1.20pm JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 179y
Alan King is confident he has Tritonic in top form as he prepares for a “proper battle” against a clutch of fellow prospective stars in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
Even before embarking on his so far unbeaten hurdles career, which includes a highly-impressive Grade Two win in Kempton’s Adonis on just his second start under three weeks ago, Tritonic took King to centre stage on the Flat as a Royal Ascot runner-up last summer.
The Barbury Castle trainer therefore has every right to consider him a leading light at the top level – but he has great respect for Friday’s opposition from either side of the Irish Sea.
Zanahiyr, like Tritonic unbeaten over jumps, has spent most of the winter as ante-post favourite.
He will represent Denise Foster, as he bids for a fourth successive victory – while his Irish compatriot Quilixios, transferred this month from Gordon Elliott to Henry de Bromhead’s stable, is already a four-time winner after his Grade One success in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.
The home contingent has a second strong contender too, in David Pipe’s Adagio – who won both the Triumph Trial over course and distance in December and the rescheduled Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow a month later.
Tritonic was yet to race over hurdles at that point, but has since surged towards the top of the market, and King is delighted with his preparation.
“He’s absolutely A1,” he said.
“I don’t think the track (at Cheltenham) will be any different to him, but the opposition is a lot stronger.
“I’ve got great respect for David Pipe’s horse and the Irish horses – so it’s going to be a proper battle.”
Tritonic’s eyecatching Flat rating of 99 is an obvious indication that he could go right to the top over jumps.
“I hope so,” added King.
“But if he can do the talking on Friday now, we’ll see what happens.”
Quilixios, who has won his races by an aggregate of more than 50 lengths, also boasts fine credentials for the Champion Hurdle-winning partnership of De Bromhead and jockey Rachael Blackmore.
Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud, echoes King’s respect for the opposition – albeit in a select field of eight.
“It looks a very good race,” he said.
“The fields might be a little bit smaller at Cheltenham this year, but all the top horses are there.”
Quilixios could yet be one of them, and Richardson added: “He’s done nothing wrong – he’s four from four.
“He was most impressive when well clear at Leopardstown last time.”
Adagio has done plenty to fuel Pipe’s dreams of victory in a race which launched his father Martin’s great training career when Baron Blakeney won it as an unconsidered 66-1 shot 40 years ago.
In his three wins from four starts over hurdles, he has proved all conditions come alike to him.
“The great thing about Adagio is that it doesn’t really matter what the ground is and he’s got Cheltenham form,” said Pipe, who reports Tom Scudamore’s mount back in rude health after being briefly laid low in mid-winter.
“He had a little colic after his last run and was a bit quiet in himself.
“(Normally) he’s a real character who loves his food and he was just off games for the week.
“He’s been in very good form since, and jumps and travels.
“It’s a red-hot Triumph Hurdle. Is he good enough? We’ll find out at Cheltenham.”
There are also two Willie Mullins’ hopefuls – Haut En Couleurs, a narrow winner on his only French start but unraced for current connections – and Tax For Max.
Completing the eight are Nigel Hawke’s Historic Heart – runner-up to Adagio in the Triumph Trial – and Sean Curran’s filly Talking About You, who is the most experienced hurdler in the field with four wins from her 10 starts.
1.55pm McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) 2m 179y
Petit Mouchoir heads a maximum field of 26 runners for the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle.
2.30pm Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 7f 213y
A field of 17 runners have been declared for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
Leading Irish hopes for the three-mile contest include the Mullins-trained Stattler and Foster’s pair of Fakiera and Torygraph.
Paul Nicholls is responsible for two of the big British-trained contenders in Barbados Buck’s and Threeunderthrufive.
Fergal O’Brien’s Alaphilippe and Adrimel from Tom Lacey’s yard are others to consider in a competitive heat.
3.05pm WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) 3m 2f 70y
Willie Mullins is confident Al Boum Photo is in the form of his life ahead of his bid to join the titans of the jumping scene with a third victory in the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Mullins appeared destined never to win the blue riband after saddling the runner-up on six occasions, but the largely unheralded Al Boum Photo broke his duck in 2019 and repeated the dose 12 months ago.
Just as he has in each of the past two seasons, the nine-year-old will line up in the Cotswolds on the back of a solitary low-key run at Tramore on New Year’s Day – and Mullins is hoping for the same result on the day that matters most
“We think he’s in a good position,” said the Closutton handler.
“Any time Paul (Townend) has ridden him work, he’s been happy with him and I’ve been happy with what I’m seeing as well.
“We don’t have any negatives at this point, we didn’t have any setbacks.”
Al Boum Photo is the clear favourite to become only the fifth triple Gold Cup winner after five-times scorer Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate.
