Sky Sports activities Racing host Matt Chapman assesses the main nominees for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on the Cheltenham Pageant.
As punctuation continues to annoy, query marks are annoying. They counsel that a solution is required and it isn’t at all times straightforward to get solutions. That’s definitely the case with the 2023 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
There are questions on well-being, query marks about stamina, primary query marks, and query marks for age on all the foremost contenders.
So, fortunately I am right here to kind that out for you! Yeeehaaa with bells.
Here is a take a look at the horses that I feel will almost certainly be concerned in ending the Gold Cup.
Table of Contents
I will so long
Coach: Henry de Broomhead
Final 12 months’s Gold Cup runner-up and nobody can doubt that he’s very in line with Rachel Blackmore and Henry de Broomhead.
Since that effort final March, when he was simply behind Minella Indo, A Plus Tard at Betfair Chase in Haydock blasted off and chased Galvin’s dwelling at Savills Chase in Leopardstown.
Jack Kennedy wins the Cheltenham Gold Cup at Menila Endo
Stamina stays his downside. I am by no means satisfied that he’ll proceed his Gold Cup trek robust, and he will not need to struggle a battle up the hill. Possibly it is the race class – however will that be sufficient?
The Gold Cup is often extra about stamina than class.
Al Boum Photograph
Willie Mullins
Two-time Gold Cup champion who completed third behind Minella Endo and A Plus Tard in 2023.
He was purported to race extra in that time period however was solely seen as soon as at Tramore – his standard place to begin – in January when he scored 1/6.
Santini (close to) has simply been defeated by Photograph Album within the 2020 Gold Cup
He is clearly match for monitor and distance and on the age of 10 he is nonetheless younger sufficient to make a splash once more.
The experiences from the yard weren’t nice but when there’s anyplace close to to the fitting it is best to have claims from each route.
Galvin
Gordon Elliott
A comparatively new child within the enviornment, however the Cheltenham Pageant winner was already a 2023 Nationwide Hunt Chase champion.
That implies he’ll sooner or later be an enormous hit nationally, however he is since confirmed he is acquired loads of high quality. In reality, this comes after he did not make the primary two of his final ten begins and beat A Plus Tard at Savills.
Galvin and Davey Russell in Leopardstown on the hunt for Savills
His stamina could be a formidable weapon and he would possibly nonetheless have extra to supply.
He has loads of Cheltenham performances having finished nicely towards the Imperial Ora right here in 2020 and sixth at Ballymore the 12 months earlier than.
Minella Endo
Henry de Broomhead
Defending the champion with the Cheltenham issue.
She firmly maintained her A Plus Tard denial final 12 months after coming into the massive race in questionable model demonstrated by falling at Leopardstown and fourth on the identical monitor behind Kemboy.
Jack Kennedy wins the Cheltenham Gold Cup at Menila Endo
Nevertheless, Minella Indo has to date been a horse that has appeared within the dwelling of soar racing – second solely to RSA Champ and champion Albert Bartlett – so maybe his type is finest ignored away from Cheltenham.
He confirmed a bit extra when he completed second final time beneath Robbie Energy.
protected
Dan Skelton
I by no means would have imagined he could be a Gold Cup horse in the beginning of the season, however he turned out to be a becoming expertise.
The marketing campaign began with a superb second after midnight within the Buddy Energy Gold Cup the place a mistake within the fifth fence may need made the distinction between profitable and dropping.
Protektorat that Bridget Andrews rode received the Aintree
Then he went to Aintree and destroyed the now retired native river within the chase of many clouds.
He received 25 tall apparently exhibiting sufficient stamina nevertheless it’s laborious to inform what this mannequin actually means.
Matt Chapman Verdict
So, as I stated above, there are lots of query marks. A Plus Tard could also be too elegant, however I will take an opportunity Galvin It could actually take its form to the following stage. Al Boum Photograph Maybe it’s an all-way guess.
