15:30 Cheltenham

Cheltenham Gold Cup 2023 Runners

Galopin Des Champs

Galopin Des Champs is already considered to be the gem in crown of National Hunt Racing and victory in this contest would only serve to solidify his position.

Willie Mullins charge hasn’t looked back since winning the 2021 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle and he would already be dual Cheltenham Festival winner had he found the landing gear at the back of the final fence in the Turners Novices’ Chase last year.

Galopin Des Champs is 2-2 this season having landed the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown and the Irish Gold Cup last month and he has looked near unbeatable when standing up over fences.

He is very much the one to beat on all known form.

Bravemansgame

Bravemansgame demonstrated his class when running out an impressive winner of the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Paul Nicholls eight-year-old could only finish third behind Bob Olinger and Gaillard Du Mesnil in the 2021 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and he hasn’t run at Cheltenham since. Indeed, his best performances to date have been saved for flat tracks and that’s not ideal heading into a Cheltenham Gold Cup.

It should be also remembered that Bravemansgame was an 11th hour absentee from the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase last year as connections weren’t happy with soft ground. And that could prove to be an issue once again given the recent rainfall.

A Plus Tard

Defending champion A Plus Tard comes into this race under a cloud given that he hasn’t been been seen since pulling-up in the Betfair Chase at Haydock. 

Henry de Bromhead’s top-class nine-year-old put his rivals to the sword when sprinting clear up the hill 12 months ago and people were already talking about a monster clash with Galopin Des Champs this year. 

However, it’s impossible to know which A Plus Tard is going to show up at Cheltenham tomorrow and he will almost certainly face tougher opposition this year.

Stattler

Stattler landed the National Hunt Chase at this meeting last year and has progressed during his second season over fences.

Willie Mullins’ stayer chased home former Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Minella Indo in the Grade 3 Savills Chase at Tramore on New Years Day and he filled the same position whine stablemate Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup last month.

It’s hard to envisage Stattler reversing that form tomorrow. However, he is clearly up to this level and boasts solid each-way claims.

Noble Yeats

Aintree Grand National hero Noble Yeats has already recorded victories at Wexford and Aintree this season and he was far from disgraced when placing third in the Cotswolds Chase in January.

Noble Yeats was only beaten a total of two-and-a-half-lengths by Ahor Senor and it gave him valuable match practice around Cheltenham.

It’s hard to envisage Emmet Mullins’ charge having the gears to trouble the likes of Galopin Des Champs, Bravemansgame and A Plus Tard in this contest. However, he could easily sneak into a place if ridden to pick up the pieces.

Conflated

Conflated was clearly in need of the run when placing third in Ladbrokes Champion Chase at a Down Royal in October and he demonstrated his true ability when landing the Grade 1 Savills Chase at Leopardstown in December.

The Gigginstown House Stud owned nine-year-old landed the Irish Gold Cup over the same course and distance last year and it does pose the question of whether he can replicate that high level of form elsewhere.

A faller in the Ryanair Chase last year, Gordon Elliott has long wished to run his multiple Grade 1 winner in Cheltenham’s blue riband contest and he will have that wish granted tomorrow.

Ahoy Senor

Ahoy Senor slammed the aforementioned Bravemansgame at Aintree last spring and again demonstrated his class when landing the Grade 2 Cotswolds Chase at Prestbury Park in January.

Lucinda Russell’s stable star is a fascinating contender whom arguably has more ability than most in this race. However, he is still relatively raw in spite of his age and it’s a question of whether he can put it all together on the day.

This track and trip should suit Ahoy Senor perfectly and the recent rainfall is certainly in his favour.

He could easily outperform market expectations if getting into a good rhythm from flag-fall.

Protektorat

Protektorat will look to improve upon his third placed effort last year when only finding the Henry de Bromhead trained pair of A Plus Tard and Minella Indo too good.

Dan Skelton’s charge kick-started his campaign with an impressive 11 lengths success in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, which earned the Saints Des Saints gelding a mark of 170.

However, he fluffed his lines when only placing fourth behind Ahoy Senor in the Cotswolds Chase in January and it’s hard to envisage him landing major honours next week.

Minella Indo

Minella Indo secured his first victory since the 2021 Gold Cup when defeating Stattler at Tramore in January, and connections will be hopeful that he can use that race as springboard back to the big time.

Henry de Bromhead’s stout stayer placed second in both the Irish Gold Cup and Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2022 and it’s interesting that connections elected to sidestep the former this year.

That means that Minella Indo will line-up in this race with both fitness and freshness on his side. And the former champion could easily run well once again.

Sounds Russian

Sounds Russian has taken his form to a whole new level this year and he got within a length-a-half of landing the Grade 2 Cotswolds Chase at Cheltenham in January.

Ruth Jefferson’s progressive stayer defied a mark of 150 on his seasonal reappearance and he was only beaten a half-a-length in the Grade 3 Rowland Meyrick Chase at Christmas, when attempting to concede 15lbs to a similarly progressive rival. 

This is clearly another step up the ladder and he will need to improve another 10lbs in order to be competitive. However, he’s another contender who could sneak into a place if ridden accordingly.

Hewick

Hewick has been a real revelation for Shark Hanlon and it wouldn’t be a shock if he were to defy the laws of logic once again.

The progressive eight-year-old has landed the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, The Galway Plate and the American Grand National Hurdle in the last 12 months, and he probably would have defied top weight in the Kerry National too had he not unseated his rider at the final fence.

His ability and versatility is certainly to be admired and who knows what else he is capable of. This will undoubtedly be his biggest assignment to date and he could easily outperform market expectations.

Cheltenham Gold Cup 2023 Tips & Prediction

It’s hard to have faith in defending champion A Plus Tard as he hasn’t been seen since pulling-up in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and it’s impossible to predict how he will fare.

Bravemansgame has proven himself to be a star over three miles on a flat track. However, three-miles-and-two-furlongs on an undulating track remains a complete unknown and connections would probably prefer better ground.

Cotswolds Chase hero Ahoy Senor could easily run a huge race if putting everything together and he may be the biggest threat to GALOPIN DES CHAMPS in terms of talent. However, Willie Mullins’ exciting seven-year-old is definitely the one to beat. 

Galopin Des Champs is 2-2 this season and he confirmed his stamina when landing the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown last month.

He has always displayed the ability to jump well at speed and he has seemingly settled much better this year, which allows him to save fuel for the business end of his races.

He displayed that when scoring at the Dublin Racing Festival last month and he can do so again tomorrow.