CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL DAY 4 TIPS
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL DAY 4 TIPS
Time | Race | Our Tip | Place Bet |
---|---|---|---|
13.20 | Triumph Hurdle |
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13.55 | County Hurdle | Bet now | |
14.30 | Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle | Bet now | |
15.05 | Gold Cup | Bet now | |
15.40 | Hunter Chase | Bet now | |
16.15 | Mrs Paddy Power Mares Chase | Bet now | |
16.50 | Martin Pipe Hurdle | Bet now |
Time | Race | Tip | Place Bet | |
13:30 | JCB Triumph Hurdle | Lossiemouth | Place Bet | |
14:10 | County Hurdle | Filey Bay | Place Bet | |
14:50 | Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle | Hiddenvalley Lake | Place Bet | |
15:30 | Cheltenham Gold Cup | Galopin Des Champs | Place Bet | |
16:10 | Festival Challenge Cup Hunters’ Chase | Vaucelet | Place Bet | |
16:50 | Paddy Power Mares’ Chase | Impervious | Place Bet | |
17:30 | Martin Pipe Hurdle | Spanish Harlem | Place Bet |
Cheltenham Day 4 tips from this year’s Festival sees the betting action head into the final day. It’s Friday, and it’s the big one. It’s Cheltenham Gold Cup Day, and that means the interest and intensity at the Gloucestershire track goes through the roof.
Who gets the win in this year’s Blue Riband event? The Gold Cup betting is the big highlight of the Cheltenham Day 4 betting tips.
Of course, there are more Day 4 tips to come than just from the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. Friday’s picks start with a look at the Triumph Hurdle – one of three Grade 1 races for the day.
You can follow all the latest insights, tips and Cheltenham betting offers for each day of the Festival here with our horse racing experts.
Cheltenham Day 4 Races Schedule
Time | Race | Distance | Type |
1.30 pm | JCB Triumph Hurdle | 2m 1f | Chase |
2.10 pm | County Handicap Hurdle | 2m 1f | Hurdle |
2.50 pm | Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle | 3m | Hurdle |
3.30 pm | The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup | 3m 2 1/2f | Chase |
4.10 pm | St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup | 3m 2 1/2f | Chase |
4.50 pm | Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase | 2m 1/2f | Chase |
5.30 pm | Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle | 2m 4 1/2f | Chase |
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2023 Cheltenham Day 4 Tips – Friday’s Feature Race
There is no doubt about the big feature race of Friday at the Cheltenham Festival 2023. It’s the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the pinnacle of the National Hunt season and the richest race of its kind on the British shores.
The race is steeped in history, and it has produced some famous names in racing as winners.
9/4 Galopin Des Champs To Win Gold Cup
3:30pm – The Cheltenham Gold Cup
The first edition of the Cheltenham Gold Cup was in 1819, and it was a vastly different affair from what it is today. That inaugural run was on the flat. It wasn’t until 25 years later that it became a jumps race, and it is now the richest non-handicap chase race around.
This year, our betting experts will naturally be sizing up the field for Cheltenham Gold Cup tips. So stay tuned during the build-up to the start of the Festival for tips and insights.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is run over three miles two and a half furlongs with 22 jumps. Horses five years old and above can enter, and with this being such a high-class race, it’s only the cream of the crop that gets in there.
Looking back through the history of the Gold Cup, you can see the likes of Arkle, Kauto Star, Denman and Best Mate, who have had their names etched in the books.
Look for our Cheltenham Day 4 betting tips as part of our Cheltenham 2023 coverage.
9/4 Galopin Des Champs To Win Gold Cup
Cheltenham Gold Cup Review – A Plus Tard gains revenge over Minella Indo
The eight-year-old A Plus Tard won the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup for trainer Henry de Bromhead, ridden by Rachael Blackmore. He was a 3/1 favourite for the race, and won it as you would like a favourite to!
A Plus Tard was going well throughout the race, and one Rachael Blackmore pushed the button on him he got to the front before the final fence and won going away, eventually winning by a huge fifteen lengths.
That gave trainer Henry De Bromhead a second consecutive Gold Cup success, after stablemate Minella Indo won the 2021 renewal. Minella Indo could only finish second in the 2022 running, with Protektorat back in third.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Jockey Overview
Part of the business of picking a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner is diving through the stats and trends such as jockey performances. For example, the only rider to have won the race more than once in the last 20 editions is Paul Townend.