He did not impress everyone during what was a slightly laboured latest effort at Tramore, but Mullins expects considerable improvement.
“I thought I had him straighter,” Mullins admitted.
“He had such a long break from his Gold Cup last year, had no spring campaign as such and it was a long time back around to Tramore. He probably should have done one more bit of work beforehand, but we got through it and we learnt from that and I think he’s in great shape going to Cheltenham this season.”
Mullins, who also saddles Irish Gold Cup winner Kemboy, views A Plus Tard and Champ as the biggest threats to his reigning champion.
A Plus Tard denied Kemboy a second Savills Chase win with a last-gasp Leopardstown success over the Christmas period, while Champ warmed up for his Gold Cup tilt by finishing second over two miles in the Game Spirit at Newbury last month.
Mullins said: “I think you have to take both A Plus Tard and Champ seriously – both are stayers. A Plus Tard is bred to stay and Champ proved that he stayed all day last year. The two have both put in huge performances as their prep run.”
Rachael Blackmore is out to create yet more history at this year’s Festival aboard A Plus Tard.
Having become the first female rider to win the Champion Hurdle when steering the brilliant mare Honeysuckle to success in Tuesday’s feature, the 31-year-old will make even bigger headlines if she can land the blue riband aboard her stablemate on Friday.
A Plus Tard certainly holds strong claims for trainer Henry de Bromhead and owners Cheveley Park Stud, having beaten Chacun Pour Soi over two miles at Grade One level and proved his stamina over three miles with a last-gasp success in a thrilling Savills Chase at Leopardstown.
De Bromhead said: “There aren’t many horses that can win a Grade One over two miles and be in the Gold Cup picture – Kauto Star would be one.
“He stayed very well at Leopardstown and looked like he needed every inch of it, so hopefully it will all go well for him. It’s going to be a cracking race and very competitive as you would expect.”
Blackmore told Racing TV: “He’s got an unbelievable chance. Al Boum Photo is the horse to beat, but we will be giving it our best shot.”
Blackmore is not the only female rider in the Gold Cup field, with Bryony Frost out to claim further big-race success aboard Frodon.
Frost became the first woman to win a Grade One over jumps at the Festival when the Paul Nicholls-trained Frodon landed the 2019 Ryanair Chase, while the partnership most recently combined to win the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, another first.
Together Frost and Frodon have won eight races in all, five of which have been at Cheltenham.
Frost said: “I’d love it to keep drying because we have the speed to win over two and a half miles and it will help his jumping. It might not help a few of the others as well.
“The three biggest races on our calendar are the King George, the Gold Cup and the Grand National. To say we’ve won the King George and we’re going for the Gold Cup – it’s massive.
“He’s been huge for my career. For Paul and Mr Vogt to have kept me with him for so many runs, I’m very grateful. He is somebody extremely special to be out there galloping with. He probably knows his way around Cheltenham better than me and at Kempton he probably lugged a little left. He loves this track, this is his playground.”
Regarding Blackmore’s Champion Hurdle win and her own bid for history, she said: “Every year somebody triumphs and makes history. We weren’t born knowing, we have discovered as we have gone.
“Rachael and Honeysuckle and brilliant to watch, they seem made for each other and it was a mega moment on Tuesday. There isn’t just me and Rachael in the Gold Cup, though, there are 12 of us and we all know each other and our tactics. That’s what makes it fun, finding those inches.
“Watching the old videos of the Cheltenham greats gives you goosebumps. I remember being very little and going to Toby Balding’s to pat Morley Street and I thought he was as tall as a skyscraper. Those moments when you meet the greats stick with you, it boils down to those horses and it is why we love the sport.”
Nicholls said: “Frodon and Bryony are a match made in heaven – they do get on particularly well.
“It suits him to make the running, but he doesn’t have to make the running. When he has won some of those good handicaps at Cheltenham earlier on, especially over a shorter trip, he got a bit of a lead and that suited him.
“He jumps his way into the race. You can ride him how you find him – and if the ground is better, some of those horses that are a little bit more one-paced could struggle a little bit.
“We’ve been very lucky to win the Gold Cup four times with Kauto Star (twice), Denman and See More Business. It’s been a fantastic race for us and I’d love to win it again.”
Champ and Santini give Nicky Henderson a strong hand in his bid for a third victory in the race. Long Run provided the Seven Barrows handler with his first taste of success in the blue riband in 2011, before the popular Bobs Worth repeated the feat two years later.
The shortest priced of his two runners this year is Champ, who is out to claim a second Festival victory following his memorable last-gasp effort in last year’s RSA Chase.
An autumn wind operation meant the JP McManus-owned gelding missed the first half of the season – and when he did return, he unconventionally ran over just two miles in the Game Spirit at Newbury, performing with huge credit to finish second to Sceau Royal.
