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Key occasions
2.50 Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 3m odds
![Greg Wood](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2017/10/06/Greg_Wood,_L.png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=24f674fa16315ccff6678ad8471af1d3)
Greg Wooden
2.50 Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle (2m 7f 213yd) preview
Nearly all of the Grade One occasions at Cheltenham have turn out to be just a little extra punter-friendly in current seasons, however this race for staying novices is an apparent exception. Nearly all of the sphere are unexposed at staying journeys and open to any quantity of enchancment, and eight of the 9 winners since At Fishers Cross was the final profitable favorite have began at double-figure odds, together with Minella Indo – a subsequent Gold Cup winner – at 50-1 in 2019. Three Card Brag and Corbetts Cross each put up helpful performances final time and whereas the latter additionally has profitable type at this journey, Three Card Brag is stepping as much as three miles for the primary time. Embassy Gardens, Paul Townend’s decide from three Willie Mullins runners, received his solely begin at three miles by an attention grabbing 35 lengths, whereas Favori De Champdou is extra uncovered at staying journeys having received his final three begins, all at round three miles. Given the race’s popularity for shocks, although, I’ll take an opportunity with Letsbeclearaboutit, at round 16-1. He has taken some time to get the hold of hurdling, and solely notched his first win – after 4 begins over timber – at Punchestown final time, however it was an enormous step ahead and places him in with a shout if the progress continues.
SELECTION: Letsbeclearaboutit.
Faivoir coach Dan Skelton speaks to the BBC after his his sister-in-law landed the County Hurdle: “That was sensible from Bridge. It was an amazing little bit of driving. She doesn’t get as many rides on the large stage as a result of Harry takes priority however she is greater than succesful. I assumed Faivoir would win an enormous handicap this yr.”
2.10pm County Handicap Hurdle consequence
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1 Faivoir (Bridget Andrews) 33-1
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2 Pied Piper (Davy Russell) 12-1
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3 Filey Bay (Mark Walsh) 6-1
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4 Sharjah (Patrick Mullins) 10-1
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24 ran
Bridget Andrews, the profitable jockey on Faivoir, sister in legislation of coach Dan, and whose husband Harry rode the well-beaten favorite Pembroke: Coming right here for a journey is only a dream come true. To get a second win at Cheltenham is a dream come true, for the most effective workforce I may ever work for. As a quantity two jockey, there’s aren’t many huge days. I’m married to Harry however typically you need success for your self.”
Faivoir is a 33/1 winner within the County Hurdle!
They set off first time and at one hell of a lick. Sharjah and Pembroke again within the area as Prairie Dancer units off with the lead. Pembroke makes some floor as Filey Bay, nicely fancied makes a goof round 4 out. although nonetheless some option to go. Ballyaadam, as anticipated, is to the fore. Freeway 101 assaults Prairie Dancer up the hill as they shut in on the second final. Ballyadam goes nicely, chasing down the leaders. A great deal of probabilities as they shut on the final. Pied Piper and Faivoir, underneath Bridget Andrews wins on the nod, and it’s one other win for the Skelton handicap workforce. Davy Russell chinned once more on the horse in second.
![Bridget Andrews on board Faivoir comes up on the inside to win the County Hurdle at 33-1.](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/db39b699d04f0441f8ae039f2aeb71bf5fb5c1aa/0_107_2591_1555/master/2591.jpg?width=465&quality=85&dpr=1&s=none)
On Lossiemouth, the Triumph winner, William Hill have antepost odds for subsequent yr. Lossiemouth 8/1 for the 2024 Mares’ Hurdle, Triumph Hurdle winner 12/1 for subsequent yr’s Champion Hurdle. All of it is dependent upon Structure Hill, in fact, who’s 4/7 for the Champion Hurdle.
The bell is ringing for the County Hurdle. It was once one of many final races on the cardboard, a get-out-of-jail affair, and plenty of a punter will bear in mind in 2008, again when it was named after the legendary Vincent O’Brien, Paul Carberry delivering a trademark flashing-home journey on Psycho, for Tony Martin….and lacking. Silver Jaro, a 50/1 shot underneath Noel Fehilly, took the prize. Urgh.
