Cheltenham Festival 2023 entries, final declarations

Friday March 17th

Boodle’s Cheltenham Gold Cup

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Ahoy Senor, A Plus Tard, Bravemansgame, Conflated, Eldorado Allen, Galopin des Champs, Hewick, Minella Indo, Noble Yeats, Protectorate, Royale Pagaille, Sounds Russian, Stattler, The Real Whacker.

Hot favorite Galopin Des Champs meets a maximum of 13 rivals in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The seven-year-old has won five of his six starts over fences to date, his only loss coming at last year’s festival when he fell on the last fence while at his mercy in the Turners Novices’ Chase.

He has impressed by winning the John Durkan at Punchestown and the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown this season and is a warm contract to give Willie Mullins a third blue ribbon win on Friday after Al Boum Photo’s back-to-back wins in the years 2019 and 2020.

Mullins has an important second leg in the form of Stattler, who is a proven stayer who won the National Hunt Chase 12 months ago and finished top of the pack behind Galopin Des Champs in last month’s Irish Gold Cup.

Henry de Bromhead has saddled doubles in the last two editions of the Gold Cup, with Minella Indo beating A Plus Tard in 2021 before the latter turned the tables with a commanding performance under Rachael Blackmore last year.

Both horses are back in the running but A Plus Tard returns to the Cotswolds and has something to prove after being pulled up in his only previous appearance this season at Haydock’s Betfair Chase.

A formidable Irish challenge is further enhanced by Grand National winner Noble Yeats, Savills Chase hero Conflated and American Grand National winner Hewick, coached by Emmet Mullins, Gordon Elliott and Shark Hanlon respectively.

The home side’s choice of form is Bravemansgame, who were brilliant in giving Paul Nicholls their 13th King George VI Chase win on Boxing Day at Kempton and are now looking to give him a fifth Gold Cup.

Ahoy Senor won the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January for Lucinda Russell and will renew the rivalry with runners-up Sounds Russian (Ruth Jefferson), third-placed Noble Yeats and fourth-placed Protectorate (Dan Skelton), who was the best of the Brits as third in the last year’s Gold Cup.

Eldorado Allen (Joe Tizzard), Royale Pagaille (Venetia Williams) and novice The Real Whacker (Patrick Neville) complete the acceptors.

JCB Triumph hurdle

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Active Duty, Almuhit, Ascending, Blood Destiny, Wind Gust, Hypotenus, Jacovec Cavern, Jipcot, Jupiter du Gite, Rightsotom, Screenwriter, Zanndabad, Cinsa, Gala Marceau, Je Garde, Lossiemouth, Zenta.

Willie Mullins appears to have a stranglehold on the JCB Triumph Hurdle, with the top three in ante-post bets among 17 confirmations for the opener of day four at the Cheltenham Festival.

Blood Destiny, who recently overtook his stablemate Lossiemouth at the top of the betting, and Gala Marceau, who beat Lossiemouth at the Dublin Racing Festival, give Mullins a very strong hand in the youthful event.

Comfort Zone, already winner of Class 2 events at Chepstow and Cheltenham for Joseph O’Brien, and Gary Moore’s Bo Zenith were among those taken out.

Jipcot, a new signing from France now with Ben Pauling, was added.

Albert Bartlett Hurdle for Novices

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Affordale Fury, American Mike, Chianti Classico, Collectible, Cool Survivor, Corbetts Cross, Dawn Rising, Embassy Gardens, Favori de Champdou, Firm Footings, Grove Road, Hiddenvalley Lake, Ho My Lord, Idalko Bihoue, Imagine, Inis Oirr, Letsbeclearaboutit, Monty’s Star, Mr Vango, Phantom Getaway, Rock My Way, Saint Palais, Sandor Clegane, Scarface, Seabank Bistro, Search For Glory, Shanbally Kid, Stay Away Fay, Storminhome, Thecompanysergeant, Thomas Mor, Three Card Brag, Well Dick, Wir were all caught.

JP McManu’s new purchase Corbetts Cross, a Grade Two winner on his debut for Emmett Mullins, is among 34 remaining in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott’s Three Card Brag, taken out of the Martin Pipe later on the card, is another leading ante-post fantasy, while stablemate Favori De Champdou and Willie Mullins’ Embassy Gardens all hold their own.

Among those taken out were Absolute Notions, Maximilian and Saint Davy.

Mrs. Paddy Power mare hunting

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Allegorie de Vassy, ​​Elimay, Impervious, Riviere d’Etel, Dolcita, Jeremy’s Flame, Magic Daze, Pink Legend, Zambella.

Only nine remain in the Mrs. Paddy Power Mares’ Chase, including leaders Allegorie de Vassy and Impervious.

McCoy Contractors County Hurdle

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Zanahiyr, Sharjah, Pied Piper, Winter Mist, Saint Sam, First Street, Fil Dor, Ballyadam, Scaramanga, Aucunrisque, Hunters Yarn, Fils d’Oudairies, Might I, Grand Roi, Prairie Dancer, Cilaos Emery, Glory And Fortune, Metier, Highway One O Two, Colonel Mustard, Anna Bunina, Milkwood, Filey Bay, Pinkerton, Path d’Oroux, Petit Tonnerre, The Very Man, Highland Charge, Tax For Max, Sa Fureur, Ganapathi, Magnor Glory, Pembroke, Playful Saint , Gin Coco, Faivoir, The Model Kingdom, Glan, Wonderwall, Impulsive One, Luttrell Lad, Iceo, Wajaaha, Teddy Blue, Nibiru, Monviel, Punctuation, Knickerbockerglory, Hey Johnny, Lebowski, Parramount, Vultan.

There are 52 left in the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle with former Champion Hurdle contenders Zanahiyr and Sharjah leading the weights.

Betfair Hurdle One-Two Aucunrisque and Filey Bay are in the mix along with Willie Mullins’ coveted pair of Hunters Yarn and Winter Fog.

St James’s Palace Festival Challenge Cup Hunters’ Chase

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Billaway, Black Op, Bob And Co, Brain Power, Cat Tiger, Chris’s Dream, Dandy Dan, Dorking Cock, Dubai Quest, Famous Clermont, Ferns Lock, From The Heart, Go Go Geronimo, IK Brunel, Its On The Line, Le Malin, Mighty Stowaway, Moratorium, Myth Buster, Not That Fuisse, Premier Magic, Rewritetherules, Rocky’s Howya, Secret Investor, Shantou Flyer, The Storyteller, Vaucelet, Winged Leader, Wotzizname, Singapore Saga.

Last year’s winner Billaway and David Christie’s pair of Vaucelet and Winged Leader go 30th in the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase while Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle 53 remain in the final round.

Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle

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Felix Desjy, Might I, Grand Roi, Vina Ardanza, Favori de Champdou, Langer Dan, Bold Endeavor, Cool Survivor, Molly Ollys Wishes, Imagine, Mark of Gold, No Ordinary Joe, Iroko, Camprond, San Salvador, Sa Fureur, An Epic Song, Spirit of Legend, Saylavee, Tax For Max, Hauturiere, Spanish Harlem, Au Fleuron, Off Your Rocco, Riaan, Pull Again Green, Irish Hill, Presentandcounting, Firm Footings, Benson, Wonderwall, Faivoir, Impulsive One, In From The Cold, Haxo, Accidental Rebel, Harbor Lake, Lunar Power, Iceo, West To The Bridge, Buddy One, Historique Reconce, Djelo, Grozni, Hollow Sound, Royaume Uni, Hey Johnny, Fifty Ball, Zoffany Bay, Innatendue, Vultan, Unanswered, Vocal Duke.

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