Cheltenham Festival Tips: Sporting Ferret’s Best Bets for Day Four of the Festival

Cheltenham Festival 2021: Day Four Tips

We’ve reached the final day of this years Cheltenham Festival and what a week it’s been! But the action doesn’t stop here… Because it’s Gold Cup day! Today we’ll find out if the reigning champion Al Boum Photo can achieve his third consecutive Gold Cup victory or will another horse come and land the spoils.

Here is our race by race guide for the fourth and final day of the Festival.

1.20 pm: Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)

Tip – Quilixios to win the Triumph Hurdle (4/1) 

The Triumph is the opener on the fourth and final day of the Cheltenham Festival and it looks like a thriller. We like the look of Quilixios for Rachael Blackmore and Henry De Bromhead.

Unbeaten from four starts, this talented four-year-old hurdler has done nothing but improve this season. He won the Grade 1 Ireland Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on his last start, beating Saint Sam by five-lengths who we saw yesterday as the runner up in the Boodles Juvenile Hurdle. That form has worked out well but he faces much tougher opposition today. However, he is open to further improvement and I have no doubt he can give the market leaders a run for their money.

Another two to mention currently sit at the front of the market, Tritonic and Zanahiyr. The latter is an unbeaten 3 from 3 over obstacles and looks the one to beat if open to more improvement.  Tritonic is also unbeaten over obstacles and was an impressive 10 length winner of the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton in February, and looks to be the ideal type for this race.

This race looks like a battle of the three market leaders with all of them putting their unbeaten record over obstacles on the line. A real thriller.

Key Stats

• 3 out of the last 12 winners were favourites
• 8 out of the last 12 winners won on their last run before the Triumph Hurdle
• 6 out of the last 12 winners had at least 1 win in a grade 1-3 race

1.55 pm: County Hurdle (Grade 3)

Tip – Third Time Lucki to win the County Hurdle (7/1)

The County Hurdle has been won twice in the last three years by trainer Dan Skelton and we believe he has another great chance here with Third Time Lucki. He finished a brilliant fourth in last years Champion Bumper behind the likes of Ferny Hollow and Appreciate It, who we saw bolt up in the Supreme on Tuesday. Since then, he was second in the Grade 2 Supreme Trial at Cheltenham and looks as if he could be the Graded horse running in a handicap.

One to note at a price would be the Alan King trained Edwardstone. The seven-year-old finished 4 1/2 lengths behind Soaring Glory in the Grade 3 Betfair Hurdle last time out and has been laid out for this race ever since.

Key Stats

• 9 out of the last 12 winners were aged 5-6
• 1 out of the last 12 winners were favourites
• 9 out of the last 12 winners weighed 11st 1lb or less

✅£12,000 purchase
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✅A treble for @DSkeltonRacing & @harryskelton89

Third Time Lucki romps to victory @Huntingdon_Race in the finale, defying a penalty in stylish fashion

Results ➡ https://t.co/glajGV55GR pic.twitter.com/dXus3Rrndj

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 24, 2020

2.30 pm: Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle (Grade 1)

Tip – Stattler to win the Albert Bartlett (5/1)

Last years Albert Bartlett was won by the talented Monkfish who we saw on Wednesday win the Brown Advisory Plate. This year looks like the Irish show, and we like the look of the Willie Mullins trained Stattler. The six-year-old’s best form was last time out in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Grade 1 at Leopardstown. He finished a promising 5 lengths behind stablemate Gaillard Du Mesnil who finished second in this year’s Supreme Novices Hurdle on Tuesday. That run was over 2 mile 6 so he is stepping up to 3 miles for the first time but that should show the best of him yet and looks the one to beat.

One to note at a price would be The Cob for trainer Ben Pauling. The seven-year-old has been nothing but consistent this season and was an impressive wide margin winner in the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett River Don at Doncaster in January and looks as if he will stay the 3 miles well. He would perhaps need the ground softer to show full effect.

