Cheltenham Festival 2021: Gold Cup day – live!

7.18am EDT 07:18

An email: An intriguing bit of correrspondence dropped into my email yesterday morning, which I meant to post on the blog but proceeded to completely forget about. So, with apologies and in the spirit of late being better than never, over to you Hanna Coltman …

“Twelve years ago, our diminutive hero Kayf Aramis stormed up the hill giving Venetia William’s her first win of the day and Aiden Coleman his very first win at the Festival,” writes Hanna. “He said the first is always the one to remember. Does he? Kayf Aramis was, apparently, put in for a social ride. We still cannot fathom how he won. Was it the roar of the crowd or was he intent of getting away from all those brutish Irish rivals? What an unforgettable day!”

Here’s a post-race interview I’ve found with Kayf Aramis’s owner Isobel Phipps Coltman, who I’m guessing might be Hanna’s … mum?

Kayf Aramis wins the 2009 Pertemps.

6.55am EDT 06:55

Millie Wonnacott: Jockey Millie Wonnacott faces “several weeks” on the sidelines after injuring her neck in a fall yesterday.

Prominent conditional Wonnacott, who was due to have her first ride for top trainer Paul Nicholls on the final day of the showpiece meeting, was unseated at the fifth on Kansas City Chief in Thursday’s Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.

“Unfortunately yesterday at Cheltenham Millie Wonnacott injured her neck after her fall on Kansas City Chief in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle and will now be out of action for several weeks,” said a statement issued by her management. “Millie was booked to ride Fabulous Saga in the Martin Pipe conditional hurdle and have her first ride for multiple champion trainer Paul Nicholls. Millie has been in excellent form this season and she will be back stronger than ever.”

Rex Dingle will replace her on Fabulous Saga in the closing race of this year’s Festival. Wonnacott spent three months sidelined with a broken back suffered in a fall at Newtown Abbott last year, returning to partner Doing Fine in the London National at Sandown in December.

Millie Wonnacott injured her neck in a fall from Kansas City Chief Chief yesterday. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/PA

6.00am EDT 06:00

Rachel Blackmore: “Even if Al Boum Photo wins on Friday, this Festival seems likely to be remembered first as the one that unfolded in front of empty grandstands, and then as the meeting where Blackmore dominated the week,” writes Greg Wood, from Cheltenham. “It seems to be the story of Al Boum Photo’s career. There is always a better story that pushes him down the list.”

5.53am EDT 05:53

Our racing correspondent sets the scene …

Greg Wood

Good morning from Cheltenham on Gold Cup day, ahead of a Friday afternoon that could well deliver an “I was there” moment, even though there’s no-one here. Rachael Blackmore seems likely to set off as joint-favourite at least to win the Gold Cup on A Plus Tard at 3.05, and victory in the Festival’s showpiece event would make her the first rider since Norman Williamson in 1995 to win both the Champion Hurdle and the Gold Cup at the same Festival.

Oh, and the first female jockey to win the Gold Cup, of course, but then that was only ever a matter of time, because men and women have been competing as equals in racing for decades…

Anyway, Blackmore is having an almost Dettori-like effect on the betting markets on Friday morning, having racked up five winners over the first three afternoons including doubles on both Wednesday and Thursday. She is also 1-6 to end the week as leading rider – Jack Kennedy (6-1) and Paul Townend (14-1) are the only plausible rivals still standing – and has an obvious chance for a sixth winner of the week on Quilixios in the opener.

Blackmore has five rides on today’s card while Kennedy – who is 2-0 up in terms of second places, which could be significant if it comes to a countback – has six. The Triumph Hurdle at the top of the card is the most interesting head-to-head between the two, as Quilixios and Kennedy’s mount Zanahiyr were stable companions at the Gordon Elliott yard until three weeks ago. A win for Blackmore should pretty much seal the deal in terms of the top jockey prize, while Kennedy getting to within one winner would open it right up.

Simon Claisse, Cheltenham’s head of racing, reports this morning that the ground has continued to dry, and the going is now good-to-soft, good in places. Some thoughts on possible winners this afternoon are here, and all the news, views and images of one of the great days in the racing calendar will be here all afternoon. Good luck and enjoy the ride!

Updated at 5.55am EDT

5.50am EDT 05:50

Cheltenham Festival: Gold Cup day

Horse racing needed a hero this week but it got a heroine instead. With five winners and two big feature races to her name Rachael Blackmore is the name on everyone’s lips going into the final day of the Festival and the quiet Irishwoman could make further history today by winning the meeting’s blue riband event, the Gold Cup.

She rides A Plus Tard in the big one and her very presence in the saddle means the already fancied Henry De Bromhead-trained seven-year-old has attracted a further tsunami of bets to upstage Al Boum Photo as he attempts to become one of only five horses in history to win three Gold Cups. Golden Miller, of course, remains the standard bearer with an astonishing five consecutive victories in the race between 1932 and 1936.

There’s plenty more action either side of the Gold Cup, so please join us for a day hi-octane equine action as we bring you news, colour, updates, tips and reaction.

Updated at 5.53am EDT