--- title: "2021 Cheltenham Festival – Gold Cup Day – Day 4 Preview" canonical: "https://readhorseracing.com/2021/03/19/2021-cheltenham-festival-gold-cup-preview/" type: "post" language: "en-GB" author: "James Smith" section: "News" published: "2021-03-19T05:24:43Z" modified: "2021-03-19T05:24:44Z" --- # 2021 Cheltenham Festival – Gold Cup Day – Day 4 Preview **[Thursday gave us plenty to think about at Cheltenham](https://readhorseracing.com/2021/03/17/2021-cheltenham-festival-day-3-preview/) as we saw Rachael Blackmore take over once more with two more brilliant winners on *Allaho* and *Tellmesomethinggirl*, *Flooring Porter* took the Stayers Hurdle in fine style from the front whilst the shock of the week came in the opener.** *Envoi Allen* fell to lose his unbeaten record and *Chantry House* won the Marsh for Nico De Boinville and Nicky Henderson. We come to the final day of the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, the curtain-raiser to a fantastic week full of thrills and spills and it’s [Gold Cup](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/mar/18/cheltenham-gold-cup-blackmore-one-race-from-festival-domination) day, the highlight for so many racing fans. Alongside that, we have two other Grade 1 races in the Triumph Hurdle and Albert Bartlett, two handicaps, Hunters’ Chase and the new Mares Chase. ### JCB Triumph hurdle We start on Friday with the Triumph Hurdle and *Zanahiyr* arrives a warm favourite. He’s been impressive this season and highly fancied for the race for some months now but the emergence of British hopeful *Tritonic* for Alan King has certainly had people torn. *Zanahiyr* has speed and jumps very well but there are suggestions that the Cheltenham hill and limited hurdles in the straight could play to *Tritonic’s* strengths, who has powered home in his last two outings. It would be a surprise if the winner doesn’t come from the two, then again ‘star of the week’ Rachael Blackmore rides the unbeaten *Quilixios* and so you certainly can’t brush aside the chances of the Cheveley Park runner. ### Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle ![Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle](https://media.readhorseracing.com/readhorseracing/2021/03/Albert-Bartlett-Novices-Hurdle-904x595.jpeg) This race last year was spectacular and has thrown up some stars in *Monkfish, Thyme Hill* and *Fury Road*. Whilst this doesn’t look as strong on paper it sure looks competitive. The Mullins and Townend combo have a live chance with *Stattler*, who ran behind *Gaillard Du Mesnil* last time out and will probably want a strong pace to stay on and feature here. Denise Foster, who takes over from Gordon Elliott after his racing ban, has two good runners in *Torygraph* and *Fakiera*, the latter who ran in the same race as just mentioned when finishing fourth. Paul Nicholls also has a big say in this one with two horses unbeaten over hurdles in *Barbados Buck’s* and *Threeunderthrufive* who may well have the perfect combination of speed and stamina to prevail here. It wouldn’t surprise me if there is a bunched finish as there was twelve months and maybe a race that doesn’t look as good as last year’s will surprise us. ### Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase ![](https://media.readhorseracing.com/readhorseracing/2021/03/Cheltenhan-Festival-Horse-Racing-904x603.jpeg) If the market is anything to go by then this looks pretty straight-forward but after the Marsh result on Thursday, who knows with Cheltenham. *Elimay* has been subject to relentless support for some weeks now, so much so that she will likely go off odds-on. She was a respected second to Ryanair winner *Allaho* and then won last time out, so is expected to when this as she likes. *Colreevy* is no slouch over fences however and so should put it up to her, whilst *Shattered Love* is a festival winner and *Magic of Light* is a Grand National Runner up to *Tiger Roll* in 2019 and so must be respected, even at this lesser distance. ### Wellchild Cheltenham Gold Cup ![](https://media.readhorseracing.com/readhorseracing/2021/03/Cheltenham-Town-Gold-Cup-904x654.jpeg) The big one looks a cracker here and there is nowhere else to start but *Al Boum Photo*. The nine-year-old is going for three gold cups in a row which is an incredible feat and has had the same light preparation this time around, so will be fresh. He is dependable but this is surely a much tougher ask than the previous years. *A Plus Tard* may actually go off favourite here due to the brilliance of jockey Rachael Blackmore this week. The Henry De Bromhead horse was already well fancied but the jockey-factor is sure playing its part in the market and it may be a battle between the two until the off in terms of price. *Champ* won at the festival last year under a brilliant Barry Geraghty ride to beat co-runner in this *Minella Indo* and the re-appearance run was pleasing. The trip looks to be fine and he knows Cheltenham and so if he jumps well he can have a massive say here. 2020 runner-up *Santini* comes back for a second try and despite an uninspiring campaign, could bounce back. 2018 winner *Native River* is idolised by much of the racing world and will give it his all, likely from the front, whilst King George winner *Frodon* will probably want to do the same with Bryony Frost taking up the ride with her favourite equine star. *Black Op* and *Aso* don’t seem quite good enough with these lot on the face of it and neither does Irish Gold Cup winner *Kemboy*, who hasn’t exactly excelled at Cheltenham previously. *Lostintranslation* would need a monumental turn-around to produce anything like his third in this last year. The interesting one is 7-year-old *Royal Pagaille*. Connections decided to go for the Gold Cup ahead of the National Hunt Chase and is the unknown quantity, so we shall see what he could have to offer. ![](https://media.readhorseracing.com/readhorseracing/2021/03/Cheltenham-Day-4-904x603.jpeg) The County Hurdle at 1:55 looks wide open but mentions need to go to *Champagne Gold* for the De Bromhead and Blackmore team, *Third Time Lucki* who could go very well for the Skelton camp and *Gowel Road* for the Twiston-Davies duo. Whilst *Ganapathi* is currently favourite for Willie Mullins, keep these on your side. The remaining two races are big fields. In the Hunter’s Chase, many re-appear including three of the top four. *Billaway* and *Staker Wallace* will have chances as does *It Came To Pass* who will want to retain his crown in this. *Latenightpass* is two from two in these types of races though and with a good jockey on board in Bridget Andrews, this runner could go well at bigger odds. The final race of the festival is the Martin Pipe at 4:50 and many punters’ last chance to find a winner, but it’s a tall order. The ones that deserve the mention here go to *Fire Attack* with the exciting Jordan Gainford steering, *Langer Dan* for Dan Skelton who was impressive at Sandown just last week, *Gentleman De Mee* for Willie Mullins who is favourite currently and has shown bundles of ability and also *Galopin Des Champs,* who ran in a good race last time at Leopardstown and the form looks rather good now with *Appreciate It, Blue Lord, Hook Up* and *Ballyadam* four of the five that finished ahead of him. This could be the play. As always plenty of action in-store and the feature race looks sure to be a cracker. Can the star that is *Al Boum Photo* win a third Gold Cup, or will there be a new champion in town? Enjoy the final day.