Back-to-back Gold Cups for Native River? 3 tips ahead of Day Four at Cheltenham

In the latest edition of Heed Your Hunch, Thom Malone runs the rule over Friday’s races.

EACH DAY OF the Cheltenham Festival, Heed Your Hunch will be bringing you tips for the first, the last and the feature race at Prestbury Park thanks to Betway.  

Dublin Racing Festival - Day Two - Leopardstown Racecourse Joseph O'Brien, Mark Walsh and Sir Erec at Leopardstown. PA Wire / PA Images PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images

Irish bankers generally arrive earlier in the week. This year though, the Triumph Hurdle will carry so many hopes for the Green Army at Prestbury Park. Sir Erec (Evs) is favourite and will officially be Joseph O’Brien’s first Triumph winner.

Although his dad Aidan has his name on the scoreboard beside Ivanovich Gorbatov, really his son did the work from his Pilltown base, not Ballydoyle.

Sir Erec is a top class flat horse — his closest rivals from Ireland are in the same ownership so won’t oppose him — and the best English challenge won’t run. The son of Camelot will have the Irish punters dining at the round table for the rest of the day.

The festival’s blue riband looks a vintage renewal this year. Native River is aiming to become the first dual winner since Kauto Star and first back-to-back winner since Best Mate.

Those stats show just how difficult it is to back up, it has become rare for the holder to even get a chance to reclaim their crown. It’s a stronger field with more classy horses in attendance than last year, but the best horse often gets beaten in the Gold Cup — it’s a relentless grind over three and a quarter miles.

Richard Johnson onboard Native River celebrates winning Native River and Richard Johnson. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

The Colin Tizzard-owned nine-year-old has never been out of the first three over fences, including his last three visits to Cheltenham. Native River (4/1) will bring the field to a world of pain and won’t stop. Winning will be an outstanding achievement, but he will not be out of the frame.

The closing race of the festival is the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle. Gordon Elliot has won the last two renewals of this race. He was an assistant to Martin Pipe in his youth and clearly has an affinity for the race. Dallas des Pictons (5/1) looks to be his main hope and is the type of horse who excels in this one.

Get your money back as a free bet if your horse loses in the first or the last race over each day of the Cheltenham Festival with Betway’s Money Back Special. You can also win a prize of £25k each day of Cheltenham on Betway’s Insider Blog with 4 To Win, a free-to-play prediction game. Offer as above. 18+, always gamble responsibly. For more, see BeGambleAware.org 

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    Mute samstheman
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    Mar 18th 2019, 11:00 PM

    It really is people from outside the club who are concerned about his dry spell. 17 goals 7 assists & well in the hunt for the golden boot again

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    Mute Fr Romeo sensini.
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    Mar 19th 2019, 8:51 AM

    @samstheman: his finishing and awareness of players around him recently has been shocking, pressure?

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    Mute Battaz
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    Mar 18th 2019, 11:09 PM

    Even when Salah hits a dry patch the opposition are fixated on him!
    Liverpool are Top of the Premiership, and in the quarter finals of the Champion’s League!
    Slow news day?

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    Mute Derek Trotter
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    Mar 18th 2019, 11:17 PM

    @Battaz: tbf its not news but for salah to come out of his dry spell( if ya can call it that) would be a massive boost for lfc. While their in a great posistion city still there and augero scoring. Messi/ronaldo scoring for europes big teams.

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    Mute Fred McHugh
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    Mar 18th 2019, 10:25 PM

    Salah is selfish. Always angry and moody when he doesn’t score yet the team are winning.

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    Mute Derek Trotter
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    Mar 18th 2019, 10:45 PM

    @Fred McHugh: all top strikers/goal scorers have that trait. Its a positive in a goal scorer. Top top player

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    Mute Willy Motley
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    Mar 18th 2019, 10:52 PM

    @Fred McHugh: talking ouv your hoop

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    Mute Aileen Frost
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    Mar 19th 2019, 1:32 AM

    @Fred McHugh: thats what top strikers are …. Not ever happy with what they have . MON DA POOL

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    Mute Conor Pocock
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    Mar 19th 2019, 4:18 AM

    @Fred McHugh: can only agree with you Frederick. That accidental assist for Mane with the outside of his right foot v Munich was absolute and utter greed. Sell him to West Ham and be off with him

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    Mute Conor Pocock
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    Mar 19th 2019, 4:19 AM

    @Conor Pocock: left foot…. doh :)

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