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:
Cheltenham 4.10 - Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
On the final straight, Time Leader makes an tidy jump. Its On The Line takes the lead as Sine Nomine drifts to the right looking to kick on.
Cheltenham 4.10 - Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
Time Leader moves out to come past Ferns Lock with Sine Nomine making a move.
Cheltenham 4.10 - Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
The head past the grandstand and make their way out onto the back side of the course. Its On The Line is holding with the leaders but From The Heart and Ramillies have pulled up and won’t finish the race.
Cheltenham 4.10 - Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
Ferns Lock looks a bit shaky with his jumping. He keeps shifting out to the right and it’s a good thing he’s currently out in front. Shantou Flyer and Time Leader are tracking close behind.
Cheltenham 4.10 - Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
Ferns Lock and Its On The Line move up the field along with Billaway to increase the pace at the front of the field.
Cheltenham 4.10 - Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
And they’re off! Shantou Flyer takes the early lead in the Hunters’ Chase which is the same length as the Gold Cup race.
Galopin Des Champs storms to victory in Gold Cup
Cheltenham 4.10 - Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase odds
Have we all calmed down yet? Here are the odds for the next race:
Its On The Line 11/8
Ferns Lock 10/3
Billaway 7/1
Premier Magic 8/1
Sine Nomine 8/1
Samcro 25/1
Quintins Man 28/1
Time Leader 40/1
Shantou Flyer 40/1
Django 80/1
Ramillies 100/1
From The Heart 200/1
Odds via Oddschecker
Cheltenham Gold Cup - Willie Mullins reaction
Here’s what trainer Willie Mullins had to say after back-to-back Gold Cup victories for Galopin Des Champs.
“He has put himself in the superstar category. What he did, the way he did it, with that loose horse and Paul being so positive on him... We’ll be coming back next year to win a third if we can. He has the ability to do it, we just have to stay sound.
“The loose horse was the only concern. Maybe he hit one fence early but after that, it was very easy. Paul was in the position he wanted and seemed to be travelling easy on him all the time.
“He's doing everything right, achieving more than I thought he could. It was great to win the Gold Cup last year, and if he was safe and sound, then we thought he could win. But you don't believe those things, you dream them.”
Paul Townend reacts to Galopin Des Champs victory
Here;s what jockey Paul Townend had to say about the Gold Cup victory.
“It’s unbelievable. We had to go into reserves that I wasn’t sure were there. We rode a completely different race to last year, so it was great for me. We were a bit in between at the last,= and I was afraid we wouldn’t have enough but it’s the Gold Cup and we had to do it. We pulled out all the stops.
On what makes Galopin Des Champs a champion: “His heart probably. Even the two times he got beat, we were never really going to win and I was so disappointed but looking back, he was still there at finish. That shows how tough a horse he is. Today we had to go for reserves that only the really special ones have.”
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