ANDY NEWTON’s Best Cheltenham Bets and Hot Stats For Day 4: Galopin Des Champ Bids For Third Gold Cup 5r1n6s

Sportscasting’s horse racing expert Andy Newton continues with his best Cheltenham bets on day 4, plus hot stats as the Festival moves into the final day (Friday 14th March 2025) where the big highlight will be Galopin Des Champs trying to win his third Gold Cup.

You can also see the two Friday Cheltenham races that HAVEN’T had a winning favourite for over 10 years.

Best Cheltenham Bets On Day 4: Friday 14th March – Galopin Des Champs Out To Make Gold Cup History 3aqu

1:20 JCB Triumph Hurdle 23285f

🥇EAST INDIA DOCK
🥈LULAMBA
🥉HELLO NEIGHBOUR

Lulamba looked smart when winning on his UK debut at Ascot and I think he’ll go close – but the form of that run has taken a few knocks since. While the other niggle is that 10 of the last 13 winners of the Triumph had already had a race by Christmas. We saw him first only in January.

Henderson is, however, the winning-most trainer in this race with seven successes.

The ‘having run by Xmas stats’ is a plus for East India Dock though, who won twice over hurdles in 2024. Including here at Cheltenham at the November Meeting.

He’s since added the Triumph Trial to his growing CV over the sticks on Trials Day and is a horse that still looks to have plenty more to come.

The former 90-rated flat horse has also won on both soft and good ground. Plus with 10 runs on the level has that much more actual racing experience than his main rivals in the market Lulamba and Hello Neighbour.

He’s a horse that seems to get better the further he goes in his races, so with his track experience too he gets the call with the best horse racing betting sites.

Hello Neighbour Classy, But Price Drift Is The Concern 5wm60

Hello Neighbour is respected too and must surely be the e/w value – especially as he’s arguably got the best form in the book too.

He impressed at Leopardstown the last twice, including winning the Grade One Gannon’s City Recovery & Recyling Juvenile Hurdle, which has often been a good guide to this.

I did fancy him earlier in the week. However, his price has been on the slight drift in the last few days – which is the worry.

Lossiemouth was runner-up in that Grade One Spring Juvenile Hurdle before taking this, with Vauban winning both in 2022 and last year’s winner Majborough running third in that contest.

Sainte Lucie Could Bounce Back In The First Time Hood 53p4d

Lady Vega Allen, who was third to Hello Neighbour is respected too. She’s the pick of Paul Townend too – with Willie Mullins having 11 in the race. Mullins will be looking for his sixth win in the race and his fourth in-a-row.

While in the first-time hood I’d not be shocked to see another Mullins runner – Sainte Lucie bounce back. Having been sent off favourite for the Spring Juvenile Hurdle last time but flopping (8th). She’s better than that and also gets 7lbs off the boys and Danny Mullins rides.

📈Hot Stats:
– 24 of the last 31 winners won last time out
– Nicky Henderson has trained 7 winners, Willie Mullins has won 4 of the last 5
– 10 of the last 13 winners had raced by Christmas
– 15 of the last 20 winners from the top 4 in the betting

2:00 County Hurdle Premier Handicap 2d2kn

🥇ABSURDE
🥈LARK IN THE MORNIN
🥉KARGESE

This has been the Willie Mullins/Dan Skelton show in recent years – winning a massive 9 of the last 10 runnings between them. And more of the same is on the cards here with last year’s winner Absurde looking interesting again.

Absurde won this on heavy ground last year off 138 and despite being up 8lbs – the big plus is he’ll get his preferred quicker ground.

He’s also since run well again in the Melbourne Cup (5th) and has been trained for this defence ever since. If he can win, he’ll become the first double winner in the County.

Skelton has Valgrand – but after winning three in the spin between May and October – his form has tailed off since.

Last season’s Fred Winter winner Lark In The Mornin is up 10lbs from last year, but has been lightly-raced (2 runs) since and with just six career runs should have a lot more to some. The Joseph O’Brien team are also having a fair Festival.

The Mullins mare Kargese, who was runner-up in the Triumph last season, is yet to finish out of the first two and should also be involved. While the Elliott-trained Ndaawi was third in the Fred Winter last year and is 4lbs better off this time. We know the track suits.

