The final day of the Cheltenham Festival centres around the Gold Cup, the greatest prize in all of steeplechasing.
It is hard for a staying chaser to be called a great until they have won the Cheltenham Gold Cup. From Golden Miller to Arkle to Desert Orchid and Kauto Star, the legendary chasers of this division all call themselves Gold Cup winners. This year, Galopin Des Champs bids to join an elite group on three Gold Cups.
A field of nine has been declared for Friday’s big race and our expert has picked out a pair to follow.
- Galopin Des Champs – 8/15 with MogoBet
- Banbridge – 9/2 with MogoBet
- Inothewayurthinkin – 7/1 with MogoBet
- Monty’s Star – 11/1 with MogoBet
- Corbetts Cross – 18/1 with MogoBet
- The Real Whacker – 33/1 with MogoBet
- Gentlemansgame – 40/1 with MogoBet
- Ahoy Senor – 40/1 with MogoBet
- Royale Pagaille – 50/1 with MogoBet
NAP: Banbridge @ 9/2
Next Best: Monty’s Star @ 11/1
Third Gold Cup can be a Bridge too far for Galopin Des Champs
Punters are being asked to take short odds about Galopin Des Champs as he bids to become the first three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup since Best Mate in 2004.
His chances are more or less summed up by his price, so on that basis there is no strong call to take him on. The market has the chances of him being turned over about right.
Where the betting is out is in underestimating how likely BANBRIDGE is to be the one to upset Galopin Des Champs.
This horse has more speed than Galopin Des Champs, who looks vulnerable whenever he drops below three miles these days, while in the last 12 months Banbridge has beaten the reigning Champion Chase winner over 2m at Punchestown.
He moved up in trip for the King George on Boxing Day and, despite giving a big headstart to Il Est Francais, he reeled in that rival up the straight to record a famous win.
Banbridge is an avowed hater of the mud. Last year’s Cheltenham Festival, when he floundered in the Ryanair, was no good to him.
But he has won twice at the track and, with the promise of decent ground this time, will not have a better chance to land the biggest prize of all.
Cheltenham Tip 1: Selection – Lucky Place @ 13/2 with MogoBet
Monty’s can star for de Bromhead
Minella Indo won this race four years ago for Henry de Bromhead and Barry Maloney. There are plenty of echoes of that horse in MONTY’S STAR, who can be the one for your each-way bet in the Gold Cup.
Both horses finished second in the Brown Advisory, the novice equivalent of the Gold Cup. Neither really took off straight away for the switch to open company.
De Bromhead is known for his patient approach and brought Minella Indo to pitch just in time for the Gold Cup, which he won at fourth in the betting after finishing fourth in the Irish Gold Cup.
Monty’s Star did not run this season until New Year’s Day and on that run, plus his Irish Gold Cup fifth, he looked as though he was still just off peak fitness.
His season will have been all about peaking for the Gold Cup and this horse, who at the time of writing is in similar respected-but-not-fancied territory to Minella Indo, can show yet again that De Bromhead is not to be underestimated when it comes to priming horses for Cheltenham.
Cheltenham Tip 2: Selection – Lucky Place @ 13/2 with MogoBet
