It’s Cheltenham Friday so that can only mean one thing, it’s time for Cheltenham 2023’s Day Four, the final day of this racing extravaganza. On this page you’ll find Cheltenham Day 4 betting guide, tips and offers.
13:55 – The McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle Race
14:30 – The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Race
15:05 – The WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup
15:40 – Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Steeple Chase
16:15 – The Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Steeple Chase
16:30 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
As is the case on every Day Four at Cheltenham, it’s all about the Gold Cup! This prestigious race is one of the most coveted by jockeys, trainers, owners and racegoers alike. It is for this reason that it is seen as one of, if not, the highlight of the entire four-day event.
So, if you’re betting on Cheltenham Day Four, then you may want to have a quick look at our handy comparison table. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best sign-up offers available, so you can spend more time making winning bets!
While it’s true that every one of the 21 races to have already been run between Tuesday and Thursday will have brought joy and excitement to somebody, Friday is what it has all been leading up to – Cheltenham Gold Cup day 2023.
Cheltenham Festival Friday has been special ever since 2005 when the meeting was extended from three days to four, meaning a championship race could be staged every day of the festival. The Gold Cup however truly is the pinnacle and that takes place on this day, backed up by the Albert Bartlett Novices’ and the Grand Annual.
Cheltenham races on Friday 17th March stages the last seven of 28 fantastic races for the week between 13:20 and 16:30 and, given that this is the biggest betting day of the week, Cheltenham day 4 offers will be abundant from bookmakers so keep an eye out for those. Here’s how the last day of the festival looks.
Having Cheltenham runners on Friday is a huge thrill for connections who will be looking to enter into one of the following events.
An event for the four-year-old juveniles only, this race is run over an extended two miles, in fact just shy of two miles, one furlong. Naturally a Grade 1 race, this is typically a ferociously competitive heat given that we have no idea just how good these young horses can be until they get to this very stage. Given the unknown quantities in the field, the £125,000 in prize money and the small matter of eight flights for the inexperienced hurdlers to clear, it is a great betting race. The Triumph Hurdle has been on the calendar since 1939 and in recent times such greats as Kribensis and even Tiger Roll have won the event before going on to even better things.
The County Handicap hurdle is one of the biggest betting races, as handicaps tend to be, because the field will be so tightly grouped it will be incredibly difficult to confidently predict the winner.
The County Hurdle is a Grade 3 race run over the same two miles, 79 yards distance as the Triumph, carrying £100,000 in prize money and is available for those aged 5+.
Some argue that this event has lost a little of its aura, as it was traditionally the last race of the whole festival, but its move in the schedule since 2009 hasn’t made it lose its excitement at all in truth.
The last three winners of this race have gone off at odds of 20/1, 33/1 and 12/1 which shows how difficult a race it is to predict, making it a race that bookmakers generally get back any previous losses on.
Very much known by its popular sponsor name these days, the real title of the Albert Bartlett is the Spa Novices’ Hurdle which is the main back-up to the big race on the card, coming with a prize fund of £125,000 and carrying Grade 1 status.
This novice-only event is open to horses aged four and over, takes place over a trip just short of three miles and features twelve hurdles around the New Course.
On the card since 2005 when the festival was extended, the Albert Bartlett has already been won by some top future staying hurdlers and chasers, Bobs Worth and Unowhatimeanharry being among them.
This year it appears to be a wide-open division for sure, with Thyme Hill topping the market currently at 10/1 meaning this could be one of the toughest Cheltenham Friday 2022 races to call.
Then it’s the final day showstopper, yes, it’s the Gold Cup! Make sure you’re ready for 3.05pm as this is where the excitement is on our last day of racing. This Grade 1 encounter is one of the most beloved races in the British racing calendar. Run over 3 miles and 2½ furlongs with a whopping 22 fences to be tackled.
The ‘Blue Riband’, the pinnacle, the reason everybody will be there. Cheltenham races Friday is all about this; the Gold Cup.
While the Grand National is the biggest betting event of the year and the Champion Hurdle shows off the quickest horses National Hunt has to offer, this race is the highest quality event in the entire sport with the very best of both Britain and Ireland going for the title.
It goes without saying this is a Grade 1, it is open to those aged 5+, is run over a gruelling three-and-a-quarter miles, features 22 fences on the New Course and this year is worth at least £625,000.
