Horse Racing Tomorrows runners

Lord Windermere, correct, runner-up by himself, and The Giant Bolster, left, battle it out within the 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Eighteen horses will line up for Gold Cup on Friday, the function battle associated with the Cheltenham Festival. Silviniaco Conti is a definite favourite after their King George romp. Can anything overcome him?

Bobs Worth

Slogged to Gold Cup glory in 2013, the great slow-motion finishes in rushing record. That made him a Grade One champion at three right celebrations and implied he had been unbeaten in five runs at Cheltenham, while many also mentioned he had never already been beaten immediately after striking the leading. But he is maybe not a large horse, their races always took a lot out-of him and then he features just once been able to perform to something like that form in the past two years. Looked uncomfortable on a dry area belated in last year’s Gold Cup, whenever 5th, and will be hard to fancy if the going turned into comparable. Today 10 and so more than any Gold Cup winner since 1998.

Boston Bob

Extended had a large reputation and place up two fine attempts in defeat at previous Festivals. Won a set of level Ones at Aintree and Punchestown last springtime and is easy to like if in any such thing like that form but happens to be disappointing this cold weather. Perhaps drier floor enable him yet again. Now 10 and as a consequence older than any Gold Cup winner since 1998.

Carlingford Lough

Has kept improving since landing the Galway Plate during summer of 2013, achieving a brand new top last time by landing the Hennesy Gold Cup at Leopardstown, the Irish same in principle as this race. Tony McCoy trips and has now a fair chance of a fairytale exit from Festival here however could worry about how many blunders Carlingford Lough made on their just past trip to Cheltenham. He was a novice at that time and it is entitled to fare better today.

Coneygree

A novice chaser, making him an item of fascination as a result runners are unusual inside most demanding of tests over walls. And indeed, i really do think this race is generally even more demanding of a horse versus Grand nationwide, largely because of the quality of opposition. What exactly is a newcomer doing right here after simply three starts over walls? Coneygree had damage dilemmas earlier in his profession and, although a novice, has already been eight. Just three associated with the last 10 Gold Cup winners were avove the age of that, so connections want to hit whilst the iron is hot. They were also wishing there would be a good amount of rain by Gold Cup time and may get their particular wish judging by forecasts when it comes to night before. Coneygree could easily be well worth their spot, evaluated on their extraordinary activities this winter, maintaining a tempo which forced other individuals into errors while his or her own jumping is splendid. These rivals will undoubtedly be harder to shake but he seems a new player.

Djakadam

Features morphed into Willie Mullins’ main competitor since an extraordinary show to win a major Irish handicap under top weight in January, his final run. That has been on bottomless floor, so this will change once more and Djakadam has-been disappointing on two previous visits to Britain. He dropped as a newcomer on final Festival, whenever their bouncing gradually deteriorated, and was packed as favourite for Newbury’s Hennessy in November. He’s simply six, so that it will probably be worth forgiving those blips but he continues to have quite to prove.

Don Cossack

Went third in Thursday’s Ryanair and declared a non-runner on Friday morning.

Holywell

Not more persuading on appearance but a winner during the final two celebrations, beating big industries in three-mile handicaps over obstacles and walls. He also won a Grade One newbie contest at Aintree last spring by 10 lengths. A couple of early-season flops most likely mean absolutely nothing a great deal, as he’d done similar things before coming great in past many years. Hosed up in a weak competition last time and can’t be far-off the necessary standard. Success with this you might be hard on Tony McCoy, which often rides him. Richie McLernon is within the saddle today, as for the previous two celebrations.

Home Farm

Has ground which will make with many of these after finishing seventh, beaten 22 lengths, into the Irish Hennessy. His only success over fences since their novices’ chase was instead gifted to him whenever a key competitor fell. Tackles Cheltenham the very first time.

Houblon Diverses Obeaux

Regularly operates to a high amount in good company but actual successes have now been tricky to find. Purely on book, he need to turn round Newbury Hennessy kind utilizing the champion, Many Clouds, simply because satisfy at amount loads this time, but the suspicion is Many Clouds is the much more modern. Had no response to Coneygree final some time beaten seven lengths after a-game effort. Beaten 24 lengths into ninth in last year’s Gold Cup and it is just one from seven during the track.

Lord Windermere

A stunning champion of final year’s Gold Cup at 20-1 following the first couple of in wagering had led over the past. That perhaps shouldn’t have been as surprising, since he’d won a Grade One beginner battle in the previous Festival, but he’d shown absolutely nothing in the middle. He’s been better in 2010, while nonetheless dropping all three races. Has actually eight lengths to help make on the first two through the Irish Hennessy yet not at all beyond him to manage when his instructor has him to top in mid-March when it comes to third 12 months in a row.

Many Clouds

Having outstanding season, landing the Hennessy at Newbury by three lengths and following up in a January competition right here which has had sometimes been a helpful Gold Cup test. Looks suitable type and most likely features more to give. Could be discovered wanting for rate if surface dried out but an excellent quantity of instantly rain is within the forecast which will assist him. Challenging fault.

On His Own

Failed by about an inch in final year’s Gold Cup after putting up with disturbance and ended up being arguably the deserving champion. That used two impressive efforts in the previous two months, it is therefore a problem that he's not in identical form now, having already been extremely disappointing 3 x from his final four. Still ran an excellent battle on the other side event, when 2nd to path To wealth within the Lexus. Aged 11 now, therefore is the earliest Gold Cup hero since 1969.