This year’s renewal of the Gold Cup is genuinely so hard to call. There are just so many factors that you need to consider when scouring the card, like the fact it’s the first time in a very long time (if at all) that many of these horses are going to race in front of a boisterous 70,000-odd crowd at Prestbury Park, while there is so little form to go by when looking at the favorites — with the likes of A Plus Tard, Galvin, Minella Indo, Protektorat and Al Boum Photo all seems a bit hit-and-miss already this season. That’s why we believe that an outsider could come in from the left of field and go against all that is currently being said in the Cheltenham Gold Cup tips and win National Hunt racing’s blue riband contest on March 18th. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the horses with slightly longer odds that might have the ability to do just that. Read on to find out!
Tornado Flyer
Tornado Flyer has caused one upset already this season, beating second favorite Clan Des Obeaux over the line by a comfortable nine lengths to win King George VI Chase at Kempton Park back on Boxing Day, so who’s to say he can’t do it all over again at Cheltenham in a couple of weeks’ time?
Yes, his steeplechasing form is less than impressive — with King George just his third win from 12 over fences. But winning that race as a 28/1 outsider is a massive way to end that wanted nine-race winless streak and there’s no doubt a trainer of Willie Mullins’ caliber will have him primed and ready for this race. It’s also worth noting that Danny Mullins is a jockey in form and on the rise, having won over eight Grade 1s in the last two years, so that could be a huge factor in the Gold Cup.
Conflated
Another of the fierce Irish contingent who has made racing fans sit up and take notice this year, Conflated is heading into the Gold Cup on the back of successive victories and looks like a tempting choice at odds of around 16/1. After unseating Jack Kennedy on his seasonal reappearance at Listowel in September and finishing second next time out at Wexford, the eight-year-old finally got off the mark in a Handicap Chase at Navan in December.
But it was his victory in the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown that was the most impressive yet, as he beat current Gold Cup holder Minella Indo by over six lengths to win the Irish version of the Cheltenham highlight from 18/1. With Robbie Power confirmed to be taking the reins of the defending Gold Cup champion, Kennedy will be back in the saddle of Conflated and he certainly has the know-how after last year’s stunning exploits.
Chantry House
The horse boasting the best form out of our three selections is actually 20/1 chance Chantry House — but his lack of a Grade 1 victory this season is what is arguably keeping him behind the other two. Winning the Marsh Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham and the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree for the Grand National Festival was a fantastic way round of last season and the Nicky Henderson-trained horse picked up exactly where he left off by winning the Listed Future Stars Chase at Sandown in November.
Being pulled up by De Boinville in King George after dropping to rear following a few mistakes despite setting off at the favorite proved to be nothing more than a blip — as Chantry House returned to the winner’s enclosure at Cheltenham at the end of January after prevailing in the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase. He’s a horse that certainly loves Prestbury Park, having won three of his five races there, so one to watch!
