Cheltenham Festival LIVE: 5:30 result, tips and latest odds after exciting Gold Cup race
Cheltenham schedule, racecard and all the action as the Festival concludes on Day 4, Gold Cup Day
Cheltenham Festival concludes on Day 4 after a thrilling opening day to ‘the greatest show on turf’ was followed by more Irish dominance on Day 2 before a British revival sparked by the Skelton brothers yesterday.
The opening two days saw plenty of success for Willie Mullins, who finally hit his historic milestone of a century of victories at the Cheltenham Festival but went winless on St. Patrick’s Thursday. However, he’s trained the favourite of the showpiece race with Galopin Des Champs looking to retain the Gold Cup this afternoon.
Harry Skelton and Paul Townend are vying for the leading jockey title with both sitting on four wins heading into the final day while Rachael Blackmore trails behind on two and could be in contention.
More than 60,000 spectators are expected to flock to Prestbury Park again for the Festival’s conclusion looking to beat the bookmakers, with today’s schedule including the Triumph Hurdle first up at 1.30pm, as well as the County Handicap Hurdle, the Albert Bartless Novices Hurdle, and of course, the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Follow all of our coverage from the 2024 Cheltenham Festival below plus get the best each-way odds and tips for Day 4 here and a full analysis of the best bets in the Gold Cup here:
‘World’s tallest jockey’ has new rival for crown at Cheltenham Festival
As Cheltenham Festival, horse racing’s biggest event of the year, gets underway on Tuesday, there will be two lofty figures who catch the eye more than most.
Jockey Jack Andrews made headlines last year as the world’s tallest jockey. The Englishman, standing at a staggering 6 ft 4 in (193cm) towered above the rest of the field, with the average jockey said to be no more than 5ft 2in.
Andrews had no luck with 66/1 shot Anightinlambourn in the 2023 Kim Muir Handicap Chase but returns this year to ride Henry’s Friend in the National Hunt Chase which concludes the first day’s action. The Ben Pauling-trained runner is still a longshot at around 20/1 but has won its last three races including at Ascot last month.
‘World’s tallest jockey’ has new rival for crown at Cheltenham Festival
Jack Andrews, standing at 6ft 4in, was the tallest jockey at last year’s meeting but may face competition from another rider on Tuesday
Cheltenham Gold Cup, in numbers: From Rachael Blackmore to Galopin Des Champs
To mark 100 years of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, here are some key numbers associated with jump racing’s most prestigious contest:
1 - Just one female jockey has come home in front, with Rachael Blackmore scoring on A Plus Tard in 2022. The sole grey winner was Desert Orchid in 1989. Dawn Run is the only horse to have won both the Champion Hurdle and the Gold Cup.
2 - Golden Miller and L’Escargot are the only two horses to have won both the Gold Cup and the Grand National.
4 - Pat Taaffe holds the record for most wins as a jockey, riding Arkle three times and Fort Leney. There have also been four winners partnered by amateur riders, most recently Sam Waley-Cohen on Long Run in 2011. Four mares have been successful; Ballinode (1925), Kerstin (1958), Glencaraig Lady (1972) and Dawn Run (1986).
Slevin going for gold at Cheltenham
Jockey J J Slevin is doing his best to remain focused and donwplay expectations as he gears up for a shot at winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup glory aboard Fastorslow on Friday.
The County Wexford-born rider has a couple of Festival victories on his CV, winning aboard Champagne Classic in the 2017 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle before triumphing on Band Of Outlaws in the Boodles two years later.
Yet, over the last 12 months, Slevin appears to have come across his horse of a lifetime, with Fastorslow elevating himself from high-class handicapper to a major contender for the sport’s highest honours.
“He always felt like a nice horse, but the unfortunate thing is there’s loads of horses that feel like a nice horse but don’t get there,” said Slevin, “It would have been hard to envisage he’d get to where he’s got to, in all honesty.”
Fastorslow has twice narrowly lost at the Cheltenham Festival, going down by just a short head to Commander Of Fleet in the 2022 Coral Cup and pushing subsequent Corach Rambler to a neck in last season’s Ultima Handicap Chase.
Since then Fastorslow has gone up a level having beaten last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Galopin Des Champs, in the Punchestown Gold Cup and in the John Durkan at the same venue.
“Very few horses would give you a feel like him, he’s pure class, all quality and a real athlete,” added Slevin, “He’s loads of speed and Galopin is the same.
“Those Gold Cup horses, they could turn up against the top two milers and probably give them a race, that’s the sort of horse you need. They’re the best beasts over fences in these isles at the moment.
“It would be massive to win a Gold Cup, you don’t even dream about it really, it’s that sort of stuff. I don’t even let myself think about it at the moment, to be second-favourite for a Gold Cup. We just take it day by day.”
Bowen hoping for Cheltenham success
Jockey James Bowen is yet to win at the Cheltenham Festival despite going close on his very first festival ride atop Shantou Flyer who was beaten by a neck by Coo Star Sivola in the 2018 Ultima.
The 22-year-old Welshman hopes to end that drought this week telling BBC Sport Wales: “I’m hoping for a bit of luck. I came close on my first ever festival ride and I thought it was going to be easy.
“I thought it would be plain sailing and I’d have a winner at that festival, but it has gone pear-shaped since.
“If I had a winner at the festival, it’d be one of the biggest days for sure. Even the handicaps and the lower-level races at the Cheltenham Festival are a big deal.
“What makes it so special is because it’s so hard to do - not many people do it.”
Cheltenham Festival: Nicky Henderson withdraws a number of horses including Shishkin
Nicky Henderson has reacted to his overall poor results on the opening day of this year’s Cheltenham Festival by withdrawing several runners on day two, including Queen Mother Champion Chase hope Jonbon.
