Cheltenham Festival Day 4: Gold Cup makes it a grand finale

The Cheltenham Festival rounds off with the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) of British and Irish jumps racing is run at set weights, and usually decides who the best staying steeplechaser is in Britain and Ireland. The best horse usually wins it, but on occasions it can be tricky as the extra 2 1/2 furlongs up the Cheltenham finishing hill can find out horses that have excelled around three miles.

The day also includes two interesting Grade One events for novices, and the eventful fences of the Cross-Country Chase. Here are some betting thoughts for the day.

Race 1, 9:20 a.m. ET: Triumph Hurdle (G1), 2 1/8 miles, 4-year-old hurdlers, $201,000

• $10 win/$20 show: #17 Highland Crystal ($30)
• $1 trifecta: 15, 17 with 11, 15, 17 with 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 17 ($20)

Trying to measure up the form around a group of four-year-olds who have barely started over hurdles isn’t easy. Do you prefer a horse like #15 Proactif, whose first start for Willie Mullins was successful but not outstanding on ratings? #19 Selma De Vary, who pushed the well-regarded but now injured Narciso Has at Leopardstown? #17 Highland Crystal or #11 Minella Study, who at their last starts toppled Saratoga and Winston Junior respectively, who finished 1-2 in Tuesday’s Fred Winter Hurdle here?

That doesn’t begin to look like horses such as #8 Macho Man, #10 Minella Academy, or #12 Mon Creuset – three more in-form Mullins horses, or the unbeaten English runner #9 Maestro Conti.

In a very tough field, I’m going for the filly Highland Crystal, based on her improving performances and the win over Saratoga. Nearly anything could happen, but if Highland Crystal does get up, a good payday could be in the offing.

Race 2, 10:00 a.m. ET: County Handicap Hurdle, 2 1/8 miles, open hurdlers, $147,000

• $10 win/$20 show: #22 Sinnatra ($30)
• $1 trifecta: 4, 22 with 4, 8, 22 with 2, 4, 5, 8, 11, 21, 22 ($20)

Another of the famed Cheltenham handicaps, and as usual, with 24 runners declared, it’s not easy to pick. Mullins again holds a strong hand, with #4 Karbau and #8 Murcia the two morning line favorites, and #2 Absurde – the 2024 winner, whose last race was the Melbourne Cup – also in the mix. His record tends to be stronger in set-weight graded races, barring this one, which he’s won eight times.

Dan Skelton, who Mullins narrowly beat for the British champion trainer last season, has two strong chances of his own, both down in the weights: #21 Tellherthename, having his first run since October, and #22 Sinnatra, who ran third to leading novice hurdler Act Of Innocence two starts back prior to an easy win at Warwick. Gavin Cromwell is also two-hanced, with #5 Hello Neighbour and #11 Sixandahalf both well in the market.

It’s not easy to tip against Mullins given his record in this race, but Skelton won this three years ago, and with 145 pounds to carry while Absurde, Karbau, and Murcia have 167, 162, and 154 pounds respectively, I’m going with Sinnatra.

Race 3, 10:40 a.m. ET: Mares’ Chase (G2), 2 9/16 miles, female steeplechasers, $174,000

• $20 win: #2 Dinoblue ($20)
• $2 trifecta: 2 with 1, 4, 6, 7 with 1, 4, 6, 7 ($24)

#2 Dinoblue was an easy winner of this last year, and if anything she’s enhanced her reputation, winning three of her four since. Her only defeat was over two miles, maybe short of her best, against males. Amazingly, she isn’t carrying topweight – she has two pounds less than #1 Spindleberry, due to the latter having won a Grade 1 at Fairyhouse last April.

Spindleberry is clearly one of the bigger dangers to Dinoblue. Others include #4 Only By Night, #6 Diva Luna, and the much-improved #7 Panic Attack. But the best option may be to anchor Dinoblue.

Race 4, 11:20 a.m. ET: Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle (G1), 3 miles, novice hurdlers, $207,000

• $20 win: #2 Doctor Steinberg ($20)
• $2 trifecta: 2 with 15, 18 with 3, 6, 8, 15, 18, 19 ($20)

Mullins has been winning most of the novice Grade 1 races this festival, and he has one of the best prospects in this race in #2 Doctor Steinberg. He’s unbeaten in three hurdle runs and stepped up well to 2 3/4 miles at Leopardstown to win by eight lengths. 

Are there any prospects to beat him? The only other runner close to him on the morning line is #18 Thedeviluno; he was beaten nearly five lengths by Doctor Steinberg two starts back before improving to win a three-mile Grade 2 hurdle decisively at Doncaster Jan. 24. The longer distances may suit him, but does he have enough speed to topple the favorite?

Other good chances to get some of the money in a race dominated by the Irish are #3 Espresso Milan, #6 Jalon D’oudairies, #8 Kazansky, #15 Spinningayarn, and #19 The Passing Wife.

Race 5, 12:00 p.m. ET: Cheltenham Gold Cup (G1), 2 5/16 miles, open steeplechasers, $836,000

• $10 win/$30 show: #6 Haiti Couleurs ($40)
• $1 trifecta: 6, 11 with 3, 6, 11 with 3, 6, 7, 8, 11 ($12)

The Gold Cup has a very open feel about it this year. Last year’s winner, #7 Inothewayurthinkin, has been out of form this term, though his trainer reports he’s started to show his old spark in training. 2025 runner-up Galopin Des Champs, the winner of the previous two years, is out due to injury, and Irish Gold Cup winner Fact To File was redirected to the Ryanair on Thursday.

However, three of the four horses that were in a very close finish to the King George VI Chase Dec. 26 are back: #3 Gaelic Warrior, #8 Jango Baie, and #11 The Jukebox Man. All three have claims; Gaelic Warrior could start as the favorite, but I’m just as taken with The Jukebox Man, who will probably appreciate the Cheltenham hill.

The horse I’m going to plump for, however, is #6 Haiti Couleurs. This term, he’s won the Welsh Grand National (G3) with a high weight and the Denman Chase (G2) Feb. 7; he looks to be on the improve, and the distance won’t be a problem. He fits the profile of up-and-comers with stamina and a touch of class to go with it, and I’m focusing on him.