Minella Indo and A Plus Tard renew rivalry and bid to give Ireland a fourth consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.
Last year's one-two are joined by the winner from the previous two renewals, Al Boum Photo, among the field of 11 runners. Another Irish horse, Galvin, heads the betting and he represents trainer Gordon Elliott, who won the race in 2016 with Don Cossack.
The chaser's jockey, Davy Russell, was aboard the 2014 hero Lord Windermere, the longest-priced winner in the last ten renewals. There has been plenty of ante-post support for A Plus Tard, impressive in the Betfair Chase earlier this season. He is the mount of Rachael Blackmore, the first female to be be top jockey at the Festival, who could top that achievements by taking the feature contest.
The shortest-priced British-trained horse is Dan Skelton’s Protektorat, part-owned by Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson.
Latest Gold Cup odds with Betfred
100-30 Galvin, A Plus Tard, 9-2 Minella Indo, 15-2 Protektorat, 10-1 Royale Pagaille, 11-1 Al Boum Photo, 12-1 Tornado Flyer, 16-1 Chantry House, 25-1 Asterion Forlonge, 40-1 Santini, 60-1 Aye Right
Time of the big race
The Gold Cup, sponsored by Boodles for the first time, will be run at 3.30 on Friday. That is the slot for the feature race on every day of the Cheltenham Festival.
The racecard for the afternoon is as follows – and it gets underway at 1.30.
Triumph Hurdle – 1.30pm
County Hurdle – 2.10pm
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – 2.50pm
Gold Cup – 3.30pm
Festival Hunters’ Chase – 4.10pm
Mares’ Chase – 4.50pm
Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle – 5.30pm
The past ten winners
2021 - Minella Indo
2020 - Al Boum Photo
2019 - Al Boum Photo
2018 - Native River
2017 - Sizing John
2016 - Don Cossack
2015 - Coneygree
2014 - Lord Windermere
2013 - Bobs Worth
2012 - Synchronised
How to watch
Gold Cup day is now sold out. The big race will be shown live on ITV and specialist subscription channel Racing TV.
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