Henderson went into this year’s Festival under a cloud following the withdrawal of Champion Hurdle title holder Constitution Hill and a disappointing run of form from his stable as a whole. Luccia provided the Seven Barrows handler with a boost when finishing third behind State Man in the Champion Hurdle, but his other five runners on Tuesday were all pulled up.
A trio of horses were withdrawn from Wednesday’s action and a separate statement also confirmed that Gold Cup contender Shishkin also wouldn’t run in the main event on Friday.
Henderson initially posted on X: “I’m afraid we have had to make some very tough decisions following the very disappointing performances of all bar one of our horses yesterday. It was there for all to see that there is obviously something affecting nearly all our horses and consequently we have reluctantly decided that Jonbon, First Street and Kingston Pride will not run today.
“It is impossible to identify any reason for all the disappointments and none of these horses have given us any cause for concern and all yesterday’s runners were scoped clean post race and I am glad to say all are sound this morning. There will unfortunately be further non-runners on Thursday and Friday.”
Day 3: How the Skelton brothers sparked a British revival at Cheltenham Festival
After two days of Irish dominance, Great Britain’s jockeys and trainers fought back on the ironically named St. Patrick’s Thursday at the Cheltenham Festival with five wins from the seven races.
Mainly through the skills of Paul Townend and Rachael Blackmore, coupled with the talent of trainer Willie Mullins, the Irish contingent had won the better of the opening two days, taking 10 of the 13 races, yet there were signs of a possible British challenge with a double win for the Skelton brothers, Harry and Dan, on Wednesday.
It was the same duo that led the British revival on Thursday with two wins from the first three races that caused plenty of excitement with the punters as well as former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson who witnessed his first winners at the Festival as a racehorse owner.
How the Skelton brothers sparked a British revival at Cheltenham Festival
Sir Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp also enjoyed success with a string of upsets on St Patrick’s Thursday
Day 2: Willie Mullins’ milestone win is inevitable result of predictable day at Cheltenham
It was always going to happen this week. Irish trainer Willie Mullins arrived at the Cheltenham Festival needing six wins from the 28 possible races to bring up a landmark no other trainer has accomplished: 100 victories at the Cheltenham Festival.
Mullins has been the leading trainer here in nine of the last 11 years, he’s prolific and with a brilliant jockey, in Paul Townend, riding his best horses there was an inevitable feeling about him reaching the figure.
Three winners on the opening day certainly helped and when British trainer Nicky Henderson announced on Wednesday morning that he was withdrawing up to six horses from the rest of the Festival, many that could have challenged the Mullins stable, that inevitability became a certainty.
Willie Mullins’ milestone win is inevitable result of predictable day at Cheltenham
The 67-year-old trainer recorded his 100th winner at the Festival amid testing conditions on a day of short of surprises
Day 1: Rachael Blackmore’s battling win kicks off Cheltenham Festival with a bang
In spite of an onslaught of early rain threatening to dampen spirits as well as the course, Rachael Blackmore ensured the Cheltenham Festival began with a bang in a wonderful ride atop Slade Steel for the opening race of the week, the Supreme Novices Hurdle.
With spectators gathered around the grandstand, a false start scuppered the chance for an expectedly loud Cheltenham roar as sighs of disappointment met the horses instead as they led off. In an almost stubborn response, the gathered crowds were rewarded with a tantalising and fantastic opening race.
Blackmore marshalled Slade Steel beautifully over the deteriorating ground and waited for her moment. She held her horse just on the outside of the pack as the favourite, Tullyhill, and Tellherthename jostled for the lead upfront. With three fences to go, a sense of nervous anticipation settled on the watching onlookers who wondered if she’d left it too late to make a move.
She hadn’t.
Rachael Blackmore’s battling win kicks off Cheltenham Festival with a bang
Last year’s leading jockey Paul Townend picked up where he left off as Willie Mullins closed in on landmark win
Cheltenham Festival tips: Experts on best bets and 10 horses to watch in the Gold Cup today
Galopin Des Champs is set to start Friday’s Gold Cup as the favourite to win Cheltenham Festival’s showpiece race.
Trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, Galopin delivered a storming victory for the Irish duo last year and looks set to cap another glorious week for Mullins and Townend at Cheltenham.
But they face competition from Fastorslow, Gerri Colombe, L’Homme Presse and Bravemansgame, who finished runner-up last year after Galopin raced to the front with two fences to go before pulling away up the hill to claim a clear victory.
The 2024 edition of the Gold Cup marks the centenary of the race, first won by Red Splash in 1924.
Here’s our tips for today:
Cheltenham Festival tips: Experts on best bets and horses to watch in the Gold Cup
Bravemansgame returns to Cheltenham looking to improve on last year’s runners-up placing in the Gold Cup, while Fastorslow and Gerri Colombe are also tipped to compete with favourite Galopin
Cheltenham Festival 2024 race card, dates, start times and full four-day schedule
The horse racing season has fully hit its stride, with the great spectacle that is the Cheltenham Festival now underway.
The Festival takes place over four days in March, starting with Champion Day, then it’s Style Wednesday on day two, and St Patrick’s Day falling on day three before finishing with Gold Cup Day.
There are 28 races to enjoy, which began with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle won by Rachael Blackmore on Slade Steel, as well as State Man taking the Champion Hurdle, while Friday’s finale will feature the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Legendary Irish trainer Willie Mullins will be looking to make it six years in a row as the trainer with the most wins at the Festival, while his jockey Paul Townend has been the outstanding rider in three of the past four years. The jockey who broke that streak, Blackmore, is also hoping to make her mark on Cheltenham this year.
Cheltenham Festival 2024 race card and full four-day schedule
A full run down of all the races at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival
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