Cheltenham Festival – Friday – everything you need to know
It’s day four of the Cheltenham Festival and we have everything you need to know courtesy of bookmaker BoyleSports.com; including race-by-race tips, quotes from Gold Cup-winning jockey Robbie Power and the horses that are leaving the bookmakers quaking in their shoes.
Robbie Power Tips:
Cheltenham Gold Cup
I wouldn’t swap Minella Indo for anyone,” said Power. “He was really good here last year when he beat A Plus Tard, although I have huge respect for Galvin who I’ve won on before around Cheltenham. He’s a very good horse, Gordon Elliott has him in fantastic form this season, and he was a very good winner over 3 miles at Leopardstown at Christmas when he also beat A Plus Tard.
“If the race isn’t that strongly run, A Plus Tard is a big danger and he’s probably the quickest horse in the race. Don’t rule Al Boum Photo out – he’s a dual winner and even though he’s getting a bit older, he’s going to be in the mix again.
“But horses for courses they say and if things go right, I think Minella Indo has a massive chance.”
Triumph Hurdle
It’s a cracking renewal and I was blown away by Pied Piper over course and distance earlier this season, it was a hell of a performance. He is opposing Vauban again who he beat on their first start together this season at Punchestown.
“Vauban hung badly to the right going left-handed round Leopardstown when he beat Fil Dor and for me the safest one is Pied Piper. I wouldn’t rule Fil Dor out either because this track is all about stamina and he has it in abundance. If the rain keeps falling that will play to Fil Dor’s strengths and he is a danger.”
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
“Ginto has everything – he’s a Grade 1 winner over 2½, the step up to 3 miles is going to play to his strengths and I think he’s one of the Irish bankers of the week.
“Hillcrest is a danger, but he just might not have the class that Ginto has, and I’ll be disappointed if he gets beaten.”.
Where’s the money going:
Vauban – 7/4 into 13/8
State Man – 3/1 into 11/4
Hillcrest – 7/2 into 5/2
A Plus Tard – 7/2 into 5/2
Billaway – 5/2 into 2/1
Mount Ida – 9/4 into 2/1
Hollow Games – 8/1 into 13/2
The acca the bookies fear:
Vauban 13/8
Hillcrest 5/2
A Plus Tard 5/2
Billaway 2/1
£10 Accumulator = £964.69
Punters v Bookies, Day Three
Turners Novices’ Chase – Bookies
Pertemps Final – Bookies
Ryanair Chase – Punters
Stayers’ Hurdle – Bookies
Irish Whiskey Co. Plate – Bookies
Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – Bookies
Kim Muir – Bookies
Punters 1- 6 Bookies
Big winners, Day Three
Turners Novices’ Chase – Bob Olinger 6/5
Galopin Des Champs looked to be a mightily impressive winner, before a fall at the last when well clear handed Bob Olinger the race. The second best horse on the day won.
Ryanair Chase – Allaho – 4/7F
Irish banker of the week duly delivered, with a 14-length win and a second Ryanair in as many years.
Stayers’ Hurdle – Flooring Porter 4/1
The Irish were very happy as Flooring Porter made all to win the Stayers’ for a second time.
Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – Love Envoi 15/2
As impressive a winner as any mare you’ll see around Prestbury Park this week.
Prestbury Cup Score
Great Britain 10 – 11 Ireland
Famous Faces
GOLD CUP (3.30) Protektorat. Part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson
Protektorat to finish in the top three in the Gold Cup and Manchester United to beat Leicester City (Premier League Football) – 3.60/1
£10 double = £46.00
Robbie Power – Gold Cup
Robbie Power: “Defending Cheltenham Gold Cup champion Minella Indo is in great form”
Jockey Robbie Power knows what it takes to win the showpiece race of the Cheltenham Festival – Friday’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Back in 2017, he won the race with Sizing John, for Jessica Harrington and the Potts’ family.
Last year’s winner Minella Indo will be the mount of Power in this year’s renewal, and he spoke to BoyleSports about his chances of landing a second in the race:
“I was at Henry’s last week and I jumped eight fences on Minella Indo and he was really good. He has come out of Leopardstown in great form and I’m looking forward to riding him in the Gold Cup.
He seems in fantastic form. Henry and everyone is very happy with him. Every year he goes to Cheltenham he seems to improve and hopefully fingers crossed he will do the same this year. His run in the Irish Gold Cup was a very good run anyway.
It’s a Gold Cup and I do think A Plus Tard and Galvin are big dangers. Al Boum Photo and Protektorat cannot also be written off.
It is a very open and competitive Cheltenham Gold Cup. You could make a case for a lot of horses, but Minella Indo is the one with proven Cheltenham form, he has been there and done it before so fingers crossed he can go and do the same again.”
The 40-year-old from County Meath said 2017’s success was one of his finest days in the saddle:
“There has been a lot of ups and downs over the years, including with injuries this year and in the past, I’ve broken a lot of bones.
However, I’ve got some great memories from the Cheltenham Festival. We knew going over there that we had a good team. To have three winners was unbelievable but to win the Gold Cup, that was one of the greatest days I’ve ever had racing. And in my very first ride in the race, it was very special.”
Power will be in particularly good spirits, following Liverpool’s 2-0 victory away to Arsenal, midweek:
“Liverpool are playing Arsenal on the Wednesday night of the Cheltenham Festival so that will be great as it will just break up the week. It will be good to have something to watch during the week and we need three points to help keep the pressure on Man City. I’m a Liverpool fan and obviously at the minute we are still trying to do the quadruple so it is an exciting time.”
