David Jennings' Cheltenham Festival tips on Friday: 'Everything about him screams Martin Pipe winner'

Deputy Irish editor and Upping The Ante star David Jennings takes you through the Cheltenham Festival card on Friday, headlined by the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (3.30). Can anyone stop Galopin Des Champs?

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Cheltenham Festival tips: Friday's card

1.30 Cheltenham
JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m1f

DJ's tip: Kargese

Is it not hiding in plain sight? Kargese won the Spring Juvenile Hurdle, by the way, yet she is not far off three times the price of Majborough who was only third. Make sense of that. Storm Heart was behind her too, and he's shorter as well. It makes no sense to me but maybe it does to you. It's Kargese for me.

Kargese13:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Danny Mullins Tnr: W P Mullins

2.10 Cheltenham
County Hurdle, 2m1f

DJ's tip: Bialystok

There was an almighty plunge on Bialystok ahead of the big handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival and he appeared to be tanking along when brought down at the second-last. His British mark is only 1lb higher than his Irish one and the helter-skelter of a race like the County Hurdle looks right up his street.

Bialystok14:10 Cheltenham

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Jky: Danny Mullins Tnr: W P Mullins

2.50 Cheltenham
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1), 3m

DJ's tip: Captain Teague

Maybe it is simply a case of the Mullins mob being better than the rest, as has been the case most of the week, but I can't help thinking Captain Teague has drifted out to a big price at around 8-1. He's already a Grade 1 winner who looks sure to be suited by this longer trip and his official mark of 142 puts him right in the mix.

Captain Teague14:50 Cheltenham

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Jky: Harry Cobden Tnr: Paul Nicholls

3.30 Cheltenham
Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1), 3m2½f

DJ's tip: Galopin Des Champs

Galopin Des Champs should be odds-on. It's a fine Gold Cup, but he's the finest horse in it. Sensational in the Savills, less sensational in the Irish Gold Cup, yet he still comfortably beat Fastorslow at the line. Nothing went right in last year's race apart from the result. He can do it again. Gerri Colombe is the each-way alternative.

Galopin Des Champs15:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Paul Townend Tnr: W P Mullins

4.10 Cheltenham
St James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase, 3m2½f

DJ's tip: Ferns Lock

I'm sick to the back teeth of people telling me Ferns Lock won't stay and he won't do this and won't do that. What he will do is win. He's high class and has a Racing Post Rating of 155 on his CV from the day he beat Billaway at Thurles last season. He looked as good as ever at that venue last time and this is the moment Barry O'Neill and David Christie share their first festival success.

Ferns Lock16:10 Cheltenham

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Jky: Mr B O'Neill Tnr: D M Christie

4.50 Cheltenham
Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase (Grade 2), 2m4½f

DJ's tip: Allegorie De Vassy

Allegorie De Vassy has a new work-rider and finished strongly to score at Naas last time. She traded at 1-3 in running on the Betfair Exchange in this last year before Impervious fought back. Keep the faith.

Allegorie De Vassy16:50 Cheltenham

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Jky: Paul Townend Tnr: W P Mullins

5.30 Cheltenham
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, 2m4½f

DJ's tip: Better Days Ahead

This is the best bet on Friday so hear me out. Better Days Ahead is 10-1 and shouldn't be the colour of that price. He was giving lumps of weight to Asian Master over an inadequate 2m at Navan last time and is crying out for this sort of trip. Danny Gilligan is a a Galway Plate-winning jockey and has won multiple Graded races. Everything about him screams Martin Pipe winner and how apt it would be if the 2024 Cheltenham Festival ended with a winner named Better Days Ahead. We can only hope.

Better Days Ahead17:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Danny Gilligan Tnr: Gordon Elliott

Day four highlights

The big race

The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (3.30) is the showpiece race of the festival and we are going to be treated to a cracker. Galopin Des Champs bids to win back-to-back runnings and there are lots of horses with genuine claims in opposition. Fastorslow, who has plenty of form with last year's winner, and Gerri Colombe are potential improvers, while Bravemansgame, L'Homme Presse and Grand National hero Corach Rambler feature in the home challenge.

The big horse

L'Eau Du Sud is sure to prove very popular for the BetMGM County Hurdle (2.10). His trainer Dan Skelton has won this race four times since 2016 and struck with Langer Dan and Unexpected Party in festival handicaps on Wednesday and Grey Dawning and Protektorat. Saturday's Imperial Cup provided a timely formboost to L'Eau Du Sud and Skelton also runs the recent Sandown second and last year's County Hurdle winner Faivoir.

The big story

To what extent does Willie Mullins end the meeting with a bang? The all-conquering trainer is eyeing another Gold Cup with Galopin Des Champs – and also runs an intriguing outsider in Monkfish – while he has four of the top five in the Triumph Hurdle betting (1.30), five runners in the County Hurdle (2.10), the top three in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (2.50) market and main Mares' Chase fancy Dinoblue among others. Another big day could be in store.

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