Cheltenham Festival Day 4

Gold Cup day at Cheltenham and the feature race of the week. It’s also an exciting day for us and the owners of Leoncavallo who runs in the County Hurdle. Yesterday was a good day on the punting front, Sire Du Berlais landed the gamble, Lostintranslation & Road To Respect we’re bets to nothing whilst the cheeky bet over at Market Rasen, Big Difference won easily at 13-2. We've had nice winners each day of the Festival so far, hopefully more of the same today.

Sir Erec is the warm favourite for the Triumph Hurdle priced at even money. He holds the best form in the race and looked a classy horse in the making on his two starts. There’s some EW value to be had. Maybe Pentland Hills EW at 20-1. Your probably better off supporting Sir Erec and having a saver.

We run Leoncavallo in the County Hurdle at 2:10. It’s another big day out for his owners after the fantastic Galway trip and effort. Arguably, the form of Leon’s Galway 3^rd is good as anything in this race, it’s red hot. Today’s favourite, Whiskey Sour was well behind us.

To win a County Hurdle your normally need a good few pounds in hand. I’m not sure Leoncavallo is well in off 144 but he’s in grand form and been saved for this race. The going is given as good to soft but will likely ride dead. We would have loved genuine good ground but can’t do much about that. Leon will run his race and hopefully be bang in contention on the turn for home.

We’re on Dickie Diver 20-1 EW for the Albert Bartlett. Dickie Diver is a Gold Cup horse in the making, he’s very good. It’s possible he might get done for a bit of experience today and would have preferred soft ground. No matter how he runs, keep with Dickie Diver he might not win this, but will likely be the best horse in the race long term.

The Gold Cup. If not sure what to back, I suppose Native River is the horse that will give you a run for your money. The ground has gone against him though and he might find something with a bit more speed this time around. He could be hard to kick out of the three mind. I have a feeling Thistlecrack will run a big race at 20-1 and wouldn’t put anybody off having a few pounds on him EW.

Willie Mullins has amazingly never won a Gold Cup, he fires four bullets at the race. Al Boum Photo looks the best of his chances.

Despite his unorthodox prep for the race, Presenting Percy is the class horse of the race. His trainer has been given stick for not doing any interviews, but he’s prepped the horse brilliantly for the Festival in the last two years. He’s my selection at 7-2.

You need a lot of luck in the Foxhunters at 4:10. One horse who has been here many times and knows his way around, is Shantou Flyer. His form at Cheltenham reads 1f14222. This time last year he was second in the Ultima Chase. David Maxwell has done well on the horse winning his last two races. He should run well priced at 9-1.

Magic Saint looks well handicapped in the Grand Annual, his fancy odds are long gone but is a worthy favourite. If you need the winner of the Martin Pipe to get out of a hole, the very best of luck to you!