'Glory is his for the taking' - Ireland’s best chances on Day Four of the Cheltenham Festival

We’ve had three compelling days of top-class racing action at the Cheltenham Festival but there’s more to come on Friday.

It’s Cheltenham Gold Cup day and the Irish usually land plenty of winners. Here we take a look at some of Ireland’s best chances across the card and they include Willie Mullins’ sole representative in the Gold Cup.

Proactif - Triumph Hurdle

Willie Mullins is borderline untouchable in this race and after Poniros’ shock victory last year, it’s dangerous to rule out any of his runners. He has won five of the last six renewals of this race and that includes victory in each of the last four.

Mullins has nine representatives this time around and that’s without the long-time ante-post favourite Narciso Has, who is missing after a setback. Proactif is the most interesting of the nine and he’s unbeaten in two starts over hurdles thus far, with the first success coming in France.

The son of Masked Marvel got the better of stablemate Macho Man on his first start in Ireland and he was strong at the finish that day. He’s entitled to improve plenty for that and Mark Walsh takes the ride.

Dinoblue - Mares’ Chase

This race has only existed since 2021 and Willie Mullins has already won it three times. The prize is likely to head back to Closutton once again, as he trains the very smart mare Dinoblue and Grade 1-winning chaser Spindleberry.

Dinoblue has been there and done it before, so she gets the nod over her stablemate.

Winning this race with plenty in hand last year, the level of competition might be a little higher this time around but she’s still fancied to come out on top.

Doctor Steinberg - Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

Willie Mullins has thrown plenty of darts at this race but Doctor Steinberg is his best chance of a winner, according to the market. King Rasko Grey won the Turners for the yard on Wednesday and this horse looks well set to come out on top too.

Unbeaten in three starts over hurdles, he started off in a maiden hurdle over an extended 2m5f at Galway in October and the runner-up has boosted that form by winning since. He then beat Thedeviluno, who won the Grade 2 River Don Novices’ Hurdle last time.

Doctor Steinberg saw the 2m6f trip out best of all to win a Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out and three miles on quicker ground is unlikely to be an issue on that evidence.

Gaelic Warrior - Cheltenham Gold Cup

No one has managed to establish themselves as the clear candidate for the Gold Cup this season and plenty of horses will arrive with chances. Gaelic Warrior deserves to win a big prize and the stars have aligned, and Gold Cup glory is his for the taking.

Starting the season with victory in the John Durkan, he battled on well to get the better of Fact To File after his stablemate appeared set to overhaul the tearaway leader.

The race wasn’t run to suit in the King George but he wasn’t beaten far in third and ran well under the circumstances. He meets winner The Jukebox Man and fourth Jango Baie again now.

Paul Townend will be on board and this sort of test should suit him nicely. He’ll be patiently ridden in the early stages but will be delivering a challenge at the last fence.