Cheltenham Festival Day 4: Best Bets for Friday at the Festival

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Day 3 was a day for the bookies. We saw three short-priced favourites lose in the shape of Mighty Potter and Shiskin as well as Luccia who was on the drift, but still relatively short.

I took a different approach to this year's festival. Normally, I wouldn't get involved with the hot favourites, as I'd try and get them beat. But I thought why try and get them beat if I think they just win, unfortunately for me, they didn't win and I had egg on my face.

It's been a tough week for me, with just the three winners, one on each day. But, Sire Du Berlais winning the Stayers' Hurdle at 50/1 was great to see, not only because he was tipped up, but because he has been a great servant to the sport and has won at 3 festivals now.

I think it's fair to say Shishskin doesn't quite handle Cheltenham over fences. He won over hurdles here, but he looked a mess today, jumping like a lawnmower. But with that came a great revival story of Envoi Allen who proved me wrong, and proved many others wrong. Great to see him back in the big time.

Davy Russell said Mighty Potter might not be as good as we thought. Sorry, but I thought he and the jockeys in behind Stage Star were shocking. We all knew Stage Star would get the lead, so why let him get into a rhythm and run the race he wanted? I still think MP is the best horse in the race, and Davy Russell shouldn't be pointing the blame on the horse. With that being said, Harry Cobden rode a great race, giving Nicholls a win at the Festival for the first time in a couple of years.

Fingers crossed we can all have a profitable day for the last day of the Festival.

All of my detailed previews for Day 4 at the Cheltenham Festival can be found below:

• 13:30 – JCB Triumph Hurdle
• 14:10 – McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle
• 14:50 – Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
• 15:30 – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup
• 16:10 – St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase
• 16:50 – Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase
• 17:30 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Don't forget you can also have a go at entering the Champion Tipster Competition where there's £200 in Free Bets to be won.

13:30 – JCB Triumph Hurdle

Blood Destiny has tended to jump like a lawnmower on a couple of occasions since moving to Ireland, but this horse looks to have a serious engine. We've seen that he handles the ground, and the Triumph is often a stamina test, so I think he will be staying on strongly and might be suited for this race.

Full race preview:

• 13:30 – JCB Triumph Hurdle

14:10 – County Hurdle

I landed on Wonderwall who has a lot to prove in a race of this nature. He made an okay chase debut last time out at Newbury which was won by Sebastopol, which Stage Star in second. This horse was a good bumper horse, finishing 3rd in a Listed race at Ascot behind Knappers Hill and Stage Star. He then went to Cheltenham and finished 7th in the Champion Bumper in a steadily run race, which I don't think suited. I think a good pace on soft ground will be ideal for him. He might run well at a price, or he might be pulled up, but I think he is worth a small bet.

Full race preview:

• 14:10 – McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle

14:50 – Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

My first fancy for this race is Favori De Champdou who won a Grade 2 last time out on heavy ground, and looked like a good strong stayer at this trip. He is 3/3 over hurdles and the race he won had previously been won by the likes of Fury Road who finished 3rd in this race in 2019, Penhill a previous winner of this race and Faugheen. This horse produced the joint highest RPR of this race in the last ten years with Faugheen, so it rates as a good run in my eyes.

My second fancy is Dawn Rising and he is being overlooked in the market for some reason, which I'm not quite sure about. I think he is crying out for this trip over 3m on soft ground. He was 102 rated on the flat when trained by Aidan O'Brien, so clearly has tonnes of ability and I think he has the engine to get involved.

Full race preview:

• 14:50 – Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

15:30 – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup

I've had many opinions on Bravemansgame over the years, whether I think he is a stayer or not, do I think he likes Cheltenham, but somehow my dart has landed on him to win the Gold Cup. I think he probably has the best piece of form in the race.

Full race preview:

• 15:30 – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup

16:10 –  St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase

I really do like the chances of Vaucelet in this race. David Christie went close in this race last year with Winged Leader, but I think he's come back this year with a better horse.

Full race preview:

• 16:10 – St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase

16:50 – Mares' Chase

I thought Impervious was the one with the stand-out piece of form in this race. This mare has progressed into a lovely horse since being sent over fences. She was a good hurdler, but the improvement she's made this season is quite unbelievable.

Full race preview:

• 16:50 – Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase

17:30 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

I like Cool Survivor who is ridden by Sam Ewing, who rides a lot of Gordon. This horse probably has the best form in the race and considering he finished 4th in a Grade 1 last time around, you've got to say he is a clear Graded horse in a handicap.

Full race preview:

• 17:30 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

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