Greg Wood's Gold Cup report
Time to sign off from Cheltenham for another year. I’ll leave you with Greg Wood’s report from trackside. Thanks for joining me, and enjoy your weekends.
Just look at all the sport you can follow on the Guardian website this weekend. Look!
So after a week of drama, controversy and strong words off the course, today felt a little more like business as usual – particularly with Mullins claiming three winners, including the Gold Cup, 24 hours after firing thinly-veiled threats at the racecourse.
There was still a shock in the Triumph Hurdle with a 50-1 success, and Gaelic Warrior’s Gold Cup win was surprising in its sheer dominance. The last word goes to Envoi Allen, though: his death casts a long shadow on the final day.
There was no Gold Cup glory for Harry Redknapp today, but could he be switching back to football management? He’s not ruling it out, as Sean Ingle writes.
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Willie Mullins is the champion trainer with eight wins this week, plus six second places. Nicky Henderson has three victories, with Dan Skelton, Henry De Bromhead and Jonjo O’Neill claiming two each. It’s the eighth successive year Mullins has topped the standings.
Paul Townend is the festival’s leading jockey once again, riding four winners with another four second places. Harry Skelton, Mark Walsh and James Bowen all won two races each.
It’s Townend’s sixth success in seven years, with Rachael Blackmore topping the leaderboard in 2021.
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James Given, the BHA director of equine health and welfare, has spoken about procedures after the death of Envoi Allen.
“All the horses are looked at and passed fit to come down the walkway back into the parade ring, and just as he got to the bottom he had what is almost certainly a very acute cardiovascular collapse,” said Given.
“It happened very quickly, the vets were immediately with him but he was passing very quickly. Horses who haven’t been racing for a while might be subject to more investigation, but he’d already won a Grade One over three miles this season.
“He had the normal pre-race examination this morning, he had his heart listened to, he was trotted up, his limbs were checked. Everything was normal as you’d expect.
“There’ll be a fatality review process which happens every time there is a fatality on the racecourse. We will examine what has happened, but I think it is fairly straightforward.”
Our photographer Tom Jenkins has been at Cheltenham all of this week; here are his favourite snaps.
That also means the Prestbury Cup goes to Ireland again, by a margin of 15-13. It’s a sixth straight win for Irish trainers, but by the closest margin since a tie in 2019.
Cheltenham 5.20 result
1 Air Of Entitlement (Patrick M O’Brien) 10-1
2 Hot Fuss (Joe Anderson) 25-1
3 Jump Allen (Anna McGuinness) 8-1
4 Kel Histoire (Michael Kenneally) 9-2
24 ran. Also: 4-1 Fav East India Express
A win for Patrick O’Brien and trainer Henry De Bromhead, and a poignant one after the sad death of Envoi Allen earlier today.
Air of Entitlement wins the Martin Pipe
Air of Entitlement has just too much for Hot Fuss down the rail, and Jump Allen coming through in third place.
Updated
Martin Pipe: Still plenty with a chance as the field spreads out. Roc Dino in contention on the outside, but Hot Fuss takes the lead with Air of Entitlement giving chase …
Updated
Martin Pipe: Kel Histoire is third in the McManus colours, but East India Express needs a nudge. Hot Fuss has recovered well and is pushing the leaders …
Martin Pipe: They let them go after a five-minute delay, with Farfromnowhere and Fiercely Proud leading the way. Hot Fuss is near the back – bad news for Killers fans.
Martin Pipe: We’re still waiting, with the 24-strong field asked to turn again. There are still a few horses unsettled at the back of the pack.
They’re off and running in our closing race, the Martin Pipe – or not, as a week of iffy starts concludes with a messy false start.
Ireland lead the Prestbury Cup standings by 14-13, so British trainers can earn a tie if one can win this final race.
Time for one more race before we close the book on another Cheltenham festival. It’s the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
5.20 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
Kel Historie – 4/1
East India Express – 6/1
Jump Allen – 9/1
Act Of Authority – 11/1
Roc Dino – 11/1
Air Of Entitlement – 12/1
Wendrock – 12/1
Karl Des Tourelles – 12/1
Fiercely Proud – 16/1
Andashan – 16/1
Bar 16/1
5.20 Market Movers
East Indian Express (10/1 into 11/2)
Act of Authority (14/1 into 12/1) Fiercely Proud (20/1 into 14/1)
Odds via Oddschecker, Market Movers from Midnite.
