Cheltenham LIVE: Results, winners and latest updates from Gold Cup
Cheltenham Gold Cup schedule, racecard and all the action as the Festival concludes on Day 4
Galopin Des Champs proved too strong for Bravemansgame with a brilliant performance to land the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival.
Trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, Galopin Des Champs was sent off the 7/5 favourite to make a successful step up in trip in the three-mile-two-furlong showpiece.
And while he was unproven over the distance, his stamina was never in doubt as he outstayed Bravemansgame up the Cheltenham hill to claim an impressive seven-length verdict.
Last year’s winner Rachael Blackmore was unable to repeat her historic triumph 12 months on, as she pulled up on A Plus Tard after being caught by a falling horse five fences out.
Follow all of our final-day coverage from the 2023 Cheltenham Festival below:
1.30 - Triumph Hurdle
Jupiter Du Gite has opened a lead of about six lengths over Blood Destiny who leads the chasing pack. Behind him there’s a bit of movement as the jockeys look to get into decent positions.
1.30 - Triumph Hurdle
And they’re off! Blood Destiny leads the way alongside Jupiter Du Gite. Lossiemouth sits in fifth in these early stages.
1.30 - Triumph Hurdle
False start! Jipcot jitters as the field approaches the tape and the pack all spread out before the starter drops the flag.
1.30 - Triumph Hurdle
Lossiemouth remains the favourite but Blood Destiny is well backed and a few of the experts fancy him. However with 15 runners there is the added dimension of an outsider coming through to win.
Yesterday saw a whole heap over high odds winners, could today see something similar?
1.30 - Triumph Hurdle
The horses have been paraded and are making their way out onto the course. This opening race could be a cracker and will almost certainly kick off Gold Cup Day with a bang.
The greatest prize of all?
A little race at Aintree in April may beg to differ.
Cheltenham Festival Gold Cup Day
It’s the final day of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival and today’s action features the Gold Cup. Rachael Blackmore won it last year atop A Plus Tard who is in the running again this year. Can they regain their title?
The crowds have flocked in to find out.
What do the experts think?
Alex Hammond has backed the favourite, Lossiemouth, saying: “[She] didn’t get the smoothest run when beaten for the first time at the DRF and can bounce back here.”
However Ruby Walsh fancies the slightly higher odds of Blood Destiny.
“If heavy appears in the going, it suits Blood Destiny because then it becomes a stamina race.” he said, “I don’t see pace in this race to make it a slog but if the ground gets really testing and the track makes it a slog, it definitely goes in Blood Destiny’s favour.”
The ground is said to be Good to Soft so that prediction may not be as accurate this afternoon.
1.30 - Triumph Hurdle
Jipcot, Jupiter Du Gite and Active Duty are the only British-trained runners in the opening race of Gold Cup Day at Cheltenham.
The 15-strong field is almost certainly going to yield an Irish winner but who are the best prospects?
Lossiemouth is the favourite with Blood Destiny and Gala Marceau also favoured in the betting. Lossiemouth lost her unbeaten record over hurdles behind Gala Marceau in the Grade One juvenile hurdle at Leopardstown last month.
Blood Destiny is the weakest of the trio in the market this morning and is making his Grade One debut, but his win at Fairyhouse in January was a fine performance and he should have plenty more improvement to come.
Anyone looking to back a big outsider each-way, meanwhile, may want to consider John McConnell’s Hypotenus at around 50-1.
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