Cheltenham tips: Who to back for the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival – full guide

Cheltenham Festival: All you need to know

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Cheltenham is back this week, although there won’t be any crowds to cheer on the horses as they make their way onto the final stretch. The fourth and final day of this year’s festival is now upon us, and that means one thing – Gold Cup time!

Cheltenham got underway on Tuesday, March 16, in its usual home in Gloucestershire.

The festival has featured 21 races over the past three days, with another seven to go today.

The Champion Hurdle was the first feature race of the event, on Tuesday.

Now after three days of mouth-watering horse racing, the Gold Cup is finally upon us.

The Gold Cup will be getting underway at 3.05pm on Friday.

The race will last just over three miles, and it’ll include 22 fences along the way.

Last year’s winner, Al Boum Photo, will be looking to retain its crown for a second successive year.

But it faces stiff competition from A Plus Tard, who goes into the race in fine form.

Al Boum Photo goes into the race as the firm favourite, but we also shouldn’t rule out Champ or Minella Indo, according to Betfair spokesperson, Barry Orr.

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Betfair spokesperson Barry Orr said: “This year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup is shaping up to be a cracking renewal of the feature race of the Festival and the highlight of the jumps racing season.

“Defending dual-champion Al Boum Photo is bidding to become the fifth horse to win the Gold Cup three times in a row and cement his status as a modern legend; the Willie Mullins-trained runner is the 9/4 favourite to win on Betfair.

“A Plus Tard is popular among punters after beating rivals in this field in the competitive Savills Chase in Ireland at Christmas and is second favourite at 4/1 to convert his recent form into a Gold Cup win.

“Champ – named after legendary jockey AP McCoy – is is the UK’s leading challenger to Al Boum Photo and is 9/2 to win the Gold Cup for trainer Nicky Henderson, having been 10/1 before his first and only win of the season in the ‘Betfair Game Spirit’ at Newbury.

“Minella Indo, who was second to Champ at Cheltenham last year, is 8/1, and Royale Pagaille is also 8/1 to become the first Novice chaser to win the Gold Cup since Coneygree in 2015.

“Elsewhere in the competitive field, last year’s runner-up, Santini, is 12/1 to finish one place better this time out and 2018 Gold Cup winner Native River is 12/1 to replicate that success in 2021, while the popular duo of Bryony Frost and Frodon are 11/1 to win after sealing victory in the King George on Boxing Day.

“Kemboy is 14/1 after beating four rivals in the Irish Gold Cup in February. Lostintranslation was third in last year’s Gold Cup but has not kicked on this season and is 20/1 to win this year. Aso (66/1) and Black Op (66/1) complete the 12-strong field.”

Betfair – Gold Cup

  • Al Boum Photo 9/4
  • A Plus Tard 4/1
  • Champ 9/2
  • Minella Indo 8/1
  • Royale Pagaille 8/1
  • Frodon 11/1
  • Native River 12/1
  • Santini 12/1
  • Kemboy 14/1
  • Lostintranslation 20/1
  • Aso 66/1
  • Black Op 66/1

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