Updated
“All credit goes to the trainer [JJ O’Shea], and I’ve got a great horse here,” says Henry Crow, after finding out AP McCoy rated his effort the best winning ride of the entire festival. “He rode like God,” says AP. High praise indeed.
Cheltenham 4.40 result
1 Barton Snow (Mr H Crow) 9-2
2 Its On The Line (Mr D O’Connor) 7-2 Fav
3 Music Drive (Miss Ellie Callwood) 33-1
23 ran. Also: 16-1 Golden Son 4th
Non Runner: 24
Barton Snow wins the Hunters' Chase
A nicely-timed run from jockey Henry Crow, keeping enough in the tank to outlast Its On The Line in a two-horse battle down the straight.
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Hunters’ Chase: Its On The Line takes the lead from Barton Snow, with Panda Boy, Golden Son and Music Drive in contention. Barton Snow has the edge over the last …
Updated
Hunters’ Chase: Its On The Line is going well on the outside – apologies, not pulled up after all – although Stattler and Paul Marvel have been tailed off. Three to go …
Updated
Hunters’ Chase: The grey Panda Boy leads a group on the outside, with Gracchus De Balme still leading Barton Snow on the rail. Ten fences to jump …
Updated
Hunters’ Chase: Gracchus De Balme the early leader, the field fairly spread out early on. Barton Snow in behind, while Stattler has struggled to settle.
It’s time for the penultimate race of the week – the Princess Royal Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase. Or Hunters’ Chase for short.
Harry Redknapp: “He [The Jukebox Man] was travelling well until the second last, [but] I think he’s got a little wind problem we need to sort out. No excuses though, the winner was fantastic. It’s been a great week, this would have been the icing on the cake, but I won the King George! Ben Jones and Ben Pauling have been terrific with him.”
Never mind Harry – it’ll all be forgotten on Monday when you’re back in the Spurs job.
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The death of any horse after a race is tragic, and there were two fatalities earlier this week: HMS Seahorse and Hansard. It’s inevitable Envoi Allen will cast a greater shadow, as a three-time winner here and a Cheltenham great. The fact he was set for retirement makes it all the more cruel, and might raise questions over the decision for him to run.
Now we hear from some of the Gold Cup defeated jockeys, with Sean Bowen saying Haiti Couleurs “didn’t travel at all.” Nico de Boinville is content with second on Jango Baie after a brilliant ride from Townend, while France’s Clement Lefebvre had a “fantastic day” despite finishing seventh on Gold Tweet.
Envoi Allen has died after collapse following Gold Cup
Sadly, the worst news is confirmed: Envoi Allen has died, having collapsed after running in the Gold Cup.
4.40 Princess Royal Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
Its On The Line – 4/1
Panda Boy – 4/1
Cons Roc – 6/1
Wonderwall – 15/2
Barton Snow – 8/1
Solitary Man – 14/1
Golden Son – 16/1
Stattler – 16/1
Willitgoahead – 18/1
Wrappedupinmay – 22/1
Bar 22/1
4.40 Market Movers
Barton Snow (8/1 into 10/3)
Panda Boy (11/2 into 4/1)
Odds from Oddschecker, Market Movers via Midnite.
Some troubling news to report: Envoi Allen collapsed on the way back to the paddock after that race, and is being treated behind green screens. More news when we get it, here’s hoping he is OK; this Gold Cup was supposed to be his final race before retirement.
Updated
Cheltenham 4.00 result
1 Gaelic Warrior (Paul Townend) 11-4 Jt Fav
2 Jango Baie (N de Boinville) 11-4 Jt Fav
3 Inothewayurthinkin (Mark Walsh) 11-1 10 ran
Also: 16-1 Grey Dawning 4th. Non Runner: 10
It’s also a Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup double for Paul Townend, and both on late replacements. It’s his fifth Gold Cup victory, and his 42nd career win at the festival. Few can have been more satisfying: he kept a keen horse in check and found his line at the perfect time to win by a huge distance.
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A fifth Gold Cup win for Mullins – tying the record set by Tom Dreaper, Arkle’s trainer – but a first for owner Rich Ricci, who also won the Champion Hurdle with Lossiemouth on Tuesday. “I’ve been trying to win this race for 21 years,” he says. “I was crying from the second last and I haven’t stopped. I love this sport, long may it last.”
