Cheltenham Festival: Nigel Farage arrives by helicopter on Gold Cup day

Telegraph

14-03-2025

Latest updates
at Cheltenham. Tom Ward live updates
14 March 2025 • 11:46am
12:32PM
Galopin can join the greats
"He looks like a very similar horse to Best Mate"
Galopin Des Champs can join a list of horse racing greats today. But has he got enough credit for his career so far? 💭 #ITVRacing | #CheltenhamFestival | @olibellracing | @AP_McCoy pic.twitter.com/AgAGybF0ZS
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 14, 2025
12:25PM
Wiuth an hour to go...
...until the first race on Gold Cup day, let's take a look at the market for the JCB Triumph Hurdle (1.20).
East India Dock 6/4F
Lulamba 5/2
Hello Neighbour 5/1
Blue Lemons 14/1
Lady Vega Allen 14/1
Mondo Man 22/1
Gibbs Island 25/1
Larzac 40/1
50/1 Bar
12:15PM
I'm just going to...
...leave this here and let you all make your own judgement.
Ex-Arsenal & England star David Bentley is having a fantastic time at the Cheltenham Festival 🤣 🐎 pic.twitter.com/NAOO7vKw2S
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) March 13, 2025
Never a bad time to remember this though...
12:14PM
A famous(ish) faces...
12:04PM
Crouchy gets em in – sort of
Paddy Power once again struck the best PR coup at the festival, with their latest stunt seeing Peter Crouch forced to fork out for 1,000 pints in the Guinness Village. The Premier League striker announced during an ITV Racing interview on Thursday that he had 'a bet with Paddy' to effectively pay for £7,800 round if there was an Irish winner in Stayers' Hurdle. Later on, footage emerged of Crouch, who has a lucrative advertising deal with the bookmaker, handing out the pints after Bob Olinger won the race, trained in Ireland.
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12:03PM
Move in the County Hurdle market
The County Hurdle (2.00) is one of the toughest betting heats of the week, with virtually a case to be made for every horse in it. With that in mind, it is worth noting a move for one at the top of the market.
Spokesperson for William Hill, Lee Phelps, said: 'We're delighted to be back sponsoring at the Festival and the William Hill County Hurdle looks a wide-open affair. The one punters seem to want to side with is Joseph O'Brien's Lark In The Mornin, who won the Fred Winter at last year's Festival and has shortened into 4/1 from 5/1.
'History is set to be made at around ten-past four this afternoon if Galopin Des Champs can land a historic third Gold Cup, but at 4/7 he's prohibitively short for most punters and we've seen each-way money for William Hill ambassador Gavin Cromwell's Inothewayurthinkin, who is 13/2 from 7/1.
'Money has also come for another William Hill ambassador's runner in the Albert Bartlett (3:20), with Lucinda Russell's Derryhassen Paddy now 8/1 from 11/1.'
11:57AM
Just one arrest
There has been just one arrest – for assault – at the racecourse so far this week after signs were put up in various spots urging revellers to show 'respect'. 'We responded to a report that a man had been assaulted on Wednesday (12 March) sustaining an injury to his head,' a Gloucestershire Police statement says. 'A 46-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of common assault in connection with the incident. He has since been released from custody after being issued with a conditional caution.'
11:50AM
Connections of the big-race favourite
"It's out of this world"
The connections of Galopin Des Champs speak to Sally Ann ahead of their attempt at history this afternoon 🗣️ #ITVRacing | #CheltenhamFestival | @sagrassick pic.twitter.com/zz45TA2XZ3
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 14, 2025
11:47AM
'The most adorable day'
Nigel Farage has arrived by helicopter with an entourage. 'The atmosphere, the people, I've been coming over 40 years,' he told reporters of his love for Cheltenham. 'It's just the most adorable day.' Asked what he thought of gambling, he replied: 'I love it.'
11:47AM
National treasure....
....Mary Berry arrives. Hope the caterers don't serve a dry sponge – there may well be hell to pay if they do.