1.20 JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)
\n
2.00 William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
\n
2.40 Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (Registered As The Liberthine Mares’ Chase) (Grade 2)
\n
3.20 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered As The Spa Novices’ Hurdle)
\n
4.00 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1)
\n
4.40 St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
\n
5.20 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
\n
“,”elementId”:”f9998c84-9232-4dd6-b967-d0ddcbdf8fbf”}]”attribute”: { “pinned”: false, keyevent “: true, “summary “: false},” “blockcreatedon”: 1741952977000, “blockcreatedondisplay”: 07.49 edt “, “blocklastupdated”: 1741953147000, “blocklastdetateddisplay”: 07.52 edt “, “blockfirstpublisheddisplay”: 07.52 edt “, “blockfirstpublisheddisplay”: 07.52 edt “, “blockfirstpublisheddisplaynotimezone”: 07.52 “, “title”:[]”PrimaryDateline”: “Fri March 14, 2025 08.30 EDT”, “DecondaryDateline”: “March 14, 2025 FRI 14 EDT”}, “ID”:” 67CFFFF3D8F080B7D65515818″, “Elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Good morning from Cheltenham on one of the most eagerly-awaited days of the racing year: Gold Cup day at Cheltenham, the pinnacle of the National Hunt season and this year a very rare opportunity to see a two-time winner of the race attempt to join the tiny band of immortals – Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate – with three Gold Cup victories to their name.
“,”elementId”:”207df5b3-4496-4681-8f84-57986637c514″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
We have been here once before quite recently, as another Willie Mullins-trained chaser, Al Boum Photo, went for the three-timer just four years ago. But even with the benefit of hindsight – he finished third as the 9-4 favourite – his tilt at racing history lacked conviction. Galopin Des Champs, by contrast, will be long odds-on to get the job done this afternoon, even with the Grand National favourite, Inothewayurthinkin, in the field as a late supplementary.
“,”elementId”:”70202fcc-63ee-4c95-90e4-4291033ba0a6″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
He is also a festival stalwart, making his fifth visit to the meeting and looking for his fourth success (the only blip being a bizarre stumble after the last when victory seemed assured in a novice chase here three years ago).
“,”elementId”:”c667a423-968c-43d4-a048-bbbe43d95c6b”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Banbridge, the King George VI Chase winner, is another live rival, but his stamina at this extended three-and-a-quarter miles is far from assured, and Galopin Des Champs will set off at around 4-7 to secure his membership of a very elite club.
“,”elementId”:”26dc72f1-c63a-4586-a6db-58d0753bd953″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
The going remains good-to-soft, the covers on the track did their job after temperatures dipped to -3.5C overnight, and the gates have opened to welcome what is certain to be the biggest crowd of a week when attendance has been a concern. When Cheltenham is packed, the customer experience is not always what it should be, but for many National Hunt fans, the chance to be here on one of those festival days that no-one will ever forget is simply too much of a draw.
“,”elementId”:”ad641512-b01b-480a-83dc-b165b5cc5a8b”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
You can follow all the action live as the final day of the meeting unfolds here on our live blog, and we are underway at 1.20 with the juvenile hurdling championship, the Triumph Hurdle.
“,”elementId”:”bbefcfb6-5900-4e45-b863-4b2a0972b7b8″}]”attribute”: { “pinned”: false, keyevent “: true, “summary “: false},” “blockcreatedon”: 1741950022000, “blockcreatedondisplay”: 07.00 edt “, “blocklastupdated”: 1741947696000, “06.21 edt “, “blockfirstpublished”: 1741950022000, “blockfirstpublisheddisplay”: 07.00 edt “, “blockfirstpublisheddisplaynotimezone”: 07.00 “, ” title “: ” preamble “, ” novtrives “: “[{“name”:”Greg Wood”,”imageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2017/04/22/Greg-Wood.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=676dfe17d9a0f02521a072f5a418a6a3″,”largeImageUrl”:”https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2017/10/06/Greg_Wood,_L.png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=24f674fa16315ccff6678ad8471af1d3″}]”PrimaryDateline”: “Fri March 14th EDT”, “SecondaryDateline”: “Fri 14 Mar Mary 2025 07.00 EDT “}], “Falter”, false, “: false “:” key-events-carousel-mobile “, “abstartervert “:fals””>
Important Events
This is where your money went on Thursday.
Timeform, the venerable racing data bibleHe presented his views on Galopin Des Champs compared to his beloved best mate, who won his third victory in 2004.
Best Mate won the 182-year-old's career-high timeform rating in 2003, the second Gold Cup comfortable 10-length winner. But it was his only time on his 16 fences that produced at least 175 worth of ratings.
In contrast, Galopin Des Champs has a peak rating of 181, but produced six performances worthy of at least 175 ratings from 16 starts over the fence, including both wins in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Timeform Chase Handicapper Phil Turner said: “Galopin Des Champs ran repeatedly to levels that very few horses could reach. He did a stronger job than his best peers, and by taking on a better caliber rival, he helped in part by forcing the tactics that allowed him to assert his control.
Currently rated at 179, Galopin Des Champs is 9 pounds from George winner Banbridge, and 15 pounds more than Inothewayurthinkin, the third on the list.