📈Hot Stats:
– Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton has won 9 of the last 10 between them
– 12 of the last 18 Irish-trained
– 13 of the last 18 winners didn’t win last race
– 14 of the last 19 winners aged 5 or 6

2:40 Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase 47711d

🥇DINOBLUE
🥈BRIDES HILL
🥉LIMERICK LACE

It’s hard to get jiggy about Allegorie De Vassy, who was 4th in this last year and runner up in 2023.

But it’s a poor race overall and it’s not hard to see why they’ve moved it to earlier in the day to avoid people doing the ‘off’ after the Gold Cup.

Anyway, as a result of its dire nature, it’s hard to see beyond the 2024 neck runner-up Dinoblue, who can give JP his fourth win in the race.

This 8 year-old beat Allegorie De Vassy at Naas last time out and is taken to uphold that form. Yes, there is a worry the pair both had hard races that day. However, Dinoblue is the more consistent and more likely to give her running for me.

Limerick Lace won the pot last year and has to be considered – but will need to bounce back after three poor runs since.

So Brides Hill looks the more reliable for the forecast.

She was a tad disappointing behind Telepathique at Huntingdon when beaten at odds-on.

But on the whole is a consistent mare, who has only been out of the top 3 three times from her 13 chase starts.

📈Hot Stats:
– All 4 winners Irish-trained
– Each of the 4 winners aged 7-8
– All 4 winners have been 2nd favourites (no winning fav)
– JP McManus has won 3 of the the 4

3:20 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 3x5s5g

🥇WENDIGO
🥈THE BIG WESTERNER
🥉WINGMAN

We’ve not had a winning Cheltenham favourite in the ‘potato race’ for the last 10 years.

With some big-priced winners like Minella Indo (50/1), who went onto win a Gold Cup and last year Stellar Story at 33/1 – who ran well (2nd) in the Brown Advisory on Wednesday.

Likely jolly The Big Westerner will be trying to put that right and will certainly have her backers winning all three starts as Henry De Bromhead looks to follow-up his 2019 win in the race. The yard had a fantasatic Thursday too.

She’s the likely Cheltenham favourite – but this has not been a great contest for the market leaders with the last winner At Fishers Cross in 2013.

Wingman is expected to like the better ground and ran well behind Final Demand at the DRF (2nd) last time.

The New Lion Franked The Wendigo Form By Winning The Turners 4w1b3j

But a chance is taken on the Jamie Snowden runner – Wendigo – who was second to the The New Lion in the Challow Hurdle over Christmas. The  2018 winner Kilbricken Storm won this after being placed in the Challow.

He’s since hacked up at Wetherby, with the second that day also coming out since and winning. There could also be more to come now upped in trip. Plus, of course, the form of that run has since been franked with The New Lion winning the Turners on Wednesday.

Wendigo is also a horse with plenty of experience having run in three Points and a trio of NH Flat races – before his four runs over hurdles this season, where he’s yet to finish out of the first two.

Of the rest, Jasmin De Vaux landed the Champion Bumper last season but hasn’t jumped well since going hurdling so isn’t for me.

While after Air Of Entitlement won the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle on Thursday – Ballybow must be considered having run second to her at Down Royal in December and then franking the form to win twice since.

Flicker Of Hope, who was a good third at the DRF last time, and CD winners Jet Blue for are others that could out-run their odds.

📈Hot Stats:
– 15 of the last 20 winners 1st or 2nd last time out
– No winning favourite in last 10
– Willie Mullins has won 3 of the last 8
– Just 4 of the last 19 winners hadn’t raced that calendar year

4:00 Cheltenham Gold Cup x1737

🥇GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
🥈INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN
🥉MONTY’S STAR

This won’t take long – Galopin Des Champs wins and rates one of the best Cheltenham bets on day 4 with the best betting sites in the UK.

So either watch history in the making as he lands his third Gold Cup – the first since Best Mate and also other 3+ winners Arkle, Golden Miller and Cottage Rake – or lump on.

Barring accidents, it will probably be a bigger shock than all the Champion Hurdle carnage on Tuesday if he doesn’t win.

This is because Galopin Des Champs is the clear standout 3m+ staying chaser at the moment and his presence in the race has pretty much scared all the others off. Not that there were many anyway.