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The winning trainer, Willie Mullins: “Delighted for [owners] the Riccis, and for Paul … can you imagine what was going through my mind at the last fence? The way he did it, he got everything right and put in a tremendous round of jumping. Fantastic.”
Paul Townend: “I’m speechless … we were dealt a blow with Galopin Des Champs being out … Patrick put in a lot of work on this horse, I’m just fortunate to be on his back today. I got the position I wanted, and he just ran away with it. I just had to stay on him!”
Gaelic Warrior wins the Gold Cup!
It’s a dominant victory for Gaelic Warrior, ridden home by Paul Townend for Willie Mullins. Jango Bair holds off a late surge from Inothewayurthinkin, while The Jukebox Man fades on the final run in.
Updated
Gold Cup: Gaelic Warrior accelerates away, and only the last fence can stop him now … he’s over it safely, and romps even further clear down the home straight!
Gold Cup: Over the last ditch and the leaders stay in formation, but Jango Baie and Gaelic Warrior make moves to the outside and Haiti Couleurs stretches over a fence. Two to jump, and Gaelic Warrior is making a charge …
Gold Cup: With 10 to jump, Haiti Couleurs turns up the pace, but the other contenders behind are still moving along nicely. Grey Dawning makes a mistake but recovers to stay second …
Updated
Gold Cup: L’Homme Presse joins Inothewayurthinkin in dropping to the back, and the defending champion makes another error over a fence. Haiti Couleurs leads a group of five at the front, with The Jukebox Man, Grey Dawning, Gaelic Warrior and Jango Baie close behind.
Gold Cup: Grey Dawning moves into second, with The Jukebox Man in third on the outside. Jango Baie is ticking along behind Gaelic Warrior …
Gold Cup: Gaelic Warrior edges in front early, but as the pace slows, Haiti Couleurs takes up the running. Inothewayurthinkin is labouring slightly at the back …
Gold Cup: The sun comes out for the big race, and they get away first time, the starter letting them go from a long way back …
The Gold Cup is about to begin
Dark clouds, blue sky and even a rainbow over the hills as the 10 runners make their way to the start. Gaelic Warrior looked a little unsettled in the paddock; the tension is palpable, a packed grandstand hushed to a whisper.
Harry Redknapp: “This is just as nerve-wracking as football … at least there, you can change things at half-time! It’s all systems go, but it’s a tough race, anyone has a chance. Every jump, I’ll jump with him.”
Would he take over at Spurs? “I would, but I doubt it’ll happen! I’d go in and have a crack, it’s a big challenge. Do I need the pressure at my age? I’m not too old, I feel fit as a fiddle. If they ask me, I could do a job. Kranjcar, Defoe and Crouchy are all coming back too!”
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The rain is falling now – possibly even some sleet – as the weather takes a further turn. How might that affect the big race?
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Next up … it’s the Gold Cup. Will Inothewayurthinkin defy recent form and retain the trophy? Can Harry Redknapp’s The Jukebox Man get a result? Or is your money on Mullins’ Gaelic Warrior, or Henderson’s Jango Baie? Here are the latest odds:
4.00 Boodles Gold Cup
Gaelic Warrior – 3/1
Jango Baie – 3/1
The Jukebox Man – 7/2
Haiti Couleurs – 11/2
Inothewayurthinkin – 8/1
Grey Dawning – 16/1
Firefox – 22/1
Envoi Allen – 33/1
Lhomme Presse – 50/1
Gold Tweet – 100/1
NR – Spillanes Tower
Market Movers
Gaelic Warrior (10/3 into 11/4)
Jango Baie (5/1 into 10/3)
Inothewayurthinkin (9/1 into 7/1)
Odds from Oddschecker, Market Movers by Midnite.
Cheltenham 3.20 result
1 Johnny’s Jury (G Sheehan) 20-1
2 Fruit De Mer (Sean Flanagan) 28-1
3 The Passing Wife (Keith Donoghue) 11-1
22 ran. Also: 9-4 Fav Doctor Steinberg, 14-1 Mondoui’boy 4th
Updated
Jockey Gavin Sheehan gets thrown off his horse soon after the finish, and ITV leave him to help Johnny’s Jury settle down.
