Day Four Cheltenham Festival Preview 2021

The first race of the day on the final day of the meeting is the Grade One Triumph Hurdle and the value for us in the race comes form Quilixios for Henry De Bromhead.

The gelding has only been seen four times in his career, winning in March at Compiegne in France in a conditions hurdle race and from there was bought by the owners and sent over to Ireland.

He made his debut for the yard at Punchestown earlier in the month and hosed up by 13 lengths, showing signs that Elliott could have another Envoi Allen.

He then went to Down Royal two starts ago in October and was another impressive winner of a 3-Y-O Hurdle, seeing off the field by 20 lengths.

Having been given some time off and trying to find a race for him, he ended up going to the Dublin Racing festival for the Grade One Spring Juvenile Hurdle and was a very impressive winner.

The form of that raced has since been franked with Saint Sam running a cracker on Tuesday in the Boodles to finish second.

He is very close with the two market leaders and and a bigger price looks like the value.

One of the toughest race to pick a winner in every season is the Grade Three County Hurdle and with a huge field heading to post we have two each way selections.

The first is the Denise Foster trained Eclair De Beaufeu who looks to be on a seriously dangerous hurdles mark, if bouncing back to form.

The seven year old last season gave his best efforts over fences when a close second in the Grand Annual Handicap Chase.

This season he started off with two falls over both fences and hurdles and then two starts ago lacked any enthusiasm when near the back of a big fielded handicap.

However, last time out he showed a resurgence in form at the Dublin Racing Festival when sixth of 20 runners in the Ladbrokes Hurdle.

Only up 4lb for that run could leave him very well handicapped, running in this event 10lb below his mark that saw him second in the Grand Annual.

At a bigger price Captain Kangaroo for Willie Mullins is a huge price and is weighted to break his duck over hurdles, with the drying ground looking to play to his strengths.

The gelding was only seen once in bumpers and it came in the last race in Ireland before Lockdown came into fruition, and he won well at Clonmel.

The bumper looked to be a fairly strong contest with him seeing off Kilcruit who has since gone on to land a Grade Two and also finish second in the Champion Bumper.

Sent over hurdles this term, Captain Kangaroo has not quite taken to things as we expected running four times and being beaten in all of his events.

He has finished closely in behind the likes of Gabynako and Hurricane Cliff who hold very strong form lines.

Captain Kangaroo heads into his first handicap on Friday off a mark of 131 which could be laughable if he builds on his early potential.

The Albert Bartlett is always one of those tricky races for punters and with that in mind we have two horses at each way prices we like the look of.

The first is the Willie Mullins trained Stattler who is owned by the sponsor of the contest and we all know that they would love to keep their own money.

The £59,000 purchase as a three year old started his career in January 2020 and was pitched into a bumper at Fairyhouse where he got off the mark straight away.

He was seen twice again in this sphere finishing third behind the likeable Farouk D'Alene and then second at Limerick in a minor event.

Mullins this term stepped him over hurdles and he looks to be a different prospect all together, with staying trips certainly more of what he needs then two mile events.

He was sent to Naas in November on hurdles debut and finished a good third of 20 runners, but last time out he showed his best run to date when stepped up to 2m4f.

Stattler landed a Maiden Hurdle at Leopardstown over the Christmas period, seeing off the smart Glens Of Antrim who was receiving 7lb from our horse.

The second looks to be a smart type for the same yard and it makes Stattler an even better recruit winning easily giving weight away.

He then backed that up at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out when a good third behind stablemate Gaillard Du Mesnil in a Grade One over 2m6f and the extra two furlongs in this will play to his strengths.

At a bigger price the Denise Foster trained Fakiera could have a big say on the race showing clear staying ability so far this season and looking certain to race in the event.

The Tim O'Driscoll owned runner ran three times over hurdles last season, finishing second on all three occasions behind the likes of Entoucas, Politesse and Jon Snow.

This season, he has managed to get rid of his seconditis and has found his winning mojo producing two stand out performances and another nice placed run.

Having won on seasonal debut at Fairyhouse in a maiden, the second placed horses went on to frank that with an emphatic win at Naas last time out.

Fakiera then extended his winning ways in a Grade Three Novice Hurdle at Navan last time out, beating an ultra competitive field.

What was promising about that run and what makes him interesting in this race over three miles is that he did his best work in the final stages.

He backed his credentials up two starts ago when sent back to Navan again this time over 2m4f and finished a good second in his best field to date behind Ashdale Bob in a Grade Two.

Again, he ran another cracker last time out behind Stattler and Gaillard Du Mesnil at Leopardstown when staying on from the clouds to grab a narrow fourth.

The extra trip will do him wonders and he just looks like an out and out stayer.

The feature race of the entire meeting is the Grade One Gold Cup and as ever we have a win and each way selection for the great race.

A Plus Tard is one of the big challengers to Al Boum Photo for Henry De Bromhead with the yard flying this week landing numerous winners.

The seven year old has been a superb horse during his career, really bouncing onto the scene in 2019 when taking the old Novices' Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham festival.

Last season he again put up another superb performance at Leopardstown over Christmas, when becoming one of the very few horses to beat Chacun Pour Soi in a Grade One.

