Throwback Thursday Race Of The Day - 28/10/21

Today we are looking back at last season's Gold Cup at the Cheltenham festival with the winner Minella Indo set to return to the track on Saturday at Down Royal.

The eight year old has raced 14 times during his career and has only finished outside the top three in his on two occasions.

Three seasons ago on his final two starts over hurdles he really came to life landing the Grade One Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham festival at a huge price of 50/1 and then backed that up at the Punchestown festival when landing another classy Grade One.

He went novice chasing and after running well on debut behind star mare Laurina, he landed a Beginners Chase at Navan before narrowly being beaten in the RSA Novices' Chase at the festival, With Champ pipping him on the line.

Coming out of novice company last term he started his season off at Wexford at the back end of October in the Grade Three Memorial Chase where he jumped the field into submission, going on to win the event by 25 lengths.

Having again put up another superb performance at Navan when beating Brahma Bull by close to eight lengths, his handler sent him to Leopardstown at Christmas in the Grade One Savills Chase.

Going off as favourite, many were looking for the gelding to put up a big run, but were left wanting more after falling for the first time in his career with a circuit to go.

He was then seen returning to some sort of form by finishing his race, but overall he was outclassed in the Irish Gold Cup behind Kemboy finishing a well beaten fourth.

This saw his price drift for the Cheltenham Gold Cup but under a masterful ride by Jack Kennedy he bounced back to form in a big way to land the Grade One feature.

He saw off challenges from dual winner Al Boum Photo and stablemate A Plus Tard to land the biggest race of his career and he will hope to do so again this term.