Johnny's Jury wins the Albert Bartlett
The slowest away at the start, Johnny Jury powers down the inside to win! Mondoui’boy is left in a battle for second, and is overtaken by two other late chargers: The Passing Wife and Fruit De Mer.
Updated
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle: Approaching the last, outsider Swindon Village and Doctor Steinberg drop back. Mondoui’boy takes the lead, but Johnny’s Jury is moving nicely through the field …
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle: Kicour La has dropped to the back as Doctor Steinberg leads Swindon Village, with Mondoui’boy in third. Two to go …
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle: Johnny’s Jury and The Price of Peace are at the back as rain begins to swirl over the course. Doctor Steinberg still leads at the halfway stage. King’s Bucks and Doctor Du Mesnil well placed …
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Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle: They get away at the second time of asking, with Doctor Steinberg leading early from Swindon Village and Kicour La.
It’s time for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, with some grey clouds building around Cheltenham. It’s a big field and the start goes awry – it’s a false start, and plenty of the jockeys are frustrated.
Ben Pauling, trainer of The Jukebox Man, says he’s “nervous because I know what a good chance he has – I just want to make it happen for Harry”. By the way, you can back Redknapp to win the Gold Cup and take the Spurs job next week for a cool 66-1.
Geri and Christian Horner are here – they have a runner, Lift Me Up, in the Hunters Chase later on.
3.20 Market Movers
Espresso Milan 16/1 into 12/1)
Jalon Doudairies (20/1 into 14/1)
Market Movers from Midnite
3.20 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle odds
Doctor Steinberg – 3/1
Thedeviluno – 6/1
The Passing Wife – 9/1
Moneygarrow – 14/1
Mondouiboy – 14/1
Spinningayarn – 16/1
Espresso Milan – 16/1
Kings Bucks – 16/1
Jalon Doudairies – 16/1
Kazansky – 18/1
Bar 18/1
Not long to wait until the week’s big event: the Gold Cup. Will it be Harry’s finest hour in racing?
Owner JP McManus is celebrating in the winners’ enclosure with his grandkids, who have flown in from Switzerland. “Do you follow racing as much as JP?” Rishi Persad asks one of them. I mean, does anyone? “Is Dinoblue your favourite?” he asks another. “I don’t know!” Look, that’s live TV.
Cheltenham 2.40 result
1 Dinoblue (Mark Walsh) 11-8 Fav
2 Only By Night (Keith Donoghue) 11-1
3 Panic Attack (Harry Skelton) 11-4
8 ran. NR: 6. Also: 13-2 Spindleberry 4th
Jockey Mark Walsh: “She never missed a beat, maybe jumped the last ditch a bit early but I didn’t want to disappoint her. She’s a fair mare now. She’s won on heavy ground but she loves good, fast ground. This was ideal for her.”
Dinoblue wins the Mares' Chase
Dinoblue pulls clear with Panic Attack tiring. Only By Night tries to close the gap, but there’s too much to do. It’s another Mullins win, as Dinoblue retains her crown in this race. Panic Attack holds on to third, with Spindleberry in fourth.
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Mares’ Chase: With four to go, Dinoblue gets in between the two leaders, with Only By Night now up to fourth and Spindleberry still travelling well. And Telephatique falls at the third last!
Updated
Mares’ Chase: Moving at a steady pace into the final circuit, with all safely over the water jump. Panic Attack closes on Telepathique, with Spindleberry switching to the outside.
Mares’ Chase: Piper Park and All The Glory are at the back of the field, with Panic Attack slightly too keen at first, but now moving up to second …
Mares’ Chase: Off and running, with Telepathique edging clear of three other front runners: Dinoblue, July Flower and Panic Attack.
Updated
Mares’ Chase: Piper Park unseats Stan Sheppard on the way out, and the jockey has to pick up the reins and walk his horse towards the start. There are some quick medical checks before they rejoin the pack.
The Mares’ Chase is coming up. Runners and riders head out next to a packed grandstand, numbers surely boosted by the improved weather today.
2.40 Market Movers
Dinoblue (2/1 into 6/5)
July Flower (10/1 into 6/1)
Market Movers from Midnite.