Greg Wood
1.20 Triumph Hurdle, Grade One, 2m 179yd
It has been the biggest area of the Triumph hurdle since 2012, and the old-fashioned sentiment about it has increased just as two market leaders increased. East India Dock and Lulumba, Both are trained in English stables. East India Dock replaced Lulamba with favorites last week or two, and raced from behind two luxury performances on the track at meetings in November and January. James Owen's castration had double-digit victory margins in both races and also posted exceptional time for the boy while he was in it. Lulamba has less experience in the UK than the hurdles and has earned the only start so far with Ascot in January, but was an impressive winner at Auteuil in October, prompting a big-budget sale to take part in Nicky Henderson's stable. Henderson was the last British trainer to saddle the winner of this race, dating back to 2019, with the sixth victory Irish Challenge led by Gavin Cromwell's Hello, my neighbor, Undefeated with two starts on the flat and two hurdles. He won the Grade One boy at the Dublin Racing Festival in three-quarters of a length that he had previously edged out. Lady Vega Allen, A steady jockey pole town end pick from Willie Mullins Yard's extraordinary 11 Strong Challenge team.
Selection: East India Dock.
Key Form:
-
The boy's hurdles of JCB Triumph Trial Trial, Cheltenham, January 25th (East India Dock)
-
The hurdles of the BetMgm boy, Ascot, 25th August (Lumba, Mondman)
-
The hurdles of the boys in spring, Leopardstown, February 25th (Hello Neighbor)
-
O'Driscolls Irish Whisky Boy's Hurdles, Leopardstown, December 26, 2024 (Hello Neighbors, Lady Vega Allen, Willie de Fuell)
Cheltenham Gold Cup Day Race Schedule
-
1.20 JCB Triumph hurdle (Grade 1)
-
2.00 William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
-
2.40 Mrs Paddy Power Mares 'Chase (registered as Liberthine Mares' Chase) (Grade 2)
-
3.20 Albert Bartlett Beginner's Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered as a Hurdle for Spa Beginner's Hurdle)
-
4.00 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1)
-
4.40 St. James Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunter Tracking
-
5.20 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockey Handicap Hurdle
Official news from the Jockey Club.
Friday, March 14th
Today's fourth day of Cheltenham Festival is today's Gold Cup Day.
It's soft to soft
Action will be taken on a new course that was still in use today (St. Patrick's Thursday). During the first two days of the festival, Champion Day and Style Wednesday were held on the old course.
John Pullin, Clerk of the course at Cheltenham Racecourse, This morning, he said, “We've had three great races so far. We're very excited for another good one today and hope that Galopin Des Champs will win three Cheltenham Gold Cups to join the greats of the past.
“We have seven races again today, with the first off at 1:20pm and the first six races live on ITV.
“Going for today is nice and soft. The temperature dropped to -3.5c overnight, but since it covered yesterday's racing line, all systems will be in the next day.”
Greg Wood
And unlike the photos of Marines' Al Boomwhich was short as a 9-4 shot when they tried to win three consecutive wins in 2021, but it's very difficult to see Galopin Des Champs beat.
With the only exception of his stumbling three years ago, Galopin Des Champs made no mistake in any of his previous starts at the festival, but the real secret of his domination is the special power that he is not only the harvest of his current pursuers, but also the handful of other greats of the past, as well as the raw finishing power that he kicks as he closes the race.
Greg Wood
Cheltenham 1.20 James Owen's East India Dock He has already posted two outstanding performances of the boy on this track when he succeeded in both his November and December meetings. Both victories were recorded in a remarkably fast time, and while repeating both performances would be sufficient here, further advances from this highly promising four-year-old are no major surprises.
preamble
Greg Wood
Good morning from Cheltenham, one of the most awaited days of the race year: Gold Cup Day in Cheltenham, the pinnacle of the national hunt season, and this year you can see two winners of the races that take part in the small Immortal band, including Golden Mirror, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate.
Most recently we were here once, but there was a picture of another Willie Mullins trained chaser, Al Boom, who went for three timers just four years ago. But even benefiting from hindsight, he finished third as a 9-4 favorite – unsure of his leanings in racing history. In contrast, Galopin Des Champs will be a long odds to get the job done this afternoon.
He is also a stubborn festival, visiting conferences five times and looking for his fourth success (the only blip is the strange stumbling at the end of the novice chase three years ago, where victory was guaranteed).
King George VI Chase winner Banbridge is another live rival, but his stamina in this extended three-quarter miles is far from guaranteed, with Galopin Des Champs set out 4-7 to secure membership in the highly elite club.
The goring remained in good condition, and after a temperature soaked overnight at -3.5c, the cover on the track did the job and the gates were opened to welcome what attendees were sure to be the biggest crowd of the week. When Cheltenham is packed, the customer experience shouldn't necessarily be, but for many National Hunt fans, the chance to be here at one of the festivals no one will forget is simply too many draws.
As the final day of the meeting unfolds here on our live blog, you can follow all the action live. We are ongoing at 1.20 at the Triumph Hurdle, the Boys' Hardling Championship.
