Cheltenham Festival 2024 LIVE: Day 4 – Majborough wins the Triumph Hurdle ahead of Kargese in the first race of today, with all eyes on the 100th Gold Cup anniversary later this afternoon

Climbing towards the send hurdle, and he pops over with no bother, before rounding the corner.

He’s tracked by Zenta and Media Naranja on the inside, and closely followed by Petit Tonnerre.

Afadil starts with a five-length lead, and all clear the first hurdle, with Absurde the back-marker for now.

He’s asked about the going, and whether it’s more testing, and confirms:

… before leading King of Kingsfield back to the pack.

Paul Townend atop Absurde concurs.

… are gearing up for the County Handicap Hurdle. Grey Dawning was the first Skelton grey to take victory at the Festival yesterday, but will he be the last?

1. Pied Piper – Danny Gilligan
2. Zenta – Mark Walsh
3. Magical Zoe – A P Heskin
4. Encanto Bruno – NON-RUNNER
5. Hansard – NON-RUNNER
6. King of Kingsfield – Jack Kennedy
7. Westport Cove – Michael O’Sullivan
8. Bialystok – Danny Mullins
9. Absurde – Paul Townend
10. Risk Belle – Jody McGarvey
11. Aucunrisque – NON-RUNNER
12. Gin Coco – NON-RUNNER
13. Petit Tonnerre – Jonjo O’Neill Jr
14. Faivoir – Tristan Durrell
15. L’Eau Du Sud – Harry Skelton
16. So Scottish – Danagh Meyler
17. Parramount – NON-RUNNER
18. Samui – Sam Ewing
19. Mr Freedom – Marc Goldstein
20. By Your Side – Jake Coen
21. Afadil – Freddie Gingell
22. Media Naranja – Jordan Gainford
23. Rare Middleton – NON-RUNNER

It’s hard to overlook L’Eau Sud, the heavily backed favourite, in the County Hurdle – nor should his owner Sir Alex Ferguson’s luck this week be discounted. The Skelton-trained horse could add yet another win to the yard’s haul amid a terrific Festival, but has a number of competitors to see off first – one of whom is Gordon Elliott’s King of Kingsfield.

The horse has lost out of late only to Slade Steel and Ballyburn – champions this week – last month, and in this Handicap field, could storm ahead and claim the ultimate glory.

You know the drill – Paddy Power has all the odds below.

• L’Eau Du Sud – 10/3
• So Scottish – 4/1
• King Of Kingsfield – 11/2
• Faivoir – 7/1
• Zenta – 17/2
• Magical Zoe – 11/1
• Petit Tonnerre – 11/1
• Pied Piper – 14/1
• Bialystok – 14/1
• Risk Belle – 14/1
• Absurde – 16/1
• Mr Freedom – 20/1
• By Your Side – 35/1
• Afadil – 35/1
• Westport Cove – 40/1
• Samui – 40/1
• Media Naranja – 100/1

British trainer Nicholls has his first runner of the day with Afadil in 25 minutes, but missing out on running Rare Middleton after he was scratched earlier this morning.

You can read his thoughts on the remaining horses taking to the turf, via Betfair, below.

Cool, calm and collected until it was time to beat out Kargese.

I’m quite surprised he wasn’t favourite. He was my pick for the day. Not the day, but the race.

I thought a Gold Cup horse (when he arrived). Physically, that’s what he looked like.

That’ll be a few miles down the road. We’ll let him go novice chasing first.

He’s not your typical juvenile hurdler. He’s a big chaser, so strong.

Little bit keen on me hands earlier, but was happy sitting and galloping.

I was delighted (when Kargese entered the race) because there was something to aim at down the straight.

It’s testing work out there.

Kargese was looking so strong before that final hurdle, but pushing uphill towards home, Majborough’s strength carries and carries him, and he streaks towards the finish to hand Willie Mullins his long-awaited (ha ha ha) 101st Cheltenham winner.

But over the last hurdle, Kargese struggles!

Heading downhill, Ethical Diamond comes from behind now into sixth. Fratas is out, as the front five – Bunting, Storm Heart, Salver, Kargese, and Ithaca’s Arrow go for broke before the last hurdle.

He moves forward into third before the second-last, as Fratas comes under pressure as Storm Heart and Kargese also looking forward to getting into position with two to go.

Nurburgring stays the back-marker.

Storm Heart is beginning to head forward on the outside, while Kargese is content with sixth, with a mile to go.

In the middle of the pack, with Highwind, Ethical Diamond and Nurburgring sitting back over the second hurdle.

They take the turn, with Salver still leading the chasers ahead of Ithaca’s Arrow, and Salver on the inside line.

