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As it happenedended

Cheltenham Festival 2016 live: Don Cossack wins Gold Cup and Victoria Pendleton finishes fifth on her debut

Follow the latest from the final day at Cheltenham including the Festival headlining Gold Cup

Jack de Menezes
Friday 18 March 2016 09:41 EDT
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Harry Skelton celebrates winning the County Handicap Hurdle on Superb Story
Harry Skelton celebrates winning the County Handicap Hurdle on Superb Story (Reuters)

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The final day of the Cheltenham Festival will see two major events take place as the headline race, the Gold Cup, pits 10 of the best chasers in the world against one another, while British Olympic hero Victoria Pendleton makes her Festival debut. Follow the latest action here.

Friday’s racecard

13:30: Triumph Hurdle - 1. Ivanovich Gorbotov (9-2F) 2. Apple's Jade (12-1) 3. Footpad (5-1)

14.10: County Hurdle - 1. Superb Story (8/1) 2. Fethard Player (33/1) 3. Sternrubin (33/1) 4. Wait For Me (7-1F)

14.50: Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle - 1. Unowhatimeanharry (11/1) 2. Fagan (33/1) 3. Champers On Ice (20/1)

15.30: Cheltenham Gold Cup - 1. Don Cossack (9/4F) 2. Djakadam (9/2) 3. Don Poli (9/2)

16.10: Foxhunter Challenge Cup - 1. On The Fringe (13/8F) 2. Marito (14/1) 3. Paint The Clouds (9/2)

16.50: Conditional Jockey's Hurdle

17.30: Grand Annual Chase

Don Cossack wins the Gold Cup after holding off Djakadam

Victoria Pendleton finishes fifth on Pacha Du Polder in impressive Cheltenham Festival debut

Follow the live action below...

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Read more Cheltenham Festival news:
Pendleton divides the Festival but deserves fair crack of the whip
Cue Card can reward followers in landing Gold Cup bonus
Everything you need to know about the Gold Cup

Friday is the final day of the 2016 Cheltenham Festival. For the latest Cheltenham Festival odds click here.

Timico Gold Cup

After being paraded, off go the field and they make their way down to the start line. It's anyone's guess at the start, but you'd have to say that Willie Mullins is in with a good shout here with three of the nine horses in the field wearing his name. Rebecca Curtis is the only other trainer with more than one horse, and she'll be hoping for a strong showing from O'Faolains Boy and Irish Cavalier.

Jack de Menezes18 March 2016 15:29

Timico Gold Cup

Final preparations are done, they're making their way to the start...THEY'RE OFF!

Jack de Menezes18 March 2016 15:31

Timico Gold Cup

As expected Smad Place leads early but a mistake at the first allows On His Own to hit the front by half a length.

Jack de Menezes18 March 2016 15:31

Timico Gold Cup

O'Faolains Boy joins On His Own at the front through the first turn, and Smad Place is also running back towards the front of the pack. P W Mullins pulls On His Own back, perhaps fearful of the quick pace.

Jack de Menezes18 March 2016 15:32

Timico Gold Cup

Djakadam moves into third behind the front two with Don Cossack alongside him. Cue Card is running in fifth, while DOn Poli is out the back at the moment of a field that is very strung out.

Jack de Menezes18 March 2016 15:33

Timico Gold Cup

Smad Place takes up the lead on his own as they complete the first lap, but there's a front group of five that are holding strong that contains Cue Card, Djakadam and Don Cossack.

Jack de Menezes18 March 2016 15:34

Timico Gold Cup

Nine from home and they're all over the water jump safely. The next, an open ditch, is also cleared, and we're still a field of nine here.

Jack de Menezes18 March 2016 15:35

Timico Gold Cup

Smad Place is beginning to fade and O'Faolains Boy hits the front alongside Djakadam and Don Cossack.

Jack de Menezes18 March 2016 15:36

Timico Gold Cup

Don Copssack nearly falls at the fourth-last as he went onto his nose but stays out. CUE CARD FALLS AS HE HITS THE FRONT!

Jack de Menezes18 March 2016 15:36

Timico Gold Cup

Don Cossack leads after the chaos at the third last! What can Djakadam do?

Jack de Menezes18 March 2016 15:37

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