Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase horse racing tips – Copybet
All eyes will be on the fourth and final day of the Cheltenham Festival on Friday with another tremendous card in store from the Prestbury Park venue, the undoubted highlight being the Cheltenham Gold Cup at 16:00.
The Grade 1 event, which was inaugurated in 1924 and is run over an extended 3m 2f on the New Course, has attracted a field of 11 and is arguably the most open renewal in living memory.
Jango Baie – Cheltenham
Nicky Henderson, who has won the Cheltenham Gold Cup twice previously in a stellar training career (Long Run in 2011 and Bobs Worth in 2013), has enjoyed another strong week at the festival and will be hoping for a good run from the lightly-raced JANGO BAIE.
The seven-year-old gelding, who is the youngest in the field, stormed up the hill to win last season’s Arkle and he’s done well since being stepped up in trip following wind surgery this term.
He won impressively on his seasonal return in the 1965 Chase at Ascot in November before going down on his sword when fourth behind The Jukebox Man, Banbridge and Gaelic Warrior in an epic King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Jango Baie has got 4lb to find with the top-rated pair of Gaelic Warrior and the reigning champion Inothewayurthinkin, but he’s already run to Racing Post Ratings well in excess of his mark and remains open to further improvement on what will be just his seventh start over fences.
This trip is an unknown for him, but he hit the line strongly at Kempton and could relish it.
Gaelic Warrior – Cheltenham
With only 10lb separating 10 of the 11 runners, it’s hard to rule many out, but Willie Mullins’ GAELIC WARRIOR is extremely consistent and will surely be in the mix if putting in a clear round.
The eight-year-old was an impressive winner of the Arkle two years ago and returns to Cheltenham for the first time since, having bypassed the meeting en route to victories in the Grade 1 Bowl Chase over 3m1f at the Aintree Festival (beating Grey Dawning) and Grade 2 Oaksey Chase over an extended 2m6f at Sandown in April.
He’s as tough and genuine as they come and edged out Fact To File in a tremendous battle in the John Durkan Memorial at Punchestown in November, back at 2m4f, and matched that level when beaten a short-head into third in the King George VI Chase over Christmas.
He’s run to Racing Post Ratings of between 172 and 174 on five occasions, four of those in the past 11 months.
Grey Dawning – Cheltenham
Dan Skelton’s GREY DAWNING finished behind Spillane’s Tower and L’Homme Presse when third in the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase in January, but he lost valuable momentum with a jolting error at the second-last on that occasion, so could be capable of turning the tables.
The nine-year-old is another ultra consistent sort, only finishing out of the first three once in 12 starts over fences and the form of his win in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November puts him right in the mix in terms of Racing Post Ratings (172).
He did appear to be outstayed by Gaelic Warrior when an excellent second in the Grade 1 Bowl Chase at Aintree last April, but a reproduction of that performance could be good enough to see him sneak a place.