CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2016 -- DAY FOUR FRIDAY (GOLD CUP DAY)

LAST YEARS VICTORIOUS GOLD CUP SCENE

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL – FRIDAY MARCH 18TH 2016
1.30pm 2m 1f Triumph Hurdle	JCB Triumph Hurdle And we’re off…race one on Gold Cup Day. The Triumph hurdle always run at a sprint and might have plenty of these in trouble some way out, so FOOTPAD will be our first selection for the unstoppable Mullins/Walsh pair. At a bigger price we also fancy CLAN DES OBEAUX.  Result -- 1st : IVANOVITCH GORBATOV 9/2
2.10pm 2m 1f County Hurdle	Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle (Handicap) 26 runners the biggest field of the week now for the next hurdle contest, with WAIT FOR ME and GREAT FIELD are our pair against the rest of the field this afternoon.  At a big price the northern raider HAWK HIGH is 33/1 and could go well having been a course and distance winner in the past. Result -- 1st : SUPERB STORY 8/1
2.50pm 3m Albert Bartlett Novice's Hurdle	Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle LONG DOG has a string of 1s by his name and comes from the all powerful Mullins yard but is taking a big step up in trip, all that said he should be included in this company.  BARTERS HILL has the form in the book to go off with a strong chance and give one of the smaller yards a nice win at the festival. Result -- 1st : UKNOWWHATIMEANHARRY 11/1
3.30pm 3m 2f 110yds Gold Cup	Cheltenham Gold Cup   10 runners for the Gold Cup, doesn't seem the best of renewals as many of the fancies are injured or in the case of Vautour re-routed to other races.  Cue card would bring the house down but I think 3m was the very limit of his ability on a flat track let alone around here, so it seems that DON COSSACK / DON POLI can fight out the finish for Ireland and the same owners.   Result -- 1st : DON COSSACK 9/4F
4.10pm 3m 2f 110yds Foxhunters Chase	Foxhunters Steeple Chase  The Amateurs Gold Cup now, Or the Vicki Pendleton Show as it's become...she's on PACHA DU POLDER but is one to lay as it'll be a lot shorter due to the hype than it truly should be. A pair of decent horses to take the field on are AUPCHARLIE from the Henry de Bromhead yard that don't tend to come here without a good one, and CURRENT EVENT who looks a good price at 16/1 with a jockey that has raced here several times in the past. Result -- 1st : ON THE FRINGE 13/8F
4.50pm 2m 4f Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle	Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle 24 runner conditional jockeys affair named after the great trainer Martin Pipe, never been won by the son David and that won't change today as he's surprisingly got no runners. I can remember the days when Pipe would have at least a 1/4 of the field in some of these handicaps.  Oh well onto the race, QUALANDO looks the pick of the Paul Nicholls entries and along with ZULU OSCAR are our picks against the field. Result -- 1st : IBIS DU RHEU 14/1
5.30pm 2m 110yds Grand Annual Chase	Grand Annual Steeple Chase  The festival finale is the Grand Annual, and 24 line up where top weight ARTHURS OAK can provide trainer Venetia Williams a welcome winner. Another ultra consistent horse is ROCK THE WORLD comes here in good order and with a decent round of jumping should go fairly close.  Result -- 1st : SOLAR IMPULSE 28/1 AND THAT'S YOUR LOT FOR THIS YEAR HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR CHELTENHAM 2016

Results will appear here on Friday evening as I will be out all day enjoying the Gold Cup with my brother. Have a great day, you can rest tomorrow...until next time.