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Cheltenham Gold Cup Preview

Might Bite.Might Bite.
© Photo Healy Racing

As the Cheltenham Festival grows brighter on the horse racing horizon, one race will be at the forefront of most fans' thoughts — the Gold Cup. The Gold Cup is the most prestigious race in the jumps racing calendar and has been won by many of the greats of the game, both human and equine. Each year, the race provides intrigue, drama and excellence matched by no other contest and the 2018 renewal of the Cheltenham Gold Cup promises to be no different.

Might Bite is considered by many to be the favourite for this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup race, having beaten several decent rivals with a commanding performance in the King George VI Chase at Kempton after Christmas.

Nicky Henderson’s charge was powering to an impressive victory in the RSA Novices’ Chase at last year’s Festival, before a plot twist of cinematic proportions had the crowds at Cheltenham standing aghast.

Upon jumping the final fence, Might Bite veered violently to the right as if heading for the sanctuary of the stables. Whisper was perfectly placed to capitalise and looked to have scored a surprise victory, until jockey Nico De Boinville managed to get Might Bite back on an even keel and the pair got back up on the line to pip Whisper by a nose.

Henderson will be hoping those quirks are well and truly behind this likeable, enigmatic gelding, as he looks to bring the Gold Cup back to Seven Barrows for the first time since Bobs Worth scored in 2013. While the challenge laid in front of Might Bite looks achievable, it will be far from easy and leading the fight against the favourite is last year’s Cheltenham hero, Sizing John.

After spending the best part of two years following Douvan home over two miles, jockey Robbie Power advised Jessica Harrington to step her chaser up in trip. What followed wouldn’t have looked out of place in a fairytale, as Sizing John claimed three successive Gold Cups, including that tremendous triumph at Cheltenham. He may have fallen to a surprise defeat at Leopardstown after Christmas, but Harrington will give Sizing John a nice rest before returning to Prestbury Park where he will be a leading player once again.

Native River carried victories in the Ladbrokes Trophy and the Welsh Grand National into last year’s Gold Cup, but faded to finish third in the closing stage. Colin Tizzard has decided to give his charge a much lighter workload this term, targeting just one pre-run in the Denman Chase before having another crack at the Gold Cup.

Willie Mullins would have been fantasising about lifting the Gold Cup for the very first time, as two-time runner-up Djakadam loomed menacingly onto the leaders’ shoulders approaching the second last in 2017. A poor landing scuppered all of Ruby Walsh’s mounts momentum and the trainer's wait for a Gold Cup win was extended.

Djakadam is likely to contest his fourth Gold Cup in March but a more interesting contender from the Closutton stable may be Killultagh Vic. This nine-year-old was a high class hurdler and had won both novice chase starts before injury left him on the sidelines. Killultagh Vic made a recent winning comeback over hurdles and could yet emerge from the shadows as a live hope.

The Eddie Harty trained Coney Island is another lightly raced Irish contender to consider. A Grade 1 winning novice he spent almost a year on the sidelines before returning to action with an impressive performance in the Graduation Chase at Ascot just before Christmas.

Local trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies was amazed as anyone to see Bristol De Mai romp to a staggering victory in the Betfair Chase back in November. He ran a good race to finish seventh in last season’s renewal, but after trailing home sixth behind Might Bite in the King George, the seven-year-old has to prove he is more than a mud-lark.

Noel Meade will send Leopardstown hero Road To Respect back the Cheltenham, 12 months after watching his improving chaser claim victory in the Brown Advisory Plate Handicap. Minella Rocco stormed up the Cheltenham hill last year to finish closest to Sizing John as the winner crossed the line and some are suggesting Jonjo O’Neill’s charge has been drastically overlooked.

While there are many other names who are capable of springing a surprise, a victory for one entrant in-particular would raise the roof off the Cheltenham grandstands.

Fan’s favourite Cue Card fell at the third-last when mounting a serious challenge in 2016, only for the same fence to bring his race to an end again 12 months later. Colin Tizzard and Jean Bishop revealed during the winter that their 12-year-old would be retired at the end of the season and his swansong could come at Cheltenham. If Cue Card was to claim a famous victory in March, this year’s Gold Cup would go down in folklore as the most romantic, memorable renewal in the contest’s storied history.