He went to Cheltenham off the back of that run in the Ryanair and when punted to run a big race, could only finish third behind Min.

Back for another term, he made his seasonal debut in the two mile Grade Two Fortria Chase at Navan, where he was narrowly beaten by Castlegrace Paddy.

It was obvious that two miles was not his trip and De Bromhead last time out sent him over three miles for the first time in his career and didn't half suit him.

In the Grade One Savills Chase he came from a long way back off the pace to snatch victory at Leopardstown and having not been seen since then should be fresh for this event.

Lostintranslation looks a huge price at 33/1 having been superb in the event last year and with Tizzard's horses hitting form this week, he could well be a live player.

The eight year old last season started his term off at Carlisle when landing the Intermediate Chase in fine style which set him up perfectly for a tilt at the Betfair Chase against two time winner Bristol De Mai.

Having the run under his belt made the difference as he went on to stay on better than the Nigel Twiston-Davies horse up the straight and it saw him land his first black type event out of novice company.

This season, without the run before the race and the heavy conditions it saw Bristol De Mai reverse the form and overall Tizzard's horse gave a very below par performance.

In 2019 Lostintranslation headed to Kempton on Boxing Day for the King George VI Chase and nothing went right for him throughout the race with his jumping ultimately letting him down and he was pulled up before the finish.

With all roads leading for another crack at the King George, the son of Flemensfirth started his season off in the Betfair Chase at Ascot and he was well beaten into third by Bristol De Mai and Clan Des Obeaux.

Of the back of that poor run he still went to Kempton and like 2019 was pulled up in the Boxing Day feature.

Having had a wind op he returned last time out in the Denman Chase and looked like he needed the run when only seventh of the nine.

The Tizzard's have recently hit a nice patch of form with second in the Arkle and Brown Advisory Chase and he is not out of the reckoning if back to his best.

The St James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase every year is a betting nightmare for punters, but we think we have found to smart each way punts.

The first is the Kelly Morgan trained Red Indian who is a live contender off the back of both his runs this season and his connections landed this race two years ago.

The nine year old returned in October in a point to point and won over three miles with ease and then backed that up next time out at Alnwick in another P2P.

Both his wins this season have come on soft but he should handle the drying ground and with the manner of his wins so far being huge, they put him right in the frame.

At a bigger price is the Sam Loxton trained Chameron that will be ridden by Harry Cobden and is also owned by the 11 time champion trained Paul Nicholls.

The eight year old has been foot perfect of late, landing a hat-trick of wins and heads into the festival as one of the more improving types.

In January he landed a point to point by 15 lengths on good ground and having been given some time off since then, he went on to score over the same course and distance in March.

Having almost a year off the track he made his return at Leicester in heavy ground and bought up the hat-trick with the him and the second both pulling 30 lengths clear of the third.

He is a progressive type that will handle the good ground and deserves a look in the market.

The first ever renewal of the Grade Two Mares' Chase sees some smart horses head to post and Elimay for Willie Mullins looks the stand out

The superb mare for owner JP McManus is the odds on favourite for this race off the back of what she has done in her career to date.

Having being a superb hurdler and also proving she can jump over fences, Mullins sent her over the bigger obstacles for the first time in a year two starts ago and she finished a good second behind stablemate Allaho in a Grade Two event.

Dropped into a lesser race last time out against her own sex saw her get off the mark for the season over fences in comfortable style, seeing off challenger Shattered Love by close to six lengths.

Going back up in trip and handling good ground in the past makes her very tough to beat if on song.

The final race of the Cheltenham festival is Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f and with it being the curtain raiser, it always holds a huge field giving trainers and owners their last chance to grab a winner across the week.

The first of two each way picks in the event comes from the Gavin Cromwell yard with Ganynako running in graded company all season and could have some extra class in this handicap.

The six year old was a fair bumper horse placing in most his races, but as a hurdler has stepped his game up, finishing second on debut behind the likeable Fakiera for Gordon Elliott.

He got off the mark next time out, coming on for his first run to land a 17 runner maiden at Naas over two miles with the third in that event since coming out and winning.

Like many in this race last time out the gelding was put into the Grade Two Novice Hurdle at Navan over 2m4f and finished third behind Ashdale Bob and Fakiera again.

Two starts ago he was stepped up into Grade One company for the first time and again was a good third behind Bob Olinger and Blue Lord, who both franked the form earlier in the week.

He was pitched into handicap company for the first time last time out to gain big field experience and with the mix of him needing further than two miles and hitting a hurdle early, he ran no race.

He should be much better on Friday and if running to his graded form is a big player.

The final selection of the festival and second in the Martin Pipe is Fire Attack for Joseph O'Brien and the six year old has a perfect profile for this race.

The gelding was a smart bumper horse last season, winning on debut and then finishing second on his final start behind the talented Farouk D'Alene.

He made his hurdles debut in November this season and finished a good second in the Grade Three Novice Hurdle at Navan behind Fakiera.

He was then stepped up to Grade One company at Leopardstown over Christmas and was outclassed into sixth behind Appreciate It, with two miles not looking his bag.

Next time out in the Grade Two Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle he took a fall, but bounced back last time out when second behind Thedevilscoachman in a Listed event.

Off a mark of 138 and stepping back up to 2m4f we can see him running a big race.