2.40 Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase
Dinoblue – 11/8
Panic Attack – 3/1
Spindleberry – 5/1
July Flower – 6/1
Only By Knight – 9/1
Telepathique – 40/1
Piper Park – 80/1
All The Glory – 100/1
NR – Diva Luna
• Odds via Oddschecker
Updated
Cheltenham 2.00 result
1 Wilful (Jonjo O’Neill Jr.) 14-1
2 Sticktotheplan (S Bowen) 25-1
3 Joyeuse (N de Boinville) 12-1
4 Cracking Rhapsody (Craig Nichol) 50-1
23 ran. Also: 4-1 Fav Karbau Non Runner: 18
Jonjo O’Neill Jr: “I really fancied him, it’s great for the family and the yard. It’s so hard to win here, and when you haven’t got many bullets to fire, you have to take your chances. I’ve had quite a troubled year, and I’ve had a lot of support from my family,” he adds with a tear in the eye.
Wilful wins the County Handicap Hurdle
Wilful takes up the pace down the inside rail, and despite a late push from Sticktotheplan, will not be caught! Jonjo O’Neill Jr delivers a victory for his trainer dad, 40 years to the day after O’Neill Sr won the Gold Cup on Dawn Run.
Updated
County Handicap Hurdle: Absurde is making ground on the outside along with Secret Squirrel, but Ooh Betty and Wilful continue to lead the way approaching the last …
County Handicap Hurdle: Ndaawi and Cracking Rhapsody are well placed behind the leaders, while Secret Squirrel makes an error and Balko d’Ange falls.
County Handicap Hurdle: They’re away first time, with Ooh Betty at the front of the pack. Jubilee Alpha and Wilful also weel placed, with Tellherthename the current back marker.
Time for our second race of the day, the County Handicap Hurdle, with a packed field of 22 runners.
That was a proper tussle down the home straight, and replays show Harry Skelton may have blocked off Paul Townend and Selma De Vary, adding to the duo’s personal battles this week. No further action as it stands, though. You can watch the full race back here:
Updated
2.00 William Hill County Handicap Hurdle
Karbau – 4/1
Sinnatra – 5/1
Secret Squirrel – 8/1
Joyeuse – 9/1
Wilful – 11/1
Murcia – 11/1
Sixandahalf – 12/1
Tellherthename – 14/1
Hello Neighbour – 14/1
Bowensonfire – 16/1
BAR 16/1
NR – Hamlets Night
• Odds via Oddschecker
Willie Mullins: “We thought the start would be a circus, and it was actually a very good start. I didn’t give Patrick any instructions, but he looked the best placed of all my runners. [Apolon De Charnie] had to win it for a second time … a lot of horses take fright at Cheltenham, but he didn’t.”
Cheltenham 1.20 result
1 Apolon De Charnie (Mr P W Mullins) 50-1
2 Maestro Conti (Harry Skelton) 5-1
3 Minella Study (Ryan Mania) 7-1
20 ran. Also: 7-2 Fav Proactif, 13-2 Selma De Vary 4th
Patrick Mullins: “He was fantastic, not very big but he just caught my eye [in juveniles] … he’s run like a dream today. I’m very proud of my father – I’ve never seen him doubt himself like this winter. He gets a lot of advice … he usually sticks to his guns, and he’s usually right.
Apolon De Charnie wins the Triumph Hurdle!
Willie Mullins’ mount is led home by son Patrick to win at 50-1, holding off heavyweight contenders Maestro Conti and Minella Study.
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Triumph Hurdle: Minella Study and Maestro Conti take up the running, with Apolon De Charnie looks to have the better of them over the last …
Updated
Triumph Hurdle: Mon Creuset is cooking on the outside behind Tenter Le Tout, but Macho Man looks set to be pulled up after a mistimed jump. Fantasy World still towing the field along …
Triumph Hurdle: A settled start around the bend, cheered on by a capacity crowd in the grandstands. Fantasy World leads a tightly-bunched field early on …
To the day’s first race, the Triumph Hurdle. Just the nine runners for Willie Mullins in this one; he won it last year with 100-1 shot Poniros.
1:20pm Market Movers, via Midnite:
Highland Crystal (7/1 into 4/1)
Maestro Conti (7/1 into 11/2)
North Shore (25/1 into 8/1)
Minella Study is a contender for Triumph Hurdle glory, having been trained on one of the world’s best beaches. Greg Wood paid a visit:
It’s not been his happiest week at Cheltenham, but Willie Mullins still leads the trainer standings with five wins, six second places and two third places. Nicky Henderson has three wins, with Dan Skelton on two. And as Greg mentioned, the Prestbury Cup is finely poised with Ireland leading Britain 11-10.
