The Times - UK (2022-03-18)

CHELTENHAM

2022

3

Gavin Cromwell, Lucinda Russell,

Harry Fry, Alan King, Hughie

Morrison, Ben Pauling, Padraig

Roche, Evan Williams .........................1

6 Willie Mullins is a red-hot 1-10

favourite with Coral to be the

week’s leading trainer, with

Gordon Elliott, at 5-1, his only

realistic threat.

Willie Mullins .......................5 winners

Gordon Elliott ....................................... 2

Nicky Henderson ............................... 2

Venetia Williams ..................................2

Henry de Bromhead ..........................2

DAY THREE AT A GLANCE

YESTERDAY’S

WINNERS

TOP TRAINERS

Paul Townend ................... 3 winners

Nico de Boinville ................................. 2

Patrick Mullins ......................................2

Rachael Blackmore ............................2

Mark Walsh, Adam Wedge,

Charlie Deutsch, Jack Kennedy,

Tom O’Brien, Derek Fox, Danny

Mullins, Johnny Burke, Tom

Cannon, Shane Fitzgerald, Kielan

Woods and Lucy Turner ................. 1

6 Paul Townend remains a red-

hot 1-5 favourite with Coral to be

the week’s leading rider, ahead of

Rachael Blackmore and Patrick

Mullins, who are both 8-1.

TOP JOCKEYS

10 11

GREAT BRITAIN

V IRELAND

ROB WRIGHT

RACING EDITOR

company at Leopardstown. Both of those

runs make him look well treated here.

Elliott could be on the mark again

with Ginto, who looks a worthy favourite

for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

(2.50). He was an 11-length winner of a

grade two race at Navan in December

and is likely to improve for this step up

to three miles. He looks sure to go well.

Billaway was beaten by a short head in

the St James’s Place Festival Hunters’

Chase (4.10) last year and can go one

better for top amateur Patrick Mullins,

while Elimay can also make amends for

a close defeat 12 months ago in the Mrs

Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (4.50).

Elliott has good chances in the Martin

Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap

Hurdle (5.30), with Chemical Energy

looking the pick of his six runners, but

they could all struggle to beat the Ian

Williams-trained Party Business.

The latter was an easy winner at Ascot

in December and was running a cracker

in the grade one Challow Hurdle at

Newbury before falling two out. He was

struck into by another horse when fifth

at Warwick last time but has been given

two months off to recover and his earlier

form gives him every chance. He looks

overpriced at the 33-1 generally on offer.

Galvin can cap his rise with

victory in blue-riband race

G

ordon Elliott, who missed the

Festival in disgrace last year

after being banned for six

months, can complete his

return to the top table by

saddling Galvin to win the Boodles

Cheltenham Gold Cup (3.30) today.

The Irish trainer has served his time

after being pictured sitting on a dead

horse and in September regained his

licence. He has already had two winners

this week and Galvin can ensure he ends

the meeting in style.

Galvin has made remarkable progress

since finishing second in a handicap at

this meeting in 2020. He has won seven

of his eight starts since then, including

the National Hunt Chase here 12 months

ago when he was trained — for one race

only — by Ian Ferguson in Elliott’s

absence.

His only defeat came in grade one

company at Down Royal in October,

when he was just unable to get past

Frodon, who had been allowed to set his

own tempo from the outset.

Galvin continued his rise when

claiming a first top-flight success in the

Savills Chase at Leopardstown in

December, wearing down last year’s

Gold Cup second A Plus Tard in the

dying strides. This longer trip is much in

Galvin’s favour — his only previous

venture beyond three miles was the

National Hunt Chase — and, with the

brilliant Davy Russell on board, he looks

the one to beat.

Minella Indo lifted this prize last year,

beating stablemate A Plus Tard in a

driving finish, and can again prove the

main threat. His Festival record is

outstanding, winning the 2019 Albert

Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and finishing

second in the RSA Novices’ Chase in

2020 before last year’s win in the blue

riband.

Minella Indo was beaten on all three

starts since his Gold Cup win but shaped

as though returning to form when

second to Conflated in the Irish Gold

Cup at Leopardstown last month. He

seems to save his best for this track and

is much respected.

