Cheltenham Festival 2024: Day Four Betting Tips

Day Four Races – Gold Cup Day (Friday 17th March)

Triumph Hurdle

The Triumph Hurdle is a race for inexperienced horses who are prone to making a lot of mistakes; fantastic entertainment, giving you the perfect excuse to bet on the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.

According to the latest Triumph Hurdle betting odds, Lossiemouth is the horse to beat. Trained by Willie Mullins, the four-year-old enters the race as a strong favourite after impressive performances at Leopardstown and Fairyhouse last year. Last time out in early February at Leopardstown, Lossiemouth found herself held up in the middle of the pack before finishing strong to claim second place.

Gala Marceau is the second favourite in this year’s Triumph Hurdle. The four-year-old is also trained by Willie Mullins, and he enters the race in fine form with three wins and a second-place finish from his last four starts. Gala Marceau finished two and a half lengths clear of Lossiemouth at Leopardstown, and it will surely be another duel between the stablemates.

Comfort Zone seems the best option for those who want to bet against Willie Mullins. Trained by Joseph O’Brien, Comfort Zone beat Scriptwriter by three quarters of a length earlier this year at Cheltenham. The distance shouldn’t be an issue, but he tends to veer left and must jump better to finish ahead of Lossiemouth or Gala Marceau.

SBO Prediction: Lossiemouth to win (13/8 at bet365)

County Handicap Hurdle

The Cheltenham County Handicap Hurdle runs over a distance of 2m1f, typically at a furious pace. The latest betting odds suggest Gaelic Warrior is the horse to beat, and rightly so having won by 86 lengths on his return to Cheltenham last year. Ridden by Paul Townend and trained by Willie Mullins, the six-year-old is a superb jumper, but we think an upset could be on the cards.

Path D’oroux, a six-year-old French horse trained by Gavin Cromwell, won his maiden hurdle in good style at Galway and enters the County Handicap Hurdle on the back of a win at Navan last time out.

Another horse in the mix to win the County Handicap Hurdle is Il Etait Temps. Trained by Willie Mullins, the five-year-old showed his class to at Leopardstown in early February by winning the Novice Hurdle by 9 ½ lengths.

We should also mention Gin Coco, ridden by Jonathan Burke and trained by Harry Fry. The seven-year-old has proven himself over 2m. He has won twice and finished second four times in his last six races, so he could be worth an each way bet.

SBO Prediction: Il Etait Temps to win (12/1 at bet365)

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

A Grade 1 race, the 3m Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle is the ultimate test for long distance runners. We favour Corbetts Cross to take the win, as he has shown his class over 3m on many occasions. Also, other frontrunners in this race, such as Embassy Gardens and Three Card Brag, have never raced 3m before.

Stamina is the key in this hurdle, and Maximilian proved he has plenty in the tank last time out. In January he returned to Doncaster following a 57-day break and finished one length clear of Stay Away Fay to win the race.  

Another horse to consider is Saint Davy, ridden by Jonjo O’Neil Jr and trained by Jonjo O’Neil. A horse with an impeccable record, the six-year-old was prominent in his previous meeting at Chepstow. However, Saint Davy has only ran three races, so the Albert Bartlett Nocvices’ Hurdle may be a stretch too far.

SBO Prediction: Corbetts Cross to win (8/1 at BetUK)

Cheltenham Gold Cup

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the most prestigious race of the festival, and there are several worthy horses looking to carve their name into horse racing history.

The latest Cheltenham Gold Cup betting odds favour Galopin Des Champs. Ridden by Paul Townend and trained by Willie Mullins, the seven-year-old has won five out of his last six races. In the one race Galopin Des Champs did not win, he fell at the final fence.

As the Gold Cup is the pinnacle of jump racing, you should back a horse with excellent stamina and smooth jumping, which is why we’re backing A Plus Tard. Trained by Henry de Bromhead, the nine-year-old won came from nowhere to win the Gold Cup last year. Henry de Bromhead also tasted success in the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup with Minella Indo, so could A Plus Tard help him win three on the trot?

in the last two Cheltenham Gold Cups, Minella Indo has proven that he has the quality to go all the way. After winning in spectacular fashion in 2021 and finishing second in 2022, it’s hard to look past him, but our money is on A Plus Tard to claim consecutive wins.

SBO Prediction: A Plus Tard to win (6/1 at 888sport)

St James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase

The St James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase is a race exclusively for amateurs, and the course is exactly the same as the Gold Cup. With stamina, solid jumping, and a strong finish all required to win the steeplechase, it’s hard to look past Vaucelet in the betting market.

Trained by David Christie, eight-year-old, has been on scintillating form of late, with five wins and a second-place finish in his last six starts. If Vaucelet does not win the race, expect another Christie-trained horse to be in contention.

Christie also trained Winged Leader, a nine-year-old ridden by Brandon O’Neill. A strong finisher, he showed his class earlier this year at Thurles by beating heavy favourite Billaway to win Racecourse Hunters Chase.

However, it would be foolish to write off Billaway. Trained by Willie Mullins, the 11-year-old won the race last year, after making up more than ten lengths in a photo finish. This year, Billaway also impressed at the Hunters Chase in Naas, jumping well and winning by half a length.

SBO Prediction: Vaucelet to win (2/1 at 888sport)

Liberthine Mares’ Chase

The latest Mares’ Chase betting odds suggest this will be a two-horse race between Allegorie De Vassey and Impervious.

Impervious, ridden by Brian Hayes and trained by Colm Murph, has been in excellent form of late, winning her last three chase meetings. Last time out at Punchestown, she travelled strongly and finished well, beating Journey With Me by half a length.

The other frontrunner is Allegorie De Vassey, a six-year-old trained by Willie Mullins, who has won her last four races. At Thurrock and Limerick this year, Allegorie De Vassey showed her class by winning both races by a combined 19 lengths.

If you want to back an outsider, look no further than Zambella. The nine-year-old mare, trained by Nigel Twiston Davies, boasts two wins and two second place finishes in her last four races. If she jumps well and finishes strongly, we wouldn’t be surprised to see her cause an upset.

SBO Prediction: Allegorie De Vassey to win (13/8 at bet365)

Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle

The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle is your last chance to pick a 2023 Cheltenham Festival winner.

Langer Dan, a seven-year-old trained by Dan Skelton, is favourite to win the race. He impressed at Aintree last year when winning the Handicap Hurdle but we’re opposing him after his eighth-place finish in a nine-horse race last time out at Cheltenham.

Odds are shortening for Spanish Harlem. The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old placed in his last three races at Thurles, Fairyhouse, and Gowran Park.

A horse with an outside chance is Theatre Glory. The Nicky Henderson-trained six-year-old impressed at Warwick this year when winning the Daily Mares’ Hurdle by more than 11 lengths. The distance suits this mare, she just needs to make sure to not get caught up in the pack.

SBO Prediction: Spanish Harlem to win (9/1 at BetUK)

Day Four Betting Tips Summary

Note – all odds correct at time of publishing but are subject to change. Please join one of our recommended betting sites to view the latest Cheltenham betting odds.