The first race is underway with a roar as Salver leads before the first, with Ethical Diamond just popping that hurdle down.

The countdown to Day Four is ON!

After watching Brighton go out on aggregate in the Europa League to Roma 4-1 at the Amex last night.

His Bunting is the fourth-favourite with Paddy Power at 5/1. Can he continue the football-adjacent trend this week?

1. Bunting – Sean O’Keeffe
2. Ethical Diamond – Michael O’Sullivan
3. Highwind – Rachael Blackmore
4. Ithaca’s Arrow – Ben Ffrench Davis
5. Majborough – Mark Walsh
6. Mighty Bandit – James Bowen
7. Nurburgring – JJ Slevin
8. Peking Opera – NON-RUNNER
9. Salvator Mundi – Brian Hayes
10. Salver – Gavin Sheehan
11. Sir Gino – NON-RUNNER
12. Storm Heart – Paul Townend
13. Fratas – Darragh O’Keeffe
14. Kargese – Danny Mullins

Kargese, looking magnificent ahead of her turn in the first race of the day.

You could do a lot, lot, worse than taking notice of our expert’s tips. The wins continue to stack up!

• Encanto Bruno
• Hansard
• Aucunrisque
• Gin Coco
• Parramount
• Rare Middleton

Plus, Shanagh Bob and Butcher Hollow have been scratched from the Albert Bartlett – the former yesterday.

… for the Triumph Hurdle, coming up in 25 minutes, looking extremely well.

He leads two of his many, many stablemates from the Mullins yard.

Former Gold Cup winner Blackmore has her first ride of Cheltenham Friday on Highwind, and will be keen to get back into the winner’s enclosure after snaring two Grade Ones on Tuesday and Wednesday.

You can read all of her thoughts on her horses, courtesy of Betfair, below.

A straightforward race at the start of the week, the Triumph Hurdle has opened up enormously in the wake of the withdrawl of Nicky Henderson’s Sir Gino – but if there’s one thing this race is likely to do, it’s to put Willie Mullins on the board from the off.

The Irish trainer has seven of the 12 runners lining up for the first race – Peking Opera is the second non-runner – and his Storm Heart is the romping favourite at 7/2.

Paddy Power has all the odds on what should be a tantalising first race, below.

• Storm Heart – 7/1
• Kargese – 9/2
• Majborough – 13/2
• Nurburgring – 13/2
• Bunting – 9/2
• Salver – 8/1
• Salvator Mundi – 11/1
• Mighty Bandit – 14/1
• Ethical Diamond – 28/1
• Highwind – 33/1
• Fratas – 40/1
• Ithaca’s Arrow – 100/1

Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow has pulled a fast one (groan) on Galopin Des Champs in two of their last three encounters, and although the Gold Cup winner got the better of him in their last meeting, the eight-year-old remains an intriguing prospect this afternoon.

Mail Sport’s Dominic King caught up with his jockey JJ Slevin earlier this week.

Galopin Des Champs will be hoping to enter an elite club of multiple Gold-Cup winners this afternoon, including Arkle, Best Mate, Kauto Star and stablemate Al Boum Photo, but hitting the heady heights of Golden Miller remains a long way off.

The bay is the only horse to have won the race a staggering sive times, coming in consecutive years between 1932 and 1936 – and 1934 also saw him become the only horse to have ever won the Gold Cup and the Grand National in the same year.

His statue now watches over the parade ring at the racecourse.

With just over an hour to go until we get underway in the Cotswold, why not have a browse through Mail Sport’s tips for all of Day Four’s action.

Racing tipster Robin Goodfellow, National Hunt legend Peter Scudamore, and more offer their two-penny’worth, below.

It may be hailed as the jewel in the National Hunt crown, but the prize money on offer for the winner pales in comparison to its rival for eyeballs, the Grand National.

Today’s winner will pocket £351,688 – duly divided between owner, trainer, staff and jockey, compared to the £561,300 up for grabs at Aintree.

But both big-money prizes look shoddy compared to the riches available in Flat racing – with Ascot’s Champion Stakes worth £737,230 to the winner, and the Epsom Derby providing the biggest purse on offer in the UK – with £892,160 going to the horse first past the post.

Things aren’t quite so muddy as the Heavy ground Dessie had to endure 35 years ago, but the persistent rain has made the Chase course Soft, Heavy in places ahead of the day’s feature race.

One positive is that the turf is ultra-fresh, having been untouched by boot or hoof since last May, and the Gold Cup is the first Chase of the day.

St Patrick’s Thursday took on a touch of Cup Final day as the legendary gaffers claimed three out of seven races – both owners winning at the Festival for their first time.

