Out top tipster, Daryl Carter takes on final day of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, with a group of selections across the card, which of course features the Gold Cup itself. Check out his selections below, along with an excellent Bet £10 – Get £50 Sign-up bonus at bet365.
VAUBAN – (1.30 Cheltenham – 2pts win, 2/1)
VAUBAN looked right out of the top draw at Leopardstown, and I was blown away by the performance. The form could not have worked out better, and his debut run behind Pied Piper suggests he could have the beating of that reopposing rival.
His blistering speed means he can be situated anywhere in a race, and that’s a huge asset. He needs to step forward again, but he has a class angle about him, and this won’t be the last we see of him at Grade 1 level.
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STATE MAN – (2.10 Cheltenham – 2pts win, 4/1)
Plenty to like in here, but STATE MAN could prove extremely well-handicapped given this horse was touted to be the Mullins’ Supreme candidate at the start of the year. He has been given an opening handicap mark of 141, and that just looks very workable.
He cleared away from albeit inferior rivals under an easy ride by Richard Deegan at Limerick when on a recovery mission after falling at Leopardstown on debut (travelling strongly). What he did in the latter part of the race was extremely eye-catching and took me by surprise. He could potentially be a very smart horse, and he will surely leave this mark beyond him sooner or later and apply his trade in Graded company.
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HILLCREST – (2.50 Cheltenham – 2pts win, 7/2)
HILLCREST has impressed with the manner in which he has not only travelled through his races but the dominance over his rivals at the finish. His latest run at Haydock and first over 3m recorded an excellent time figure, and in the hope, he has not left his race behind there, he is by far the most persuasive option in this contest.
He will be ridden prominently to avoid any trouble, and his relentless, powerful cruising speed will hold him in good stead in what will likely be tacky ground. He looks the typical old fashioned Albert Barlett horse, and with the Irish not having much strength in depth, this is his for the taking. Minella Cocooner is feared the most, but Paul Townend didn’t choose him at Leopardstown, which suggests they thought they had one better, and the strength in their squad for this contest may not be as it once was.
*Disclaimer, Eric Bloodaxe is a horse I have tipped ante-post .
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GALVIN – (3.30 Cheltenham – 1pt win, 3/1 ) (have tipped Minella Indo also earlier in the season)
GALVIN ticks all the boxes for this contest, and the ground should dry in his favour with dry warm days the last two. He is a dour stayer, as he showed when winning the National Hunt Chase last year at Cheltenham to take his course record to 1126.
He travels strongly through his races and arrives on the back of a career-best run when scoring in the Irish Gold Cup when he could arguably have that effort upgraded. He is improving and has done nothing wrong, and he ticks all the boxes to make his first crack at the Gold Cup a winning one.
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DUBAI QUEST – (4.10 Cheltenham – 1pt win, 9/1)
DUBAI QUEST arrives looking for an eighth consecutive victory, and his rating of 137 puts him in with a big shout here. His jumping has improved throughout this season, and his latest effort when giving nine pounds to Le Breuil at Wetherby in comfortable style is not form to be scoffed at in this race. He beat a certain Oma Maretti in February 2020 by 12 lengths, and his form has worked out excellently well at each and every turn.
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PREMIER MAGIC – (4.10 Cheltenham – 1pt win, 14/1)
PREMIER MAGIC is completely unexposed, and he has done nothing but improve with his form working out very eye-catching well. He scored in good style over Wishing And Hoping (rated 145) by seven lengths a while ago, and his comfortable win over Ennistown and Igor ties in with a fair few of these. He arrives this season after scoring over Porlock Back in December and then scored by 20 lengths in January. He will run well.
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REWRITETHERULES – (4.10 Cheltenham – 0.5pt each-way, 150/1)
REWRITETHERULES is a big price here, and this is punty, but he caught the eye last year in the Aintree Fox Hunters Chase when travelling strongly (all over Billaway) before a few mistakes called for his rider to pull him up. He has some striking form for his last handler, and although his two runs have been below par this term, he is a wild price considering he caught the eye from an unpromising position behind Winged Leader last June and was only beaten five lengths.
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ELIMAY – (4.50 Cheltenham – 1pt win, 9/4)
ELIMAY has been building to a spring performance, and her form is rock solid from this race last year when touched off by Colreevy and the tongue-tie and cheek-piece addition last time at Naas was no bad move by Willie Mullins. She is very straightforward and consistently runs up to her rating of 155.
She took to this course extremely well last term, and she is the one to beat. Mount Ida will jump out to the right, and she won’t get away with it at this trip today, while Concertista has been 10lbs below her hurdle form over fences. Elimay should be winning this.
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LANGER DAN – (5.30 Cheltenham – 2pts win, 5/1)
There are a few interesting ones in here at bigger prices but there a none better handicapped than LANGER DAN. He did remarkably well to finish second in this race last year off 2lbs lower and take out the subsequent Grade 1 winner, he was nine lengths clear of anything else in the race. His prep run at Taunton was just that, an air ride.
Since last year, this has been the target, and it’s hard not to think this horse is worthy of a rating of at least 145-150. He is improving, and on an upward curve and with luck he should take a world of beating.
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DARYL CARTER’S BEST BETS
VAUBAN – (1.30 Cheltenham – 2pts win, 2/1)
STATE MAN – (2.10 Cheltenham – 2pts win, 4/1)
HILLCREST – (2.50 Cheltenham – 2pts win, 7/2)
GALVIN – (3.30 Cheltenham – 1pt win, 3/1) (have tipped Minella Indo also earlier in the season)
DUBAI QUEST – (4.10 Cheltenham – 1pt win, 9/1)
PREMIER MAGIC – (4.10 Cheltenham – 1pt win, 14/1)
REWRITETHERULES – (4.10 Cheltenham – 0.5pt each-way, 150/1)
ELIMAY – (4.50 Cheltenham – (1pt win, 9/4)
LANGER DAN – (5.30 Cheltenham – 2pts win, 5/1
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