He got there in back to back success with Al Boum Photo in 2019 and 2020. The likes of Nico de Boinville, Paddy Brennan and Rachael Blackmore have all landed it once during the last two decades.
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Cheltenham Gold Cup Trainer Overview
The most successful Gold Cup trainer in the last 20 renewals is Paul Nicholls, who has come up with three winners from thirty-eight entries. It has been a while since he got there, though, not having had a Gold Cup winner since the incredible Kauto Star in 2009.
Henry De Bromhead has taken the last two Gold Cup titles, with Minella Indo in 2021 and A Plus Tard in 2022. Willie Mullins has also won it two times, with Nicky Henderson the only other to have won it on more than one occasion. However, his strike rate is a little better than that of Willie Mullins, as Henderson’s two Gold Cup wins came from far fewer entries.
9/4 Galopin Des Champs To Win Gold Cup
Cheltenham Gold Cup Trends
Something to help along Cheltenham Gold Cup favorites will be a glance back at the recent Blue Riband fixture trends.
Our racing experts will look at things like none of the last 20 winners being outside the top 7 in the betting market and that all 20 winners had won a race within their previous four starts.
Again, it’s worth noting that age appears to be a significant factor for Cheltenham Gold Cup odds as there hasn’t been a winner above 9-year-olds in the last two decades. Neither has there been a winner at bigger odds than 20/1 in the time frame.
Check out our Cheltenham Day 4 tips for this year’s Festival, including the best Gold Cup picks!
2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup Preview
There have been four winning favourites in the last ten editions – Bobs Worth in 2013, Don Cossack in 2016, Al Boum Photo in 2020 and A Plus Tard in 2022.
This year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup betting has been notable for the strength of support for Galopin Des Champs, who is much shorter in the betting than defending champion A Plus Tard. The reason for the latter was his lack-lustre display in the Betfair Chase at Haydock where he was pulled up by Rachael Blackmore. However, after the top jockey steered Envoi Allen to victory in the Ryanair Chase on Thursday, his odds have shortened and a big run is expected in his bid to retain his crown.
He’s still some way away in the betting from Galopin Des Champs, who looked a certain winner of the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Festival last year but agonisingly fell at the final fence when well clear of the rest. He’s since won three Grade 1’s without the semblance of a mistake and is a deserved favourite for this year’s Gold Cup.
He signed off for the season by winning the BoyleSports Gold Cup Novice Chase at Fairyhouse, making all and eventually romping to victory, beating the runner-up Master McShee by a huge 18 lengths! This year he reappeared with another dominant victory in the John Durkan Memorial Chase before landing the odds in the Irish Gold Cup.
Noble Yeats bids for a historic Grand National/Gold Cup double but looks very short in the betting at 9-1. Remember he was 50-1 when he won at Aintree when he was rated only 147. He is officially rated 20lbs higher now but that still leaves him with about 7lbs more to find to win this.
Bravemansgame has been solid in the Gold Cup odds in the ante-post market since winning the Grade 1 King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. He looks to be one of the best hopes for British trainers in this year’s Gold Cup. Don’t rule out a Scottish victory with Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Senor.
He has taken time to get organised at his fences and can still be a little clumsy but he has an enormous engine, and he put in a superb performance to win the Cleeve Hurdle last time out.
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The Other Races on Day 4 Of The Cheltenham Festival
The Gold Cup is the big race of Day 4 at the Cheltenham Festival 2023, but it is one of seven races on the day’s card. So there is plenty of horse racing betting elsewhere to dig into. Visit our dedicated racecards page for all the runners and riders of every race.
We have tips for all the races from each day at the Cheltenham Festival, and here is an overview of the other fixtures coming up on Day 4.
JCB Triumph Hurdle
The Triumph Hurdle kicks off the Cheltenham Day 4 tips and it is a race for juvenile novices over a distance of two miles and one furlong. There are eight hurdles in the race and last year’s winner was Vauban returning 6/4 SP fav for Willie Mullins.
It is Mullins who dominates the Triumph Hurdle market again this year with the first three in the betting. Lossiemouth won both her first two starts impressively in Graded company but was beaten by stable companion Gala Marceau at Leopardstown. She lost her position before the home turn and could not make up the lost ground.
The biggest danger could come from stablemate Blood Destiny who has won both races since switching to the Mullins yard and sauntered to an 18 length romp last time out.
It might be notable that Willie Mullins Number 1 jockey Paul Townend has opted to ride Lossiemouth in the opener.