5.20 MARTIN PIPE CONDITIONALS JOCKEYS’ HANDICAP HURDLE, 2M 4F 56YD
Ok, 27 down and one to go, and while winning punters might do well to quit while they’re ahead – and the losers might be better off sitting it out – the Martin Pipe is far more than just a getting-out race at the end of the week. The roll-call of recent winners, in fact, is highly impressive, not least when they go over fences, and the recent roll of honour includes: Galopin Des Champs, a future dual Gold Cup winner; Banbridge, the 2024 King George VI Chase winner; Iroko, a big fancy for next month’s Grand National; and Wodhooh, the winner of yesterday’s Mares’ Hurdle. More years than not, there is a big gamble on a JP McManus-owned runner, and this year the cash has duly arrived for the owner’s Kel Histoire, who was eighth across the line in the Grade One novice hurdle over two-and-a-half miles here last year and appears to have been primed very much with this race in mind. He is one of five Willie Mullins-trained runners, while Gordon Elliott, who has saddled four winners of this in the last nine seasons, has four, headed by Wendrock. Nicky Henderson’s East India Express is also popular, though, while Ben Pauling’s Fiercely Proud posted a decent time when successful in a competitive handicap at Ascot in February and is a fair each-way shot at around 16-1.
Selection: Fiercely Proud
4.40 CHALLENGE CUP OPEN HUNTER CHASE, 3M 2F 70YD
The senior jockeys are done with the festival once the Gold Cup is in the book, but the final two events are big targets for amateurs and conditionals and the hunter chase – the word “fox” was removed a while ago – is first up. There are, as ever, some unfamiliar names among the list of runners, riders and trainers, but few punters will care if they have hit the target in the Gold Cup and this race has featured among the most popular of the whole year for betting purposes in recent seasons as backers re-invest their winnings. Panda Boy, a 10-year-old who was a big fancy for the Grand National, no less, as recently as April 2024, will be a popular pick, along with the JP McManus-owned Its On The Line, trained by the pin-sharp Emmet Mullins and ridden by the clear pick of the amateur jockey ranks, Derek O’Connor. Con’s Roc and Wonderwall are two more Irish-trained runners with an obvious chance, while the best of the Brits could well be Barton Snow, from the local yard of the excellent and under-rated John O’Shea, who saddled Go Ballistic to finish second at 66-1 in the 1999 Gold Cup.
Selection: Panda Boy.
Time flies – the day’s first race is about 25 minutes away. Here are the latest odds, via Oddschecker.
1.20 JCB Triumph Hurdle
Highland Crystal – 4/1
Selma De Vary – 5/1
Proactif – 5/1
Maestro Conti – 6/1
Minella Study – 6/1
Macho Man – 14/1
Minella Academy – 18/1
North Shore – 20/1
Apolon De Charnie – 22/1
Mon Creuset – 25/1
Bar 25/1
4.00 CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP CHASE, GRADE ONE, 3M 2F 70YD
And so to the big one, and a race that could supply one of the best sporting stories of the year if The Jukebox Man carries Harry Redknapp’s colours to glory. The form is all there and it is time for punters to choose between the potential of horses like The Jukebox Man, Jango Baie and Gaelic Warrior as they step up to three-and-a-quarter miles, the proven stamina Haiti Couleurs, already successful in the National Hunt Chase here in March 2025 and the Welsh Grand National in December, and a returning champion in Inothewayurthinkin, an impressive winner 12 months ago but way below that form in the current campaign. Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning, the winner of the two-and-a-half mile novice chase here in 2024 when it was still a Grade One, could also be in the mix if he can ditch his habit of making mistakes at a vital stage.
Key form:
G1 King George VI Chase, Kempton, 26 Dec 25 (The Jukebox Man, Jango Baie, Gaelic Warrior)
Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase, Chepstow, 27 Dec 25
G2 Cotswold Chase, Cheltenham, 24 Jan 26 (Grey Dawning, L’Homme Presse)
G1 Irish Gold Cup, Leopardstown, 2 Feb 26 (Gaelic Warrior)
Timeform Top-Rated: Gaelic Warrior.
Selection: The Jukebox Man.