County Handicap Hurdle Market Movers
2.10 County Handicap Hurdle 2m odds
![Greg Wood](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2017/10/06/Greg_Wood,_L.png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=24f674fa16315ccff6678ad8471af1d3)
Greg Wooden
2.10 County Hurdle Handicap (2m 179yd) preview
New guidelines in regards to the variety of begins required for novices and juveniles to be eligible for Pageant handicaps are in power this yr. Maybe not totally co-incidentally, it is usually 12 months since Willie Mullins managed to get State Man, the runner-up behind Structure Hill in Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle, into this race on a mark of 141. He received just about as he happy, having been saved out vast for a lot of the race – a transparent signal that Paul Townend knew he wanted solely to keep away from any accidents to win. The brand new rule – that novices and juveniles will need to have had 4 runs to qualify – doesn’t imply that the County is now totally Willie-proof, however Hunters Yarn, his most fancied runner this yr – with three runs over hurdles and two in bumpers – is not less than priced up at round 7-1, and never a raging 11-4 shot like State Man. Pembroke, from the Dan Skelton yard, is at present the one British-trained favorite on at present’s card, and is making his handicap debut off 136 after ending a detailed second in a Grade Two at Cheltenham’s Pageant Trials assembly, whereas Filey Bay, who got here with what regarded more likely to be a profitable run within the Betfair Hurdle final time however couldn’t recuperate from a mistake two out, can also be attracting loads of assist.
SELECTION: Filey Bay.
1.30 JCB Triumph Hurdle, 2m 1f consequence
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1 Lossiemouth (Paul Townend) 11-8 Fav
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2 Gala Marceau (Danny Mullins) 10-3
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3 Zenta (Mark Walsh) 12-1
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15 ran
Wealthy Ricci, the American proprietor, takes one other Grade 1 at Cheltenham. It had been some time. Count on to see his aviator shades quickly. “It wasn’t excellent, she simply wished to get on with it and maintain it a fair gallop,” says Paul Townend. “I believe she’s superb, very skilled although she hasn’t performed quite a lot of working. Good to make up for the Dublin Pageant for Wealthy and Susannah.
Quickly sufficient, Wealthy Ricci is again, and is in tears behind these aviators at his twentieth Cheltenham Pageant win: “Nice win, pretty mare, she was costly. She’s pretty. It’s been an amazing week for racing.”
Lossiemouth wins the Triumph Hurdle!
Jupiter de Gite is a late arrival for the race, the Gary Moore horse. An extended, nervy wait, and the most recent false begin of the assembly. And so it seems. Jupiter De Gite units off at a fee and is heading to the Greatest Mate stand. Reminds of Laibak within the Supreme a couple of years in the past, and that received. Off they go to a quiet roar, Jupiter De Gite up entrance, approach out in entrance from Blood Future. The clouds are darkish as they go previous the stands to a different roar. Hypotenus hangs badly, and Lossiemouth, the favorite is all however hampered. Jupiter De Gite has dropped again and Hypotenus jumps off proper once more, they usually take the long term to the ultimate two hurdles. Lossiemouth is pulling Paul Townend arduous, and surges into the lead. Tanking alongside, Zenta provides chase. Zenta chases arduous as they go to the final. He pings it and and speeds away. Gala Marceau beats Zenta for second, and Lossiemouth is a transparent, and spectacular winner for the Mullins workforce.
![Paul Townend riding Lossiemouth clears the last to win the Triumph Hurdle.](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/a6acac63ebd105392f3ff6b9c6c5c90375e3be84/0_0_4500_3000/master/4500.jpg?width=465&quality=85&dpr=1&s=none)
Oddspedia market movers for the 1.30 Triumph Hurdle
Friday’s Cheltenham day 4 schedule
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1.30 – JCB Triumph Hurdle 2m 179y
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2.10 – County Hurdle 2m 179y
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2.50 -Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 2m 7f 213y
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3.30 – Gold Cup 3m 2f 70y
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4.10 – Pageant Problem Cup Hunters’ Chase 3m 2f 70y
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4.50 – Paddy Energy Mares’ Chase 2m 4f 127y
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5.30 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Hurdle 2m 4f 56y
1.30 Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle 2m odds
Going replace for the large one.
