DAY FOUR - FRIDAY
JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)
Ruby Walsh: Willie Mullins has pretty much co-favourites in Blood Destiny and Lossiemouth and the third favourite in Gala Marceau.
Three really good horses and they will be really hard to split but I think Lossiemouth and Blood Destiny are very hard to split and I think whichever one Paul Townend rides will end up favourite and therefore make the other one a bit of value as crazy as that sounds.
Paul is riding Lossiemouth, Patrick is on Blood Destiny so Danny is on Gala Marceau.
I think the way the weather has gone, I'm going to side with Blood Destiny.
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Race (Grade 1)
Donn McClean: I think Hiddenvalley Lake has a big chance. He was beaten last time by his stable companion but he probably didn't have the run of things there. He had to make his own running, he didn't jump that well, the ground was very soft and that has been a race that has been a really good pointer to the Albert Barlett Hurdle in the past.
So I think Hiddenvalley Lake on better ground and not leading with a strong pace to aim at then I think he could come into it.
Corbetts Cross is favourite for this, he won over two miles last time. He is a worthy favourite if he does go here.
Ruby Walsh: I'm a massive fan of one horse in this race and it’s Corbetts Cross. His danger is Three Card Brag but I think he could have been off in the Martin Pipe later in the card.
I think Corbetts Card could be a future star and I’m with him for Emmett Mullins and JP McManus.
Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase (Grade 1)
Ruby Walsh: I do think it is a really good race. Rachael (Blackmore) was positive about A Plus Tard, Paul Nicholls has been very positive about Bravemansgame all week and to be fair I didn't think he was a Gold Cup horse till I watched him in the King George.
But the way he galloped down the straight in Kempton put him in my mind as a Gold Cup horse.
Paul Nicholls knows what it takes to win this race and he's shouting about Bravemansgame. But I am in the Galopin Des Champs camp. Since he fell here last year, he hasn't looked back and I think that was the lesson he needed to learn. It's improved him and he's much more measured in his jumping, much safer and not as flamboyant as he was. I would be keen on him.
I think we have a brilliant Gold Cup in store.
You have Galopin Des Champs, Bravemansgame and A Plus Tard, they’re the classy horses. You have Ahoy Senor, Noble Yeats, they’re the stayers and they’ll be coming.
You have class and stamina. It’s a great mix and match but I’m a sucker for class and I’m going to side with Galopin Des Champs to make it a good week for Willy Mullins.
Donn McClean: He's a really exciting horse, Galopin Des Champs. He seems to be setting a lot better this year than he was last season, he's got good Cheltenham Festival form as well. He's only seven. He's the right age for a Gold Cup as well and he's probably still improving. So he's a hugely exciting horse.
I think maybe that Conflated is the underrated horse in the race. He's a little bit more exposed but he won the Irish Gold Cup last season and the Savills Chase this season and I just don't think he's getting the credit he should have got after winning those two races and if there are flaws in Galopin Des Champs then maybe Conflated would be the one to exploit them.
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