Outlining Some of The Leading Contenders on Gold Cup Day

Gold Cup Day is the final day of the Cheltenham Festival, and many racing fans consider it the most important afternoon of the week at Cheltenham Racecourse. It features the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and Triumph Hurdle.

Here is a look at who is in contention for the major races on Gold Cup Day, one of the most anticipated race days in National Hunt racing.

Galopin Des Champs Heads Quality Gold Cup Field

14 runners make up the Cheltenham Gold Cup field this year, including Irish Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs. The Irish horse has been one of the leading Cheltenham Festival ante post tips this year, as he had a fantastic campaign over fences, and goes into this race as the 6/4 favourite.

With five wins from six starts as a chaser, Galopin Des Champs has made an excellent start to his career. Victory in the blue riband event of the meeting would elevate him to greatness. It would also make up for his sole defeat over fences, which came at Cheltenham in the 2022 Turners Novices’ Chase.

Bravemansgame is one of the British horses set to take on Mullins’ talented runner. He won the King George VI Chase at Kempton earlier in the campaign. The second-season chaser represents champion trainer Paul Nicholls, a man who has won the Gold Cup four times in his career.

Irish Horses Set to Battle for Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle is dominated by a string of Irish novices, including Three Card Brag. Trainer Gordon Elliott had his horse entered in multiple races at the meeting, but he opted for the race over 3m on day four of the Festival.

Three Card Brag was an impressive winner at Fairyhouse by 12 lengths on his last outing back in January. He has been victorious twice this season over hurdles, while he has finished no worse than third place.

Emmet Mullins’ runner Corbetts Cross goes into the Grade One event on the back of three consecutive wins. His latest success came in the Grade Two Johnstown Novice Hurdle at Naas. The versatile hurdler has won at distances from 1m7f up to 3m in the latest campaign.

Mullins Trio Hard to Separate in Triumph Hurdle

Mullins has the three leading contenders for this year’s Triumph Hurdle, with Blood Destiny, Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau. Those talented hurdlers could be set to battle it out at the end of the 2m1f to determine who is the leading juvenile hurdler in the sport.

Gala Marceau defeated her stablemate Lossiemouth in the Grade One Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on her latest outing. Blood Destiny has yet to feature in a Grade One contest, but he was an impressive winner at Fairyhouse back in January, scoring by an empathic 18 lengths.

A total of seven races take place on the closing day of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival where the Prestbury Cup, leading trainer and leading jockey prizes will all be settled.