1.30 Triumph Hurdle (2m 179yd) preview
![Greg Wood](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2017/10/06/Greg_Wood,_L.png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=24f674fa16315ccff6678ad8471af1d3)
Greg Wooden
An nearly sure win for Eire to kick off St Patrick’s Day at Cheltenham, as Jipcot, Jupiter Du Gite and Lively Obligation are the one British-trained runners within the 15-strong area and they’re priced up at between 66-1 and 250-1. It’s about 10-1 on that it is going to be one other for Willie Mullins too, as 4 of his seven runners in all are within the high 4 slots of the market, together with Lossiemouth, the 13-8 favorite, Blood Future (5-2) and Gala Marceau (4-1). Lossiemouth stays favorite regardless of shedding her unbeaten report over hurdles behind Gala Marceau within the Grade One juvenile hurdle at Leopardstown final month, as she misplaced a superb deal extra floor because of visitors issues than the two-and-a-half lengths she nonetheless wanted to search out on the line. Blood Future is the weakest of the trio out there this morning and is making his Grade One debut, however his win at Fairyhouse in January was a high-quality efficiency on the clock and he ought to have loads extra enchancment to come back. Anybody seeking to again an enormous outsider each-way, in the meantime, might wish to think about John McConnell’s Hypotenus at round 50-1. I are likely to bang on a bit an excessive amount of in regards to the coach’s wonderful report with runners in Britain generally, and at Cheltenham particularly, and he obtained off the mark on the Pageant yesterday when Seddon took the Plate. He doesn’t appear inclined to purchase any horse a ferry ticket except he thinks it should do itself justice, and Hypotenus was simply three lengths behind Zenta, a 10-1 shot for at present’s race, on his solely begin over hurdles to this point.
SELECTION: Blood Future. EACH-WAY: Hypotenus.
![A man in an Irish hat for St Patricks Day onboard a steam train at the racecourse station.](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/3b5796f80b2da20e4cc3d640e5c4810a46cb5743/0_0_8192_5464/master/8192.jpg?width=465&quality=85&dpr=1&s=none)
Per the Racing Submit, the crowds are down this yr. It felt quieter on Wednesday, although maybe that was everybody sheltering from the rain.
The mixture of a two-day trainer strike and a practice strike throughout this week’s competition has impacted crowd figures on the huge assembly, based on Cheltenham’s boss.
Wednesday’s official attendance was 50,387 – down by 14,044 on final yr – and Tuesday’s crowd was 60,284, a drop of 8,283 on final yr. The utmost crowd for every day on the assembly has been capped at 68,500 this yr, with the purpose of bettering the racegoer expertise, and Thursday’s attendance of 62,429 was down by 11,325 on final yr.
Cheltenham’s director Ian Renton stated: “I believe the strikes have undoubtedly had an impression and we noticed after they have been introduced that ticket gross sales slowed. We’re evaluating the figures to a bumper yr and we’ve capped the attendance particularly for tomorrow. We have been anticipating fewer folks and every part I’ve heard thus far suggests folks have had a snug expertise and that’s essential.”
The forecast is extra rain. Been a bit depressing this yr, hasn’t it?
Right here’s the Oddschecker market movers for the morning.
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Hewick 50/1 – 25/1 [Gold Cup]
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Path D’Oroux 20/1 – 12/1 [County Hurdle]
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Irish Hill 14/1 – 8/1 [Martin Pipe]
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Ahoy Senor 22/1 – 12/1 [Gold Cup]
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Petit Tonnere 33/1 – 20/1 [County Hurdle]
🚂 𝑪𝑯𝑬𝑳𝑻𝑬𝑵𝑯𝑨𝑴 𝑭𝑬𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑳 𝑴𝑨𝑹𝑲𝑬𝑻 𝑴𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺 🚂
Three steamers from Gold Cup day on the #CheltenhamFestival
👇 Discover these every day on our racing market movers web page and in our devoted ‘Steamers and Drifters’ part on the Cheltenham residence web page.
— oddschecker (@oddschecker) March 17, 2023
Right here’s a number one purpose to fancy Rachael Blackmore aboard A Plus Tard within the Gold Cup. The bottom might be very totally different, thoughts, so a stayer must be fancied if the main contenders don’t take the flamboyant.
Right here Greg Wooden’s suggestions for the ultimate day. Thursday noticed the favourites get gubbed throughout the sphere. Greg has picked a former winner for the large one.