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County Handicap Hurdle Race
The County Handicap Hurdle is a Grade 3 fixture on Gold Cup day. There are eight hurdles on the 2m 1f trip in this one. This is one of the most competitive races at the Festival with a large field setting off at a furious pace.
Last year’s winner was State Man who started a well-backed 11/4 favourite for Willie Mullins. He was only the second winning favourite in the last twelve years, the other being stablemate Saint Roi in 2020. There have been a few longer-priced winners in the County Handicap odds in the last decade including Belfast Banter at 33-1 in 2021.
The current favourite is Filey Bay who was runner-up to Aucunrisque in the valuable Betfair Hurdle at Newbury. Vying for favouritism is Hunters Yarn, who is the best prospect for Willie Mullins. The top Irish trainer has won four of the last eight renewals so he’s sure to have a big say in the outcome of the race.
Another trainer with an excellent record is Dan Skelton, and he has Pembroke in here. He was last seen chasing home Rock My Way in the Classic Novices’ Hurdle here in January and looks to have a big chance.
Other notable runners include Sharjah, First Street and Gin Coco, who comes into contention on his fine second in the Greatwood Hurdle.
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Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
The Albert Bartlett is a popular race for punters and it is one for the novices. The Albert Bartlett started in 2005 to give a longer-distance option for novices beyond the 2m 5f Ballymore. It is one of the Grade 1 fixtures on Gold Cup Day.
Willie Mullins landed the 1-2 in this race last year when 18/1 shot The Nice Guy beat 9/2 chance Minella Cocooner. Embassy Gardens looks the most likely of the Mullins entries while Corbetts Cross heads the betting for Emmet Mullins on a potentially huge day for the stable.
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St James’s Place Challenge Cup
This is one of the Festival races that go beyond the 3m mark, stretching out to 3m 2 1/2 furlongs. The St James’s Place is one of those specialist tests for those who have won a couple of point to point races or have placed in a couple of hunter chases.
The St James’s Place is the same distance as the Cheltenham Gold Cup and is sometimes referred to as the Gold Cup for amateurs. Last year’s winner was Billaway who was not winning out of turn after finishing runner-up for the previous two seasons.
He doesn’t head the betting though. That honour goes to Vaucelet, who lost out to Billaway the last time they met at Punchestown in April 2022.
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The Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase
The Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase was only introduced in 2021 so it is the newest race on the block. Both renewals so far have been won by master trainer Willie Mullins, winning it in 2021 with Colreevy and again last year with Elimay.
Allegorie De Vassy is the number one representative for Mullins this year but she faces a determined rival in Impervious. Allegorie De Vassy has cruised to victory in her last two races in Graded company but she can still make the odd mistake and there will be little margin for error here.
Impervious has looked impressive winner all three races over fences so far, and she will relish the soft ground here. She looks to be a serious threat to Willie Mullins’ stranglehold on this race.
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Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
The final race of the four-day Cheltenham Festival is the Martin Pipe which is only for Conditional Jockeys. There are nine hurdles in the handicap contest over 2m 4 1/2 furlongs.
No horse and no jockey have won the fixture more than once since its inception in 2009 but Willie Mullins has trained the winner four times. Irish trainers have won seven of the last ten renewals, including last year with Banbridge winning for Joseph O’Brien.
Spanish Harlem, Imagine and Cool Survivor are among the likely favourites for the Irish this year, but might face a strong challenge from the Brits from Harry Fry’s Might I.
With seven of the last ten winners coming home at double-figure odds, it might pay to look further down the betting at the likes of Firm Footings, Haxo and Mark Of Gold.
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We Got You Covered For Each Day of The Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Day 4 tips feature the big Cheltenham Gold Cup race, which will dominate all the headlines. Here are the feature races from the other days at the Cheltenham Festival.
- Cheltenham Festival Day 1 – The Festival starts with Champions Day featuring the Champion Hurdle and Supreme Novices
- Cheltenham Festival Day 2 – Day 2 is Ladies Day featuring the Queen Mother Champion Chase
- Cheltenham Festival Day 3 – Thursday is St Patrick’s Day featuring the Ryanair and Stayers’ Hurdle
Friday’s Results
TIME | RACE | RESULTS |
1:30 | Triumph Hurdle | See Result |
2:10 | County Hurdle | See Result |
2:50 | Albert Bartlett Novices’ | See Result |
3:30 | Gold Cup | See Result |
4:10 | Foxhunter Chase | See Result |
4:50 | Grand Annual Chase | See Result |
5:30 | Martin Pipe Handicap | See Result |