Cheltenham Day Four Betting Tips: Can Kemboy claim the Gold Cup?
Published:
We’ve made it. After three gloriousdays of thrills, spills, boil overs and hotpot favourites going in, ourattention now turns to Al Boum Photo’s defence of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Can the 2019winner become the first horse since Best Mate to win the blue-riband eventback-to-back? Or will he have his crown snatched away by a field deeper thanthe English Channel?
We’vepreviewed the Gold Cup and every race on Day Four with our Cheltenham BettingTips.
13:30 – Triumph Hurdle – Aspire Tower
With Solo,Goshen, Allmankind and Aspire Towerall involved in this year’s Triumph Hurdle, we’re guaranteed a rip-roaringstart to Gold Cup Day. And it’s the latter of the quartet who could come out ontop.
RachaelBlackmore’s ride won by a combined 31l on his first two races over obstacles,obliterating the field in a decent looking Grade 2 before falling at 1/3 on hislatest start at Leopardstown when in with every chance.
That fallhas arguably inflated his price here. And while Henry De Bromhead’s runner hassomething to prove after that minor setback, if can dictate the pace at thefront, then he could prove difficult to stop.
14:10 – County Hurdle – Ciel De Neige (NAP)
Our man DanSkelton has won three out of the last four runnings of this contest and willfancy his chances with 2018 winner Mohaayed. However, it’s impossible to ignorethe impressive Handicap form of Ciel DeNeige.
Thefive-year-old has been on the cusp of winning a big pot for a while, cominghome third in the Fred Winter here last season before subsequently finishingrunner-up in the competitive Betfair Hurdle last month.
He only lostout by 3/4l that day which suggests a 4lb rise shouldn’t hinder his chances toomuch. Owner J.P. McManus has been rattling in the winners this week and he mayget another here with Mark Walsh on board.
14:50 – Albert Bartlett – Ramses De Teillee (Lively Longshot)
You need a good honest plugger in a race like this. And Ramses De Teillee may just fit thebill. The eight-year-old has been in fine fettle this season and will take hischance here before heading to the Nationalat 25/1.
David Pipe’s inmate has won all three of his hurdles startsthis term and looked better than ever when recording back-to-back victories in apair of Grade 2 contests after Christmas following wind surgery.
There’s no doubting his ability to stay and with his jumpingas sound as it gets, we reckon he should be able to hit the frame in a racethat doesn’t contain a great deal of experience.
15:30 – Cheltenham Gold Cup – Kemboy (NB)
After running the rule over all of the main contenders in the 2020 CheltenhamGold Cup, it’s Kemboy who we’ve eventually fallen downon in the Festival showpiece.
Theeight-year-old has shown gradual improvement this season after a delayed startand followed up a promising reappearance in the Savills Chase with an improvedrunner-up berth in the Irish Gold Cup.
He wasbehind Delta Work that day, so he’ll need to reverse the form. But Kemboy is ahorse who usually saves his best work for the Spring, evidenced by his emphatic9l win in the Aintree Bowl last term.
Take intoaccount that he’s arguably a run behind where connections hoped he would be atthis stage of the season, and we think he has every chance after being hamperedat the first in the Gold Cup 12 months ago.
16:10 – Foxhunter Chase – StakerWallace
The greenand hold of J.P. McManus has been in clover all week and he could add anotherwinner to an already impressively long list with Staker Wallace in the Foxhunter.
EndaBolger’s returned from a near three year lay-off to finish second at Naas in Januarybefore continuing that progression when justifying favouritism in apoint-to-point over 3m last month.
That shouldbe the perfect prep for a race like this, and with so few miles on the clock,it could be dangerous to overlook the King’s Theatre gelding. Top amateur JamieCodd further enhances our selection’s claims.
16:50 – Grand Annual – Lisp
Lisp hasFestival form after finishing fifth in the County Hurdle 12 months ago andafter three strong runs over fences this term he makes for an interestingproposition dropped into Handicap company for the first time.
Thesix-year-old made all of the running when third at Doncaster last time whichmeans jockey Tom Cannon may have to ride him more conservatively here. If hecan do that then he looks to have solid each-way claims.
17:30 – Martin Pipe – Five Oclock
The Irishhave plundered the Martin Pipe in five of the last six years and it couldreturn to the Emerald Isle once again courtesy of Five O’Clock for WillieMullins.
Ourselection was a Grade 3 winner at Thurles last month, while his rating suggestshe should be in with a live chance on his Handicap debut. Promising youngsterConor McNamara gets the ride.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
