Cheltenham Gold Cup Preview: Pick Any One From Five for Ultimate Festival Glory

Undoubtedly the jewel in the Cheltenham Festival crown is the Gold Cup, and this contest has produced some of the most historic moments in National Hunt racing in its century-long existence. This year’s renewal is shaping up to be something quite special too, with the likes of Don Cossack, Vautour, Djakadam, Cue Card and many more all vying for honours.

The Gold Cup is one of the most gruelling races in the calendar, with a 3m 2½f stretch culminating in that most famous of uphill finishes. It has been the downfall of many a bright hope, as well as the making of such luminaries as Arkle, Desert Orchid, Best Mate and Kauto Star, who are all famous winners of this renewal.

This is a race that has the potential to shock too: Coneygree became the first novice winner in more than four decades in 2015, while the 1990 champion Norton’s Coin was a huge 100/1 with the bookies, but the quality at the head of the market in this year’s field would suggest that a more obvious candidate will come through to win.

Double Don

Two of the standout contenders for this year’s escapade are a pair of Dons: Cossack and Poli, to be precise.

It is the former, schooled by Gordon Elliott, that has assumed favouritism in the ante-post market from 4/1, and he represents Elliott’s only charge in the contest after he scratched No More Heroes and Roi Du Mee from the shortlist.

But the trainer will still be confident of glory come March 18: Don Cossack has placed in 21 of his 26 starts, with nine wins in his last eleven. He looks marginally better on good ground – as evidenced by his 20+ length hammering of another contender here, Cue Card, in a Grade 1 run-out at Aintree last year, with Elliott himself confirming that ‘he will be better on quick ground, which he is very likely to get.’

The intrigue for punters however will be the black marks against this horse’s name at Cheltenham. He finished third in the Ryanair Chase in 2015 when a handsome 5/2 favourite, and a year earlier had fallen in the RSA Chase. Add in that heavy tumble in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day when well placed, and there will be plenty willing to contest the Don’s chances.

Djak of All Trades

Willie Mullins is a wily old campaigner, and he will keep everybody guessing up until the last minute as to which of his steeds will take to the starting line. The trio of Don Poli, Vautour and Djakadam have all been mentioned in despatches, and it is the latter that is perhaps the most eye-catching.

After finishing second in last year’s renewal Mullins will be hoping his charge can go one better this time around, and after a decent year on the circuit there is no reason why the seven-year-old can’t be in the mix once again.

There is a concern about his penchant for a fall – three times in his career has defeat been snatched from the jaws of victory by a stumble or unseating his rider, but with Ruby Walsh on board Djakadam has perhaps the safest pair of hands around for the big occasion.

Two to Watch

The reason why this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup has the potential to be one of the most exhilarating in years is down to the number of possible winners that will take to the course. We can happily add both Vautour and Cue Card to that category in what is an intriguing clash of styles.

Vautour is one of the shining beacons of the Mullins yard; a relative protégé who has never finished outside the top two in any of his eleven outings. A two-time winner at Cheltenham, this is a horse that boasts all the pedigree to get the job done on the big stage.

But – and it is a big but – he has never been tested over the 3m 2f distance, and in the most gruelling assessment of his credentials in that King George VI Chase his stamina levels were found wanting, with his legs going at just the wrong time.

The winner that day? The grizzled old veteran, Cue Card.

The ten-year-old is the apple of trainer Colin Tizzard’s eye, and while he certainly isn’t the classiest operator on show in this field he does boast a huge heart and an even bigger engine; as he showed in roaring past Vautour to claim victory on December 26.

He has plenty of Grade One experience under his belt including wins in the Charlie Hall Chase and the Betfair Chase in recent times, but – and in a smooth way for us to go full circle in this piece – he has been beaten twice by Don Cossack in his career.

As you can hopefully tell then, the Cheltenham Gold Cup is definitely not one to be missed at this year’s festival.