Updated
3.20 ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICE HURDLE, GRADE ONE, 2M 7F 213YD
A race where the best staying chasers of two or three years’ time often poke their heads above the parapet – The Jukebox Man, for instance, was touched off two years ago after jumping the last four lengths up – and there will surely be a Grade One-winning chaser or two somewhere in today’s bumper 22-runner field. It is not always the obvious form horses that come to the fore, however, and Minella Indo, the 2021 Gold Cup winner, was a 50-1 shot when he took this race two years earlier, while there have also been two 33-1 winners and two at 18-1 since 2018. The Irish challenge looks extremely strong for this year’s renewal, with Willie Mullins’s Doctor Steinberg sure to set off favourite to follow up his eight-length win in a Grade One at Leopardstown last time, and Thedeviluno, who was sent over to Doncaster to win the River Don Novice Hurdle in February, also prominent in the betting to give Paul Nolan a fifth festival winner. That pair takes out a fair chunk of the book, but The Passing Wife, from the Gavin Cromwell stable, was much-improved for a step up in trip last time, while Espresso Milan, who started out in bumpers for Fergal O’Brien before switching to Willie Mullins in spring 2025, also benefited from a stamina test at Thurles in January.
Key form:
G1 Novice Hurdle, Leopardstown, 2 Feb 26 (Doctor Steinberg)
G2 River Don Novice Hurdle, Doncaster, 24 Jan 26 (Thedeviluno)
Timeform Top-Rated: Doctor Steinberg.
Selection: Thedeviluno.
Updated
2.00 COUNTY HANDICAP HURDLE, 2M 179YD
The festival’s two-mile handicap hurdle should, in theory at least, be a chance for some smaller or mid-sized stables to have a crack at a festival winner, but it is one of the more remarkable stats at the meeting that Peter Fahey’s Belfast Banter, in 2021, is the only County winner since 2014 that was not trained by either Dan Skelton or Willie Mullins. Mullins has saddled seven of those winners – and nine in the race overall – while Skelton has sent out four, including Superb Story, in 2016, who was the yard’s first festival winner. Mullins and Skelton three and two runners respectively today, including the top two in the market, Karbau and Sinnatra, with Paul Townend and Harry Skelton booked to ride. Mullins sends Absurde, last seen running into a creditable eighth place in the Melbourne Cup in November, as backup in a race he won two years ago, while Secret Squirrel, who has plenty of decent form in top handicaps without ever getting much luck, is another to consider carefully and has been popular in the betting this morning.
Selection: Secret Squirrel
2.40 MARES’ CHASE, GRADE TWO, 2M 4F
This race has been monopolised by Irish-trained runners since its arrival on the festival schedule in 2021, with Willie Mullins taking three runnings and Colm Murphy and Gavin Cromwell nabbing one apiece. The home team have a very credible contender this year, however, in Dan Skelton’s mare Panic Attack, who completed a rare double in two big handicap chases, at Cheltenham and Newbury, in the early months of the season and remains unbeaten this season after an easy win in a Listed event in January. She is only second-favourite for this race, though, as Mullins’s Dinoblue, the winner 12 months ago, is seeking a repeat success, while her stable-companion, Spindleberry, will be a live contender too if she is back to the form that saw her rack up a five-timer before being pulled up in the Irish Gold Cup last time. Ben Pauling’s Diva Luna is another British-trained runner with a chance, while Henry de Bromhead’s July Flower was a Grade Two winner here in November and ran third behind the useful Romeo Coolio when last seen in December.
Selection: Panic Attack.
1.20 TRIUMPH HURDLE, GRADE ONE, 4YO, 2M 179YD
The traditional opening race on Gold Cup day has attracted a 20-runner field for the first time since 2012, and that is thanks mainly to a sterling effort by Willie Mullins, who was forced to rule out the ante-post favourite, Narciso Has, a couple of weeks ago but still saddles no fewer than nine runners as he attempts to land the juvenile hurdling championship for the fifth year in a row. The team leaders, according to the betting market at least, are Selma De Vary – a filly who finished runner-up behind Narciso Has in a Grade One at the Dublin Racing Festival – and Proactif, a big-money recruit to the JP McManus string who took a minor race at Fairyhouse on his stable debut in mid-January.
