15:30 Cheltenham

Friday 16 March 2018

All13:3014:1014:5015:3016:1016:5017:30

Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1)

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 7m 2.90s

1^st

Native River

811-10

4/1

T: C L TizzardJ: R Johnson

Led but pressed by runner-up throughout, ridden after 3 out, headed narrowly 2 out, led again last, went 2 lengths clear 100 yards out, stayed on well, drawing further away when edged right towards finish tchd 11/2

2^nd

4 ½

Might Bite

911-10

7/2f

T: N J HendersonJ: N de Boinville

Pressed winner throughout, took narrow lead traveling better than rival 2 out, shaken up and headed last, ridden and edged right about 150 yards out, soon 2 lengths down and held, no extra close home

3^rd

Anibale Fly

811-10

25/1

T: A J MartinJ: B J Geraghty

Mid-division, headway 18th, disputing 5th 4 out, effort to press for 3rd when not fluent 3 out, no impression on front pair 2 out, went 10 lengths 3rd last, stayed on to close final 100 yards but no impression tchd 40/1

4^th

Road To Respect

711-10

8/1

T: N MeadeJ: Sean Flanagan

Mid-division on inside, headway 17th, 3rd 4 out, not fluent 3 out, beaten when not fluent 2 out, lost 3rd last, stayed on same pace op 10/1 tchd 11/1

5^th

Djakadam

911-10

20/1

T: W P MullinsJ: Mr P W Mullins

Tracked leaders, mistake 13th, hit 18th, 4th 4 out, mistake and pressed for 3rd 3 out, 5th and beaten when mistake 2 out, weakened

6^th

Definitly Red

911-10

10/1

T: B EllisonJ: Danny Cook

Tracked leaders, pushed along after 14th, struggling to hold place after, well behind 18th, plugged on past some beaten horses from 3 out but no chance

7^th

1 ½

Tea For Two

911-10

50/1

T: Nick WilliamsJ: Lizzie Kelly

Held up in rear, hit 1st, hampered next, disputing 9th 4 out, no impression, well beaten from 3 out op 66/1

8^th

Edwulf

911-10

14/1

T: J P O'BrienJ: Mr Derek O'Connor

Held up in rear, disputing 9th 4 out, slightly hampered and well beaten 3 out op 16/1

9^th

American

811-10

25/1

T: H FryJ: N D Fehily

Chased leaders on outside, not fluent 3rd, mistake 5th, disputing 5th 4 out, weakened next tchd 28/1

Also Ran

Bachasson

711-10

25/1

T: W P MullinsJ: Danny Mullins

Held up, fell 2nd op 28/1

Killultagh Vic

911-10

8/1

T: W P MullinsJ: Paul Townend

Mistakes in rear, well beaten from 18th, pulled up before last op 9/1

Our Duke

811-10

5/1

T: Mrs J HarringtonJ: R M Power

Tracked leaders, hit 13th, struggling to hold place from 15th, towards rear when hit 18th, pulled up before 4 out tchd 5/1

Outlander

1011-10

33/1

T: G ElliottJ: Jack Kennedy

Held up in mid-division, 8th 4 out, no impression after, well beaten 3 out, pulled up before last

Saphir Du Rheu

911-10

50/1

T: P F NichollsJ: Sam Twiston-Davies

In touch on outside, lost place before 6th, driven and struggling towards rear 17th, pulled up before 4 out

Total Recall

911-10

12/1

T: W P MullinsJ: D J Mullins

Held up towards rear, took keen hold, headway 18th, not fluent 4 out, soon pushed along, travelling better and 6 lengths 6th when fell 3 out op 20/1

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Non-Runners

Shantou Flyer³

Weight: 11-10| Age: 8

T: R Hobson J: James Bowen

Minella Rocco⁴⁰

Weight: 11-10| Age: 8

T: J & A O'Neill J: Mark Walsh

Double Shuffle⁸⁰

Weight: 11-10| Age: 8

T: T R George J: Adrian Heskin

Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£5.30Pl:£1.90, £2.50, £9.10EX:£22.90Trifecta:£1,519.00Tricast:£609.33SF:£23.21Swingers:£4.50, £34.90, £25.40

Forecasts

Might Bite (7/2), Native River (4/1), Our Duke (5/1), Road To Respect (8/1), Killultagh Vic (8/1), Definitly Red (10/1), Total Recall (12/1), Edwulf (14/1), Djakadam (20/1), Minella Rocco (20/1), Anibale Fly (25/1), American (25/1), Bachasson (25/1), Outlander (33/1), Double Shuffle (33/1), Tea For Two (50/1), Saphir Du Rheu (50/1), Shantou Flyer (100/1)

Might Bite returns to the scene of his famous win here and while he hasn't always looked straightforward, his issues have seemingly been ironed out of late. However, it might be worth chancing the improving DEFINITELY RED. Brian Ellison's runner has suffered his fair share of bad luck in his career, badly hampered in both the Grand National and the Charlie Hall subsequently but he was foot perfect here last time when landing a Grade 2 and we may not have seen the best of him yet. Our Duke is another with claims. His form was boosted by Presenting Percy on Wednesday and gives last year's winning trainer/jockey combination a sporting chance of landing consecutive renewals.

Definitly Red
Might Bite
Our Duke

Previous Winners

2017

Sizing John

Weight: 11-10 |Age: 7

J: R M Power | T: Mrs J Harrington

7/1

Prize Money

1st: £369,822.002nd: £138,773.003rd: £69,484.004th: £34,612.005th: £17,403.006th: £8,702.00