Cheltenham Festival: Gold Cup preview

Last year's 1-2-3 in the Gold Cup return for Fridays’ feature, but it’s the improving Galvin who is edging favouritism on the eve of the big race.

Gordon Elliott’s charge was a winner at the Festival 12 months ago, but it came against less illustrious rivals in the Grade Two National Hunt Chase over a trip three and a half furlongs further than the Gold Cup distance.

That’s not to suggest Galvin is a plodder. It was speed rather than stamina that proved telling as he was off Next Generation and Escaria Ten in the closing stages of a race run at a modest early gallop.

The son of Gold Well has continued on an upward trajectory this season, winning two of his three starts, and capturing the Savills Chase on his most recent outing at Leopardstown at Christmas.

The Gold Cup is a race that favours young, improving sorts and he was the ideal profile.

Next in the betting is last year’s runner-up A Plus Tard, who scored a breathtaking win in the Betfair Chase in a fast time on his seasonal reappearance at Haydock.

The worry for his supporters is that he did seem to get outstayed in his runner-up finishes in the Savills Chase on his most recent outing and in last year’s Gold Cup behind stablemate Minella Indo.

It’s been a disappointing season for the defending champion thus far. His third-place finish behind Frodon and Galvin at Down Royal was just about satisfactory, but he was pulled up on his subsequent start on soft ground in the King George after forcing an unsustainable pace. His second-place finish in the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival last month was an improved effort, but he does need to progress significantly from that performance to score here.

Minella Indo was simply incredible! Henry de Bromhead becomes the