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As it happenedended1489765825

Cheltenham Gold Cup live: Sizing John surges home to see off challenges of Djakadam and Cue Card

Keep up to date with all the runners and riders on St Patrick's Day

Charles Reynolds
Friday 17 March 2017 10:41 GMT
Comments
Sizing John surged home from the last fence to earn Jessica Harrington a first Gold Cup
Sizing John surged home from the last fence to earn Jessica Harrington a first Gold Cup (Getty)

The Cheltenham Festival comes to a conclusion on Friday with the fourth and final day of racing taking place, with the Gold Cup taking centre stage.

Day three of the festival saw jockey Ruby Walsh ride four winners after having none to his name from the previous two days but is favourite to win the Gold Cup at 3.30pm on trainer Willie Mullins’ Djakadam.

Friday’s racecard:

1.30- JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo, Class 1, 2m 179y, 15 runners)

2:10 - Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (5yo+, Class 1, 2m 179y, 26 runners)

2:50 - Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered As The Spa Novices' Hurdle) (4yo+, Class 1, 2m 7f 213y, 15 runners)

3:30 - Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+, Class 1, 3m 2f 70y, 14 runners)

4:10 - St. James's Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase (5yo+, Class 2, 3m 2f 70y, 24 runners)

4:50 - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (4yo+, Class 2, 2m 4f 56y, 24 runners)

5:30 - Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (5yo+, Class 1, 2m 62y, 24 runners)

Follow all the live action below…

Please allow a moment for the live blog to load…

Tips:

1.30: Defi Du Seuil

2.10: Air Horse One

2.50: Death Duty

3.30: Djakadam

4.10: Wonderful Charm

4.50: Battlefort

5.30: Rock The World

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Good morning and welcome to day four of the 2017 Cheltenham Festival! 

There's plenty to get stuck into today with seven races on the cards though today is of course all about the Gold Cup at 3:30pm with Djakadam, Cue Card and Native River currently leading the betting. Should be a thriller.

Stay tuned as we bring you the latest news and tips from this afternoon's races.

Charles Reynolds17 March 2017 11:46
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Cheltenham Festival 2017: Tips and odds for day fourThe IndependentWell somehow Frightday is already with us and punters have had a terrible first couple of days with a number of favourites, including Douvan, beaten. Gold Cup day is one of the great buzzes of the year and if Milborne Port magician Colin Tizzard can secure the big prize (3.30pm) courtesy of Cue Card, I reckon the roof of the grandstand is in danger. This horse, who is now 11, seems to have been around forever and amazingly first caught my attention in 2010 when he won the champion bumper at 40-1.

Charles Reynolds17 March 2017 11:46
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After his fantastic Thursday, Ruby Walsh eyes third Gold CupThe IndependentAs punters staggered out through a lawn of shredded, booze-soaked betting slips after the second day of Cheltenham, Ruby Walsh sat contemplative, aghast.  How could it be that the County Kildare-born jockey who had made this festival his own did not have a single race victory to his name halfway through the 2017 renewal of national hunt racing's premier meeting?

Charles Reynolds17 March 2017 11:47
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Five things we learnt on day three of CheltenhamThe Independent1. Mullins and Walsh back in business with fab four-timer After two desperately disappointing days, trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Ruby Walsh made their presence felt at the 2017 Festival in some style with a fabulous 179-1 four-timer. Yorkhill set the ball rolling in the JLT Novices' Chase, followed by Un De Sceaux in the Ryanair, Nichols Canyon in the Stayers' Hurdle and Let's Dance in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle, as Mullins motored past 50 Festival winners.

Charles Reynolds17 March 2017 11:48
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609da900-31f6-4a07-bd01-1e455fd69f8a.jpgA horse! 

Charles Reynolds17 March 2017 11:55
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First race up today is the JCB Triumph Hurdle where Defi de Seuil is currently the 5/2 favourite, with Charli Parcs not far behind at 4/1. Gordon Elliot trained Mega Fortune is fancied by some and has longer odds of 12/1. 

Charles Reynolds17 March 2017 12:34
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I'm fully expecting it to fall at the first hurdle but my accumulator for today is: Charli Parcs, Winter Escape, Death Duty, Sizing John, Wonderful Charm, Rather Be and Rock the World. Got a whole pound coin riding on it... 

Charles Reynolds17 March 2017 12:38
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41ffc1fd-66df-41b3-b7b2-24c245e37c74.jpgIt's the Gold Cup 

Charles Reynolds17 March 2017 12:39
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Charles Reynolds17 March 2017 12:51
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Less than half an hour until the first race of the day, the JCB Triumph Hurdle. After their four wins yesterday, will there be another win for Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins? Their horse Bapaume goes out at 11/1.

Charles Reynolds17 March 2017 13:08

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