The favourite, though, is currently Gordon Elliott’s filly, Highland Crystal, unbeaten in three including a narrow defeat of Saratoga, Tuesday’s Fred Winter winner, in February. Irish stables have won the last seven runnings of this contest, but the Brits are putting up a much better show all round at this year’s festival and Minella Study, a comfortable winner over course and distance in December, goes to post with a live chance to give his young trainer, Adam Nicol, a dream debut at the meeting. He beat the Fred Winter runner-up last time out and his track experience is a big plus, a comment that also applies to Dan Skelton’s Maestro Conti after his win here on Trials day.
Key form:
Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle, Cheltenham, 13 Dec 25 (Minella Study, One Horse Town)
G2 Juvenile Hurdle, Leopardstown, 26 Dec 25 (North Shore)
Juvenile Hurdle, Fairyhouse, 14 Jan 26, 2m (Proactif)
G2 Triumph Hurdle Trial Juvenile Hurdle Trial, Cheltenham, 24 Jan 26 (Maestro Conti, One Horse Town)
G1 Juvenile Hurdle, Leopardstown, 2 Feb 26, (Selma De Vary)
Timeform Top-Rated: Minella Study.
Selection: Minella Study.
Updated
Here’s Greg Wood on the Gold Cup and much more as the festival draws to a close:
Some early market movers for you:
Jango Baie 7/2 from 11/2
Secret Squirrel 8/1 from 12/1
Haiti Couleurs 9/2 out to 6/1
Odds via Oddschecker
Another non-runner due to the ground, confirmed by the Jockey Club: Hamlet’s Night is out of the William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (2.00). The going for today is good to soft, soft in places on the chase course, and soft, good to soft in places on the hurdle course.
The Jockey Club statement also includes a rainfall update: “There has been 240mm of rain since 1 January. There was 12mm in total yesterday (2mm during the afternoon and then 10mm overnight). The course was last watered on Wednesday night.”
Updated
Spillane's Tower out of the Gold Cup
News: despite the 10mm rain overnight and the official going being good to soft, soft in places, the trainer Jimmy Mangan has decided there’s not enough juice in the ground for his horse Spillane’s Tower to run. Yesterday another Irish handler Willie Mullins pulled Fact To File out of the big race as he considered the ground at Cheltenham hadn’t got enough ease in it.
Updated
Preamble
Good morning from Cheltenham on the final day of the 2026 festival meeting, on what could be one of the most memorable days here for many a year if Harry Redknapp’s unbeaten chaser, The Jukebox Man, could give his popular and high-profile owner the win in the chasing’s championship race: the Gold Cup.
The Jukebox Man is one of three horses that were involved in a blanket finish to the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day – Jango Baie and Gaelic Warrior are the others – that are currently vying for favouritism for the day’s feature race. After plenty of rain overnight, meanwhile, support is also beginning to develop behind Haiti Couleurs, the Welsh Grand National winner, whose stamina is guaranteed.
Jon Pullin, the clerk of the course, reported this morning that the going at Cheltenham is now good-to-soft, soft in places on the chase track, after 10mm of rain overnight, and it is soft, good-to-soft in places on the hurdles course.
Pullin was also a guest on ITV Racing’s The Opening Show programme this morning, responding to criticism of the ground on Thursday by Willie Mullins, the most successful trainer in festival history. Mullins suggested that the track had not put on enough water earlier in the week after scratching Fact To File, the favourite and defending champion, from Thursday’s Ryanair Chase.
“It was disappointing for everyone that Fact To File didn’t run, Pullin said. “As far as the ground was concerned, it was good, good-to-soft in places, and we did 4mm of irrigation on Wednesday night into Thursday. It was safe ground as we wanted and we always knew we were going to get the rain we got last night.”
A subplot on today’s card, meanwhile, is that the Prestbury Cup is still in the balance, for the first time in a decade, with Ireland on 11 wins and the home team having notched 10.
The Irish have blitzed through the Friday card several times in the past, however, and Paddy Power still make the visitors a 1-6 chance to end the week in front, while a 14-14 tie is a 5-1 shot and the hosts are 9-1.
The action on what is now the second-biggest betting day of the year behind the Grand National will be off and running at 1.20pm GMT with the Triumph Hurdle, where Adam Nicol’s Minella Study, trained on the beach in the north-east of England, will look to get the British bandwagon rolling. And, as ever, every snippet of news worth knowing, plus results, gambles and more, will be here on the blog as the day unfolds.
