Gold Cup day!
It’s Friday, Gold Cup day – the final day of the Cheltenham festival. We’ve had a fantastic week and, to round it all off, it looks like the Gold Cup will be one of the most competitive renewals in years.
Whatever happens on Gold Cup day, we’ll keep you up to date on all the action in our live-blog below.
The brilliant Galopin Des Champs looks set to go off as the bookies’ favourite though there will be challenges from all corners.
Emmett Mullins’ Grand National hero Noble Yeats will surely be in with a shout while last year’s runaway champ A Plus Tard can’t be discounted either – certainly not when you consider how Henry De Bromhead’s horses have running.
Well that has gone in a flash. Some punters are cleaning up, others are chasing their tail. Thursday was such a difficult day for punting that, outsiders and long-shots considered, it would have taken a fair stroke of luck to win a few quid.
But isn’t luck what Cheltenham is all about.
Yet again, Rachael Blackmore and Henry De Bromhead were the heroes of the day as they revived the once-great Envoi Allen. This, remember, was a horse that lit up the novice grade to such an extent that he was almost hyped-up as much as Constitution Hill.
The horse has struggled for form since making the move from Gordon Elliott’s yard to De Bromheads but in beating Shishkin to win the Ryanair Chase, Envoi Allen showed that he hasn’t lost it yet.
Another horse that hasn’t lost it is Sire Du Berlais – that Cheltenham veteran who beat all-comers and lasted longest to win the Stayers Hurdle for Mark Walsh. Considering that Walsh suffered some vertebrae injuries at Christmas, this was a tremendous achievement for him to get back on top.
He’s back on top, here’s to hoping the punters can get back on top this Friday. The very best of luck.
Related links
- Michael O’Sullivan and Barry Connell deliver the goods
- Henry De Bromhead’s powerful interview with Lydia Hislop after Honeysuckle win
- Outside bets at the festival
- 66-year-old becomes oldest winning jockey ever under rules