Rachael Blackmore chose to ride A

Plus Tard in preference to Minella Indo

last year and she is again on board last

year’s runner-up. He looked outstanding

when winning the Betfair Chase by 22

lengths on his return to action at

Haydock in November but then found

Galvin just too strong over three miles at

Leopardstown.

A Plus Tard’s trainer, Henry de

Bromhead, was out of form at the time,

which offers some excuse but this longer

trip will perhaps suit Galvin more and he

may struggle to turn the tables.

Al Boum Photo won this race in 2019

and 2020 before finishing third last year.

He has been slightly overlooked in the

run-up this year but is still only a ten-

year-old and comes here after a

confidence-boosting win at Tramore. He

is fitted with cheekpieces for the first

time, which could sharpen him up, and

he cannot be discounted.

Protektorat showed his liking for this

track when second in the Paddy Power

Gold Cup in November and coped with a

step up to three miles when winning at

Aintree last time. He is improving but

whether he wants this even stiffer test of

stamina is open to doubt.

Similar comments apply to the Nicky

Henderson-trained Chantry House, who

looked tired at the finish when beating

Santini over a furlong shorter at this

track in January.

Elliott can start the day with a winner

through Pied Piper in the JCB Triumph

Hurdle (1.30). Formerly owned by the

Queen when racing on the Flat for

trainer John Gosden, he has looked a

natural over hurdles, beating Vauban on

his debut at Punchestown and then

cruising to victory in the trial for this

race at Cheltenham in January.

Vauban subsequently showed

improved form when beating Fil Dor at

Leopardstown and is a big threat, but

Pied Piper should have the better turn of

foot of the pair and can prevail again.

Colonel Mustard has classy form and

looks to have been let in lightly in the

McCoy Contractors County Handicap

Hurdle (2.10). He chased home Jonbon

at Ascot in December and then finished

a good third to Sir Gerhard in grade one

ROB WRIGHT’S RACE OF THE DAY

GOLD CUP 3.30PM, ITV THE RUNNERS ANALYSED

PAC E

STAT OF THE DAY

ROB’S FINAL WORD

There is little in the way of regular front-

runners in this race and there must be a

chance that it will turn into a tactical

affair. Rank outsider Santini might try to

lead early on, with Al Boum Photo and

Minella Indo most likely to track him.

Given that so many of the chases this

week have been won by horses that race

prominently it will be interesting to see if

any other rider has a change of tactics

Minella Indo

Santini

Al Boum Photo

Course form is always important at this

meeting, particularly in the big chases.

There are seven previous Cheltenham

winners running in the Gold Cup,

including reigning champion Minella

Indo and the 2019 and 2020 scorer

Al Boum Photo

Champion trainer Paul

Nicholls has yet to

saddle a winner this

week but he is the

most successful

active trainer in

the Cheltenham

Gold Cup, with

four winners on

the board. He

relies on

Protektorat, who

earned his place with

a win at Aintree in

December

CLASSHighest class each horse has won at

Al Boum

Photo

A Plus Tard

Asterion

Forlonge

Chantry

House

Galvin

Minella Indo

Protektorat

Santini

Tornado

Flyer

GRADE 1 GRADE 2/3

Aye Right

Royale

Pagaille

NO WINS

AT 1/2/3

The ground is officially soft but this track

drains well and the times of the later

races yesterday suggested that, despite

21mm of rain on Wednesday, it could be

good to soft by the time racing starts

GOING soft

This race is usually

won by a horse

running in it for the

first time and

Galvin can come

out on top. He has a

good record at

Cheltenham and his

stamina can gain

the day. Last year’s

winner, Minella

Indo, reserves his

best for this track

and cannot be

discounted

WORDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

the doubt

TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER MARC ASPLAND

1.30 Turners Novices’ Chase

Bob Olinger (6-5)

2.10 Pertemps Network Final

Third Wind (25-1)

2.50 Ryanair Chase

Allaho (4-7 fav)

3.30 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle

Flooring Porter (4-1)

4.10 Craft Irish Whiskey Co Plate

Coole Cody (22-1)

4.50 Ryanair Mares’

Novices’ Hurdle

Love Envoi (15-2)

5.30 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir

Handicap Chase

Chambard (40-1)

4

Start

TRACK