Cheltenham Gold

Is Bravemansgame The Favorite For The Cheltenham Gold Cup? There is nothing that comes close to the Cheltenham Festival on the horse racing calendar.

The four-day spectacle in the Cotswolds attracts millions of visitors from both sides of the Irish Sea annually, with the biggest stars looking to further their legend. However, there is no bigger race during the Festival than the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Blue Riband event on the National Hunt calendar is staged annually over three miles and two furlongs, with the contenders needing to navigate 22 fences in total.

If you indulge in online horse betting,  you should know that legendary equine stars such as Kauto Star, Best Mate, Denman, and Arkle have all landed victories in the prestigious Grade 1 throughout their careers, and this year there appears to be a thrilling renewal of the race at Cheltenham.

Chris Guy

Does Bravemansgame Boast The Best Form?

There hasn’t been a British winner of the Gold Cup since Native River in 2018, while Paul Nichols has trained the victor in the showpiece race since Kauto Star in 2009. However, he could have a very smart contender on his hands in 2023, as few could argue against the fact that Bravemansgame boasts the best form coming into the race. His run in the G1 King George on Boxing Day was exceptionally exciting, as he jumped effortlessly around at Kempton Park.

The win scored a career-high rating of 164, as he beat Royale Pagaille by 14 lengths. However, it would have been fascinating how the end could have played out if it wasn’t for L’homme Presse unseating his rider at the final fence. Bravemansgame’s price is probably right for the Gold Cup, as there are clear worries surrounding his ability around Cheltenham.

He was last at the Festival in 2021, finishing third over hurdles behind Bob Olinger, while he was pulled out late last year due to ground concerns.

Best British Chance

While the King George form is exceptionally strong, there was a clear return to his best for Ahor Senor around Cheltenham on his previous start. I would be far more interested in siding with the Lucinda Russell runner than the Nicholls purely on the basis of that previous outing.

The eight-year-old finished ahead of both Sounds Russian and Noble Yeats in the G2 Cotswold Chase, achieving an official rating of 161. He has also bettered Bravemansgame previously, coming out on top in the G1 Novices’ Chase at Aintree last year. His season has been slightly indifferent to this point, but purely on the evidence of his previous run, he could be the British contender for the Gold Cup this year.

Is Anything Stopping Galopin Des Champs?

It is an exciting week of racing for National Hunt fans, as we will get to see two of the brightest lights in the space of four days. It would be hard to argue against the fact that there are two more exciting runners at Cheltenham than Constitution Hill and Galopin Des Champs.

The Willie Mullins runner has been the long-time favourite in the betting and has bounced back to form ruthlessly since falling at the last after dominating the field in the G1 Turners last year. This season, he has won by over 20 lengths across his two starts, achieving a career-best mark of 175 when landing a first victory over fences over a three-mile distance at the Dublin Racing Festival.

That answered any doubts whether he will stay the Gold Cup trip, and if anything, he is likely to be even better over the extended distance at Cheltenham in March. Like many, we believe it’s a case of how much he wins rather than if he does get the victory.