| Cheltenham Gold Cup |
|---|
| Campus: Cheltenham Racecourse Date: March 15-18 Races: 13:30-17:30 GMT Gold Cup: 3:30 p.m., Friday |
| Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, feature live Radio 5 races. Racecards, live text, results and reports on the BBC Sport website and app. |
The top three from last year will meet again in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.
2021 champion Minella Indo, runner-up A Plus Tard and Al Boum Photo are among the 11 contenders in the race.
Galvin is another prominent Irish challenger, while Protektorat, Chantry House and Royale Pagaille are among the British-trained contenders.
Robbie Power will ride Minella Indo for trainer Henry of Bromhead with Rachael Blackmore in her stablemate A Plus Tard.
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Blackmore, the leading jockey at last year’s meeting who went on to win the Grand National at the Minella Times, is aiming to become the first female jockey to win the Gold Cup.
“I can’t separate the two,” De Bromhead said of his partner.
“A Plus Tard probably has a little more pacing than Indo, but they’re both classy.”
The Gold Cup, where runners negotiate 22 hurdles over three and a quarter miles, is the blue ribbon event as the four-day Cheltenham Festival reaches its climax.
Last year’s race was held behind closed doors due to Covid-19, but this time around 70,000 people are expected to sell out.
Two-time champion Al Boum Photo is looking to become the first horse to regain his title since Kauto Star in 2009, and the first triple winner since Best Mate 18 years ago.
In addition to the 2019 and 2020 winner, trainer Willie Mullins runs the King George VI Chase winner Tornado Flyer and Asterion Forlonge.
Galvin proved his resilience at the 2021 meeting with victory in the National Hunt Chase.
He is running for trainer Gordon Elliott, who missed last year’s meeting while serving a six-month suspension after a photo surfaced on social media of him sitting on a dead horse.
Protektorat represents Dan Skelton, Jonjo O’Neill assembles Chantry House, with Royale Pagaille (Venetia Williams), Santini (Polly Gundry) and Aye Right (Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford) completing the field.
Approximate Odds – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup
3-1 a late plus, 7-2 galvin, 9-2 minella indo, 8-1 Pictures of Al Boum 10-1 Shield, Tornado Flyer, 16-1 Chapel House, Royale Pagaille, 20-1 asterion forlonge, 33-1 Santini 50-1 Yes of course
Who do the BBC experts choose?
Gina Bryce – presenter: I hope the ground dries up A plus late. The apparent lack of pace could make the race work in his favor like a horse with a foot turn. He is the class horse in the race and I think he will do better than last year.
John Hunt – commentator: Wednesday, when the rain fell, would have saddened most hearts, but trainer Venetia Williams must have had a spring in her step. Royal Pagaille. He has shown at Haydock how much he loves the rain-softened soil. A great race is expected.
Andrew Thornton – former Gold Cup winning jockey: He comes to life in Cheltenham and I go for Minella Indus to score consecutive wins. It should not be bothered by the ground and can come out better again.
Friday programming and coverage
13:30 – JCB Triumph Hurdle 2m 179y
14:10 – McCoy County Contractors Fence 2m 179y
14:50 – Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle – 2m 7f 213y
15:30 – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase 3m 2f 70y
16:10 – St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase 3m 2f 70y
16:50 – The Chase of Mrs Paddy Power Mares 2m 4f 127y
17:30 – Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdles 2m 4f 56y
BBC coverage
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra 13:15-18:00; BBC Radio 5 live 1400-1600
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