“Champ had his wind done, which consequently put us on the back foot,” said Henderson.
“We were aiming for the Denman at Newbury, but when the meeting got put back a week, we came up with the wacky idea of running him over two miles in the Game Spirit. We just felt he was going to have an easier race over two miles rather than over three.
“I was hoping we’d see what we saw as my head was on the chopping block for this ridiculous idea if it didn’t work. Thankfully it went well and his jumping at that pace was exceptional. We all came away very happy and he has been fine since.”
Champ’s stablemate Santini went down by a diminishing neck to Al Boum Photo in last year’s Gold Cup.
The nine-year-old has been a little underwhelming in three starts so far this season, but better is expected on his return to Cheltenham in a first-time visor.
Henderson added: “The Cotswold Chase (at Cheltenham) was off. Sandown took it on, but the ground was desperate on the day. I was satisfied with how he ran and it put us where we wanted him.
“He ran a fantastic race in the Gold Cup last year and I see no reason why he won’t run well again.”
Henry de Bromhead is also double-handed, with Savills Chase winner A Plus Tard joined by Minella Indo.
The latter was only narrowly denied by Champ at last year’s Festival and could hardly have made a more impressive start to this season in winning at Wexford and Navan.
However, he will return to Prestbury Park with something to prove, having fallen when favourite for the Savills Chase and finished only fourth behind Kemboy in last month’s Irish Gold Cup.
“Our plan with Minella Indo was to be busy with him up to Christmas because we thought he lacked experience. He had two great runs at the start, winning a Grade Three and a Grade Two at Wexford and Navan, when he was very impressive,” said De Bromhead.
“Then we went to the Savills and it was disappointing he fell. It wasn’t the plan to run him again before the Gold Cup, but obviously we couldn’t go off the back of a fall, so looking at all our options we plumped for the Irish Gold Cup and I thought he ran respectably.
“We were adamant he needed a clear round and we got that. Kemboy got away from us after a mistake, but he still ran well.”
Native River, who won an epic Gold Cup in 2018, is out to become the first horse since Kauto Star to regain the crown.
The popular Colin Tizzard-trained 11-year-old also finished third in 2017 and fourth in 2019, but missed out last year through injury.
Tizzard, who will hand over the licence to his son Joe in the coming weeks, said: “He’s beaten the better English chasers and he’s the top-rated chaser in England.
“The fact that he’s 11 is why he’s a 16-1 shot. If he was an eight-year-old I’m sure he’d be in the first three in the betting.
“He’s in cracking form. He’s a Gold Cup winner and a class horse and we know he stays three miles and two furlongs.”
Native River is joined by stablemate Lostintranslation, who was a close-up third in last year’s Gold Cup but has failed to recapture that form so far this term.
Tizzard added: “I wouldn’t dismiss Lostintranslation. He seems in absolutely great form – the best he’s been since I can remember.
“I’m sure you’re going to see him turning in as though he might win it, but as we’ve seen here before, horse have got to get up that hill.”
Runaway Peter Marsh Chase winner Royale Pagaille is a fascinating contender for Venetia Williams, who also saddles outsider Aso.
Connections deliberated long and hard as regards which race to go for with the Rich Ricci-owned Royale Pagaille, who is technically still a novice.
In the end they plumped for the Gold Cup, and jockey Charlie Deutsch is relishing the opportunity of a lifetime.
He said: “I’ve loved riding him this season. I was gutted to miss out on him at Haydock last time, but I’m just really happy to keep the ride on him. Numerically it has been my best season to date and it would be a nice touch if I could win this on top.
“I didn’t get much of a say in which race he would run in, although I spoke to Venetia. However, I didn’t really find out what race he would run in until everyone else did. The horse is in good form and you have to have a go at a race like this when they are in good form – hopefully the hype will be right.
“I’m really lucky that I’ve had the support of Venetia and I’d like to think I’m doing my best to reward her as much as I can by riding her winners.”
He added: “You have to remember it was still a handicap he won last time. I think, like Venetia said, with the horses that finished in behind it was hard to know what sort of performance it was, but it was hard not to get excited by it as he won by a long way and quite easily. Like Venetia said, any of those good horses in the Gold Cup would have put in a similar performance at Haydock and Kempton.”
3.40pm St James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase 3m 2f 70y
Likely favourite Billaway heads 18 declared for the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup.
4.15pm Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase 2m 4f 127yds
Mullins appears to hold the aces in the inaugural Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase, with market principals Elimay and Colreevy, as well as Salsaretta and Cabaret Queen, part of an 11-strong line-up.
4.50pm Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (0-145) 2m 4f 56y
Ireland’s champion trainer is also responsible for the likely favourite in the concluding Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle in the form of the JP McManus-owned Gentleman De Mee.
