very useful. It just makes sense. You arrive at the junction and you can just keep going. They should bring that in over here, but left.' Faldo's criticisms of his adopted country are, on the other hand, rather minor. And both relate to food. 'The worst [thing about the US], oh my goodness. Well probably the bread. Now we're being told not to eat their bread because of all the impurities that they've discovered. 'I'll tell you the other bad thing about America is that you go for breakfast in New York, and they chop the melon in a certain way. And you go to California, you go 2,000 miles away, and they chop it the same. 'You go across Europe and every country is a little bit different. They go for the same across the whole country.' Melon aside, there are other things Faldo misses about home, with the British sense of humour and its television shows top of the list. Would I Lie To You? being a particular favourite. 'It's embarrassing if you can't keep up your club speed' On Faldo Farm, he sticks to a morning routine that begins at 5am before the rest of the household is awake. Faldo remains dedicated to his hobby of fly fishing while TikTok has become an unlikely source of inspiration for the 67-year-old to stay fit. 'I love TikTok,' he says. 'I'm an obsessive TikToker. I'm always telling Lindsay, 'My TikTok doctor said this', or, 'my TikTok chef said that'. 'I look at all these exercises and I think to myself, 'oh, I can try this' and 'oh, I can try that.'' Slapping his stomach, which sounds incredibly solid, he adds: 'I'm just trying to get this big blooming lump to keep moving and to keep the speed up. That's the hardest thing. As we get older, it gets embarrassing if you can't get the blooming club speed up.' Away from his punditry and assiduous fitness routine, Faldo's chaotic calendar also includes designing golf courses and running the Faldo Series, an event which promotes junior golf events. It is a sharp contrast to his idyllic farm life. 'When I'm at home, I'm at home. But when I'm on the road, I'm busy. In two different worlds,' Faldo says before parting with some suitably folksy advice. 'You've got to enjoy what you're doing. I know that much. And if you're not enjoying it, find something and jump ship because we don't know how long we've got. 'And if the worst comes to worst, get yourself some puppies. Because every day is a great day with puppies.'