He was again super impressive in winning the Irish Gold Cup last month and it will be the shock of the Festival if he’s toppled here. It will then be back for more in 2026 as he looks to become the first winning 10 year-old in the race since Cool Dawn in 1998.

If Galopin Wins, He’ll Take His Earnings To Over £2m 3p6a2g

Galopin Des Champs can win the £363,999.38 Gold Cup prize money and take his total career earnings to over £2m – wow.

Recently supplemented Inothewayurthinkin was a nice winner of the Kim Muir last season and ran 4th to Galopin Des Champs last time out.

He’s taken to land the silver, with Monty’s Star for the same connections as the 2021 Gold Cup winner Minella Indo looking the clear third best.

With some doubts about King George winner Banbridge lasting out for me.

📈Hot Stats:
– 20 of the last 25 ran in the Savills Chase or King George
– 21 of the last 24 winners 1st or 2nd last time out
– Willie Mullins and Henry De Bromhead have won the last 6 between them
– 24 of the last 25 winners aged 7-9

4:40 St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase 5h91r

🥇ANGELS DAWN
🥈ITS ON THE LINE
🥉RYEHILL

A race not everyone likes but it still needs a winner and the most likely looks to be Angels Dawn, who fell two out when in with a shout in the race 12 months ago (watch below).

She’s since won two Points and will head here getting the 7lbs mares’ allowance which is a plus help. The better ground is fine too and with 90% of the last 10 winners aged 10 or 11, she fits the bill here.

Last year’s runner-up Its On The Line looks a banker to be involved again too. With recent Naas scorer Ryehill, who was second to the selection on a Point in December, is another that punters are sure to latch onto.

The winning-most trainer in the race is Paul Nicholls (4 wins) – he’ll be hoping to hit the ‘back of the net’ again with Shearer with daughter Olive Nicholls in the plate.

While, of the rest, Rocky’s Howya was 4th in the 2023 running and returned to form winning a Point last time. And there ‘s also been money in the last day of so for the Gordon Elliott-trained Willitgoahead. Elliott, however, has never won this race.

📈Hot Stats:
– 30 of the last 34 winners aged under 11 (9 of the last 10 aged 10 or 11)
– 15 of the last 19 winners ran 34 days or less ago
– 20 of the last 22 French or Irish bred
– 32 of the last 36 winners started out in Points

5:20 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle 5e3x

🥇WODHOOH
🥈KOPECK DE MEE
🥉THE ENABLER

If turning up here, there is every chance the Willie Mullins runner Kopeck De Mee could go off a silly price.

He’s the latest talking horse from the yard but will be having his debut for the stable after coming over from .

Yes, he could bolt up and be a class above this lot – but I’m happy to watch and see, being he’ll be no value. Oh and this race hasn’t been the best for favourites – the last winning market leader was Sir Des Champs in 2011.

The Gordon Elliott team took this last year and also in three of the last 8.

So their Wodhooh and The Enabler catch the eye here if you do want a play in the lucky last. Despite the yard not having had the best of Festivals in the first three days (no winners).

Wodhooh Is Unbeaten Over Hurdles 2n2ak

Wodhooh has won all six of her hurdles starts – the last of those he saw off Joyeuse, who has since franked the form to win the Betfair Hurdle easily. Even though she’s up 11lbs this time has to be on the shortlist, having been freshened up with 3 months off with this race clearly a target since.

Elliott also has The Enabler for the Gigginstown House Stud, who have a top record in this race. Four winners and 5 places of late.

This 6 year-old was a nice winner at Leopardstown in December over 2m4f and before that ran second to last year’s Champion Bumper winner Jasmin De Vaux.

Of the rest, No Ordinary Joe looks to have been laid out for this race too from the Henderson yard. He sports the first-time tongue-tie and also has the useful Freddie Gingell getting the leg-up.

The yard’s only win in the race came in it’s first run back in 2009 (Andytown).

📈Hot Stats:
– Gordon Elliott has won 3 of the last 8
– 14 of the last 16 placed in the top 4 last time
– 14 of the last 16 were 2nd season hurdlers
– Horses aged 8+ are 0-71
– Last winning favourite in 2011 (Sir Des Champs)
– More Martin Pipe Hurdle stats here

GOOD LUCK 🤞