To win this race a horse must be able to stay what is a tough trip around here, they must jump well, have enough tactical pace to get into a challenging position when the going gets tough, have balance, and ultimately possess enough class to see off the best in the sport.
It’s probably not a surprise then that the names of some previous winners just roll off the tongue; Desert Orchid, Best Mate, Kauto Star, Denman et al. Last year the race was taken by Al Boum Photo for Willie Mullins who will have a strong hand once again, the same horse and his Kemboy featuring highly in the ante post betting.
Lostintranslation is the current favourite while the likes of Santini and Cyrname may yet join the party. Whoever lines up, get you bet that the majority of Cheltenham day 4 tips will be centred around this race.
Read More about betting on the Cheltenham Gold Cup 2023.
After the excitement of the Gold Cup comes the Foxhunter Steeple Chase, or, as it is commonly known as the ‘amateur Gold Cup’ at 4.10pm. This race is for amateur riders upon horses aged five years and older. Over the distance of 3 miles and 2 ½ furlongs there are 22 challenging fences to be cleared successfully.
The atmosphere for the Foxhunter Chase is often rather strange given what has preceded it, but in its own right it is another great festival race to fight for over the Gold Cup distance.
At just £45,000 the race is not overly valuable, but that is often the case when dealing with hunter chasers. That said, some pretty good horses have won this since 1946, recently the likes of Salsify, On The Fringe and Pacha Du Polder have taken more than one renewal and become Cheltenham favourites, something last year’s winner Hazel Hill will be looking to achieve too.
After the relative lull of the Foxhunters comes another step back up. The Grand Annual Challenge Cup is a Grade 3 handicap chase worth £110,000, run over two miles on the New Course and featuring 14 fences.
The Grand Annual is the oldest race at the festival having been on the go since 1834 and in that time, it has lost none of its appeal. Recent winners have included Solar Impulse and Le Prezien and we wait with great interest to see who is put forward for the latest renewal.
All good things must come to and end, and unfortunately that includes the Cheltenham Festival. The final race of the meeting is the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, a race that honours the great former trainer and allows the younger riders to have the final say.
Curated in 2009 this race was named in honour of Martin Pipe. A National Hunt trainer who was Champion Trainer fifteen times along with 34 victories at Cheltenham Festival. Quite a fitting tribute.
This is open to conditional jockeys on board horses aged four years and older at 5.30pm. It is run over a distance of 2 miles and 4 ½ furlongs with nine hurdles to be navigated.
The race is for those aged four and over, takes place over two-and-a-half miles and will be worth £70,000. Entries are not yet in and would be numerous, as this is a competitive race with which to finish off a terrific week of racing but does offer punters one last chance to get a winner.
Tips for Cheltenham 2023
Coming soon
The main races you will want to be getting your money on are undoubtedly the Grand Annual, and, of course, the Gold Cup. There are likely to be plenty of amazing offers on the Gold Cup in particular, so keep your eyes peeled.
Cheltenham 2023 Friday races are crucial and as such, key trials run right throughout the season. For Gold Cup runners, races such as the John Durkan Memorial at Punchestown, the King George VI at Kempton, the Christmas Chase at Leopardstown, the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham and the Irish Gold Cup back at Leopardstown are particularly important.
It is not often seen as the most action-packed days of racing from the Cheltenham Festival, but, it is without a doubt one that should not be overlooked when your placing your bets. With the Gold Cup and the self-proclaimed ‘Amateur Gold Cup’, you would be mad not to get on these two races.
What’s more is, with this being the last day of racing from Cheltenham, you will find that bookies are likely to be even more generous as they look to cash in on bettors on the final day of this huge racing event. That, is where we’re looking to provide you with the best comparisons of offers, and, information to help you make the most of their generosity – and make them wish they hadn’t offered you it.
All in all, it’s the final day of the event, so make sure you and your betting go out on top!
Harvey Mayson has worked as a horseracing writer, blogger and tipster for several of the UK’s leading bookmakers and numerous other specialist racing sites. Harvey has great knowledge of horse racing history and was the author of the Paddy Power Cheltenham Festival and Aintree Grand National blog for three years. Harvey’s blog at the Cheltenham Festival in 2014 included a 100,000-1 ante-post four-timer while he correctly forecast the first four winners on Grand National day in 2015. He also tipped three Grand National winners in a row and eleven consecutive winning nap selections.