Cheltenham Festival update: Spotlight on Cheltenham Gold Cup

Five of last season's 13 Cheltenham Gold Cup runners were in action on Saturday and Sunday and there was nothing to suggest the order in which they finished in March would change should they meet again.

Bravemansgame ran a fine race to finish second at Cheltenham but hasn't matched that form in two starts this season, finishing runner-up to Gentlemansgame in the Charlie Hall and to Royale Pagaille in the Betfair Chase. He didn't see out the Gold Cup trip as well as Galopin Des Champs nor the Betfair Chase as well as Royale Pagaille and connections were offering no excuses for the Haydock defeat with Paul Nicholls saying 'Kempton probably suits him better, it's an easier three miles, the other horse outstayed him. He's run a good race, Kempton's his track'.

The pair finished first and second in last year's King George VI Chase at 11/4 and 12/1 and they're similarly priced at present with Bravemansgame heading the market at 5/2 and Royale Pagaille available at 14/1. Venetia Williams revealed that Jerry Roberts, who rides the nine-year-old in his work, believes Royale Pagaille is in better form this year than last year and he could pose more of a threat at Kempton than when beaten 14 lengths on his first run of the season. However, Nicholls' assertion about Kempton looks spot on and I've no dispute with the market.

But do they both go to Cheltenham again?

Strange things happen but there's no obvious reason why last year's form should be overturned by Bravemansgame or Royale Pagaille, who has run in the last three Gold Cups finishing sixth, fifth and sixth on ground that Williams feels hasn't been in his favour. Nicholls is happy to target meetings outside those four days in March but he has owners to keep happy and alternatives are thin on the ground; they could skip Cheltenham for Aintree but that would rule out Punchestown, a test that should suit Bravemansgame and, after all, he did collect over £132,000 in defeat in the Gold Cup.

A line can be put through Protektorat's run in the Betfair Chase but he would have to show career best form to improve on his two Gold Cup runs - fifth and third, beaten over 17 lengths - but I do like the suggestion of a run in the Savills Chase, a race which British raiders took in four consecutive years between 2006 and 2009 and it could suit him down to the ground.

Dan Skelton could strike an increasingly rare blow back against the Irish who saddled the one-two in the day's feature handicap at Haydock with Slate Lane and Fine Margin having the race between them from some way out despite Crambo's late burst making the winning margins look more respectable.

Fastorslow has beaten Galopin Des Champs on the two occasions they've clashed, firstly in the Punchestown Gold Cup (Bravemansgame third) and then in Sunday's John Durkan Memorial Chase.

It's possible that March left a mark on the vanquished in April while the two and a half mile trip of the John Durkan and some ring-rusty jumping were potential excuses for Galopin Des Champs on Sunday.

Prior to Punchestown, Fastorslow agonisingly, for me at least, failed by a neck to concede 4lbs to Corach Rambler in the Ultima with another promising prospect, Monbeg Genius, in third with the fourth over eight lengths adrift. Monbeg Genius could get the chance to further advertise that form in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury for which he's a general 7/1 joint-favourite and 8/1 in places.

The three miles and a furlong of the Ultima is the furthest that Fastorslow has run over and he's certainly not short of speed as he showed at Punchestown; he may well stay the extra furlong of the Gold Cup trip but we're unlikely to find that out until the day.

Stattler was the other horse in action from last season's Gold Cup and he was most disappointing, dropping out quickly even allowing for the trip being well short of his optimum. He doesn't look easy to place in the short-term and I wonder if connections might be tempted to give him a run over hurdles with the Stayers' Hurdle the default fall-back option de la jour; the Grand National must also be on the cards although he was pushed out to 66/1 by Paddy Power.

It would be remiss not to mention Appreciate It who ran a huge race from the front and was cut to a general 16/1 (from 50s) for the Ryanair Chase. He was behind Stage Star in the Turners but hadn't had a smooth season and was ridden with restraint on that occasion; Appreciate It would need to build on this but he's always had a big reputation and it doesn't feel impossible granted a clear run.

What do the markets say?

Cheltenham Gold Cup:

• Galopin Des Champs 10/3 from 6/4
• Gerri Colombe 4/1
• Fastorslow 6/1 from 14s
• Bravemansgame 16/1 from 10s

King George VI Chase:

• Bravemansgame 5/2 from 6/4
• Allaho 4/1
• Shishkin 5/1
• Gerri Colombe 14/1

What’s the current conclusion?

Gerri Colombe was the big name in the Gold Cup picture not in action and Gordon Elliott, perhaps mischievously, threw out a suggestion that he could contest the King George which would be welcome if surprising.

He certainly appeals as possessing all the requisite attributes for a Gold Cup - perhaps less so a King George - and rates a bigger threat given stamina looks his forte. I'm not convinced that will prove to be so for Fastorslow but Martin Brassil's star has only had six chase starts (five for Brassil) and is very obviously on the upgrade.

Having new names in the frame gives both races a much needed boost but I'm in no rush to desert the reigning champions who may well win the war despite losing their latest battles.

The King George throws up multiple winners and Bravemansgame is a perfectly feasible price having been eased out on the back of a defeat in a race that I don't believe played to his strengths and similar remarks apply to Galopin Des Champs.

Galopin Des Champs hasn't got many more miles on the clock than Fastorslow and the reigning champion remains the one to beat. He didn't jump brilliantly but will have more time to measure his fences over further, travelled well enough, was outpaced but responded to Paul Townend and wasn't beaten far. Trainer and jockey may feel that he showed 'no spark' but the run was satisfactory and there's plenty of time for connections to bring him back to his best and he was so obviously well suited to the demands of the Gold Cup.

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

Beware of the Warrior

Mullins may have had to settle for minor honours in the feature but it was another decent weekend for the Closutton maestro who saw Gaelic Warrior (4/11), Predators Gold (4/7) and State Man (1/6) oblige on Saturday having already sent out Klassical Dream (1/4) to make a winning chase bow on Thursday.

Tullyhill (1/8) did let the side down on Sunday, he was the 10/1 ante-post favourite for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle in the morning but ended the day out at 40/1 after a lacklustre display. Predators Gold was introduced into the Ballymore betting at 16/1 but stablemate Ballyburn, yet to race over hurdles, is that race's 13/2 favourite which says plenty.

There will be competition for places within the stable for the novice chases at Cheltenham and it's no surprise that Gaelic Warrior is favourite for both the Turners and the Brown Advisory with Mullins' post-race comments suggesting all three contests could be considered.

“We all know he stays and he might go a longer trip," he said, "but maybe after that performance I need to have a rethink about him. He’d have no problem going two and a half miles and two miles would be no problem to him either the way he ran there."

As we know, no decision will be taken until declaration time but for all of Gaelic Warrior's obvious qualities, it is worth remembering that he has been beaten on both visits to Cheltenham.

Klassical Dream jumped impressively at Thurles and could conceivably take in either of the two longer races; he's nine rising 10 which may lead to the odd call for the Gold Cup to come under consideration if his next start or two go well but that destination would seem most unlikely.

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