Key Stats

• 10 out of the last 12 winners were aged 6-7
• 2 out of the last 12 winners were favourites
• 5 out of the last 12 winners won on their previous run before the Albert Bartlett

3.05 pm: Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1)

Tip – Al Boum Photo to win the Gold Cup (3/1)

Now it’s the big one, the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Won for the last two years by Al Boum Photo and we believe he has what it takes to make it three in a row. This classy nine-year-old has been campaigned for this race the last two years and hasn’t been beaten yet. Just like last year, he has had just the one run this season which was in the Savills Chase at Tramore where he won in a canter. This years field looks to be more competitive than last years but he has done nothing wrong and merits great consideration.

One to note at a price would be Native River for Collin Tizzard. This eleven-year-old has danced every dance and has built up a fantastic CV over the years. He still showed he had it in him last time out dominating the field in the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase at Sandown last month. He’d need the ground to be softer to run to his full potential but would have a chance at a price.

Key Stats

• 11 out of the last 12 winners were aged 7-9
• 5 out of the last 12 winners were favourites
• 9 out of the last 12 winners had won at least one Grade 2,3 race

3.40 pm: Foxhunters Chase

Tip – Mr Mantilla to win the Foxhunters (25/1)

The Foxhunters has been won by some big priced winners in the past and we believe Mr Mantilla can continue that trend for David Jeffreys and Kielan Woods. He has yet to run under rules but is a fantastic 5/6 in Bumpers. He was a comfortable victor of a point-to-point at Stradbally last out in December beating the Willie Mullins trained Bellow Mome. Although he is a bit of an unknown, at a big price he could give you a run for your money.

The current market leader is Billaway for Willie Mullins. He was a 10 length second in this race last year beaten by It Came To Pass who was a massive 66/1. He has been in great form this season and comes here looking for vengeance after last years defeat.

Key Stats

• 10 out of the last 12 winners were aged 8 or older
• 4 out of the last 12 winners were favourites
• 9 out of the last 12 winners were rated 134 or higher

4.15 pm: Mares Chase (Grade 2)

Tip – Elimay to win the Mares Chase (11/8)

Now we have reached the penultimate race of the festival the Mares Chase. We like the look of the market leader Elimay for Patrick and Willie Mullins. The seven-year-old was an impressive winner of a Listed race at Naas last month beating Shattered Love by 5 1/2 lengths. However, his most impressive piece of form was on his seasonal reappearance when he was second beaten 3 1/2 lengths behind Allaho who we saw win Thursday’s Ryanair in dominant fashion. Elimay’s competition is significantly weaker today so if he’s able to run to form, he would be very hard to beat.

4.50 pm: Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle

Tip – Gentleman De Mee to win the Martin Pipe (9/2)

The final race of the Festival is the Martin Pipe, where we like the look of Gentleman De Mee who was really impressive on his sole run in Ireland since leaving Guillaume Macaire in France. The five-year-old is massively unexposed having just the three starts and looks open to further improvement in handicap company. He’s another for the Mullins team that we don’t know a lot about but the market suggests he is one to keep an eye on and will run a big race for connections. He’s stepping up in trip for the first time and looks to be the graded horse in a handicap.

Another to note would be Langer Dan for the Skelton’s. The progressive five-year-old won the Imperial Cup at Sandown just last week and was subsequently entered for this race. He was impressive that day beating a smart crop of horses. He’d need to step up from that run but he’s lightly raced and open to further improvement.

Key Stats

• 10 out of the last 12 winners were aged 5-6
• 1 out of the last 12 winners were favourites
• 6 out of the last 12 winners won on their last run before the Martin Pipe

How things stand in the @PertempsJobs Prestbury Cup, @RacehorseOwners Leading Owner, Leading Trainer and Leading Jockey tables – heading into the fourth and final day! #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/mjBsLiWTm9

— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 18, 2021

We hope you enjoyed the article ‘Cheltenham Festival 2021 Day Four Tips.’ Who is your nap of the day for the final day of the festival? Do you agree with our predictions? Let us know!

Read more on horse racing here:

• Cheltenham Festival 2021: Champion Hurdle Preview
• Photo Finish Set to Spark Mullins Festivities 
• Cheltenham Festival 2020: Al Boum Photo Wins the Gold Cup