Mail Sport’s Dominic King looks back on a day for football-lovers, below.

1989’s running of the race saw Desert Orchid, one of the sport’s best-loved horses, battle through the soupy conditions to beat mudlark Yahoo at the last, and enshrine himself as one of the most successful – and popular – horses in National Hunt history.

If you’ve never seen his miraculous winning run – I implore you to watch the below clip.

2.10pm – County Handicap Hurdle

2.50pm – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

4.10pm – St James’s Place Hunters’ Chase

5.30pm – Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle

We’ll be underway on Day Four in just over an hour and a half – ample time to peruse what our expert tipsters over at Paddy Power have to say on every one of the day’s races.

You can read their thoughts in full, below.

Talks of a green-wash may yet resurface as night falls this evening, but after a strong Thursday, a rout topping last year’s has been cancelled after an impressive turn from British trainers.

That means the standings ahead of Day Four are: Ireland 12-8 Great Britain.

That’s thanks in no small part to a heroic effort from Dan Skelton’s yard, with brother Harry aboard winners Protektorat, Monmiral, Langer Dan, and Grey Dawning.

For those looking to back the red-hot trainer’s runners today, keep an eye on:

• Faivoir and L’Eau Du Sud in the County Hurdle
• Jay Jay Reilly in the Martin Pipe

L’Eau Du Sud has certainly had his prospects boosted after an impressive Festival for the yard – Paddy Power has him as the favourite in the 2.10pm at 7/2.

Former Festival jockey Lizzie Kelly has been on fire this week, and her predictions remain unmissable viewing.

She and Mail Sport’s Marcus Townend share their thoughts on Galopin Des Champs, Triumph Hurdle prospect Kargese, and Readin Tommy Wrong in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Check out all of their thoughts below.

The afternoon’s resplendent top prize, in all its glory, and no less shiny for the bleak grey skies overhead.

A new Gold Cup trophy is cast every year, and it’s worth an estimated £10,000 – that’s what 10 ounces of gold looks like, for your information.

Last year’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase winner steps up to the big one 12 months on, but as his trainer Patrick Neville explains, the conditions could yet stop the horse from showing his best form.

Conditions are tough down over there. We’re delighted to be here, and it’s brilliant to be running in the Gold Cup.

There’s only one Gold Cup, so we have to take our chance. Conditions aren’t really in our favour, but you never know.

The Willie Mullins-trained Gold Cup winner is in tremendous form coming back into the contest he swept to victory in last year, having beaten major rival Fastorslow in their last meeting at Leopardstown in February.

Mullins was denied the opportunity to tip over his 100-race milestone yesterday, but there’s little doubt he’ll add a few more winners to his Festival haul today – and perhaps claim the biggest prize of all.

But then, typically, the heavens are set to open yet again. It’s been a waterlogged week in the Cotswolds, and as a result, we’ve been denied some key runners, including Gold Cup prospect Hewick from John Hanlon’s yard.

Shishkin was also withdrawn earlier in the week, due to the mysterious ailment that has decimated Nicky Henderson’s horses at the worst possible moment.

Mail Sport columnist is looking forward to a mouthwatering 100th anniversary celebration of the Gold Cup this afternoon, but before that – a word on yesterday’s impressive British fightback.

Things were looking abysmal for the hosts on Wednesday evening, but after claiming five winners to Ireland’s two on Thursday, some genuine needle has been injected back into the Prestbury Cup.

You can read more from the ITV Racing host, below.

The rain began to fall once again on Cheltenham towards the latter half of yesterday, and overnight, there were some biblical looking shots of Cheltenham High Street.

As such, yesterday’s Soft, Heavy in places going is updated to Heavy on the Hurdle course and Soft, Heavy in places on the Chase course, as Clerk of the Course Jon Pullin explains below.

First up, it’s our daily Cheltenham Breakfast bulletin, bringing you everything you might have missed from a scintillating Day Three at the Festival.

It was a day for football managers, rank outsiders, and the British fighting back on St Patrick’s Thursday… and you can catch up on it all, below.

Hello and welcome to Mail Sport’s live coverage of the big one – it’s Gold Cup Day at Cheltenham, with the feature race taking place in just over five hours at 3.30pm.

We’ve got a raft of tempting contenders in the mix, such as last year’s winner Galopin Des Champs, last year’s runner-up Bravemansgame, and Grand National winner Corach Rambler.

But the going could prove a curveball for the most coveted trophy in National Hunt racing, after yet more rain at a boggy Prestbury Park over night.

Cheltenham Friday kicks off at 1.30pm, but before then, we’ll bring you all the latest news, build-up, and Gold Cup info right here.