His dismal run when favorite for the Betfair Chase in November, the primary time in 15 begins over fences he had completed out of the body, was the results of an an infection picked up in transit to Haydock, whereas a freak knock to a joint instantly earlier than the Savills Chase in December dominated him out of that race.
De Bromhead determined to maintain him contemporary for the Pageant after that minor setback and he experiences A Plus Tard has been exhibiting all the fitting indicators on the gallops. It’s encouraging, too, that his string has been in wonderful type this week, with a winner every afternoon.
Galopin Des Champs is clearly a rising expertise, however, like Bravemansgame, he must show himself on the climb to the road. There aren’t any such doubts about A Plus Tard (3.30) and he is a superb guess on the out there odds to turn out to be the second twin Gold Cup winner since 2003.
Barry Glendenning was at Prestbury Park yesterday to see the grasp of Ditchcheat – and previously Cheltenham – break his duck.
Nicholls has masterminded victory in much more prestigious Pageant races however couldn’t have regarded extra happy at having lastly put one over on the mixed forces of Irish raiders despatched into battle by Mullins and Gordon Elliott after so lengthy. The Turners Novice Chase will not be the stuff from which racing desires are made, however Stage Star’s win not less than ended one thing of a nightmare for his relieved coach so far as this explicit assembly is anxious.
It’s not that he’s misplaced his contact. Removed from it, in reality. Nicholls continues to ship out winners at a prodigious fee, at present leads the jumps trainers’ championship with winnings of virtually £3m this season and earlier than Thursday had saddled 19 Group One winners in England and Eire since his Cheltenham chilly streak started, after Politologue’s victory within the Queen Mom Champion Chase three years in the past.
Preamble
![Greg Wood](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2017/10/06/Greg_Wood,_L.png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=24f674fa16315ccff6678ad8471af1d3)
Greg Wooden
For the primary time all week, there’s really a faint whiff of spring within the air at Cheltenham this morning, mingling with the scent of the foot-long sausages scorching on the frankfurter stand by the doorway as a capability crowd begins to stream into the racecourse. Which is simply correctly on Gold Cup morning, when one of many season’s most storied and venerable races is only a few hours away.
It’s 99 years since Purple Splash landed the primary Cheltenham Gold Cup at 5-1, and preparations are nicely underneath option to have a good time its 100th anniversary subsequent yr, together with a plan (and please don’t ask me why) to take the trophy to the very best factors in England, Scotland, Eire and Wales. However first, there’s the intense enterprise of the 94th working of the staying chasers’ championship occasion this afternoon, for which 13 runners might be on the publish at 3.30.
They embrace the final two winners, A Plus Tard and Minella Indo, although the market has a clear-cut view on the prospects of Henry de Bromhead’s two runners with Rachael Blackmore’s mount priced up because the 5-1 second favorite to repeat final yr’s success, and Minella Indo on provide at 20-1.
The opposition contains Noble Yeats, final yr’s Grand Nationwide winner, who could be solely the third horse to win each races if he comes residence in entrance, and the primary to take action after profitable at Aintree first. Bravemansgame, the King George winner, is bidding to provide Paul Nicholls a fifth Gold Cup, which might tie the all-time report held by Arkle’s coach, Tom Dreaper, whereas the sure favorite is Galopin Des Champs, from the Willie Mullins secure. He was a winner right here over hurdles in 2021, however stays most well-known, or notorious, amongst Pageant-goers for his last-fence departure in 2022 with the Turners Novice Chase at his mercy.
Seven runners need to lengthen Eire’s present win streak within the Gold Cup to 5 – and on St Patrick’s Day, too – and the guests at present have the favorite in six of the day’s races after a big gamble on Dan Skelton’s Pembroke pushed him to the top of the marketplace for the County Hurdle at 2.10. After beating the British 5-2 on every of the primary three days, this might but be the afternoon when it finally ends up as a 7-0 thrashing for the primary time.
As ever, the Guardian’s stay weblog would be the place to search out all the cavalcade of stories, views, outcomes and even high-speed in-running race commentaries, and the motion on the monitor will get underway, as ever, with the Triumph Hurdle at 1.30.
![England cricketer Jonny Bairstow shows his Irish heritage in a fetching emerald green coat.](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/3c2c094c76ca5d88b43f0b5f15efbb1845d1baf0/0_0_8192_5464/master/8192.jpg?width=465&quality=85&dpr=1&s=none)
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