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Bryony Frost: Paul Nicholls is confident with Bravemansgame

Bryony Frost
16 March 2023
4:00 min read

Will Bravemansgame win the Gold Cup?

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Betfair ambassador Bryony Frost analyses the final day of the Cheltenham Festival, where she is very confident about Paul Nicholls' Bravemansgame in the Gold Cup.

Nicholls camp has confidence in Bravemansgame
Stay Away Fay is a lively outsider in Albert Bartlett
Lossiemouth v Blood Destiny will be interesting

Gold Cup day is finally here!

15:30 Gold Cup

It's all about the Gold Cup today and it won't surprise you that I'm in the Bravemansgame camp.

Last year's winner A Plus Tard has something to prove off his last run at Haydock in the Betfair Chase, but sometimes you can forgive those runs if their travel over hasn't been smooth.

The yard is certainly getting their tally of winners this week, but I'd rather be with Bravemansgame and Galopin Des Champs among what I'd describe as the race's main 'quality' horses.

Bravemansgame 1280.jpg

The worry perhaps with both of them is getting up the hill at the end of three miles and two if it's tiring ground for the last day, but Bravemansgame is a lot stronger this year - you can see that just to look at him - and Scott, who rides him every day at home, couldn't be happier with him.

No. 3

Bravemansgame (Fr)

Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Jockey: Harry Cobden
Age: 8
Weight: 11st 10lbs
OR: -

Paul has a fantastic record in the Gold Cup, and three of his wins have come with King George winners like Bravemansgame. Confidence in the camp got a massive boost on Thursday thanks to Stage Star's win in the Turners, so hopes are high.

The ground could be tacky and if it turns into a slog I'd start looking towards Stattler, who stays all day, and then Noble Yeats, but my preference is for Stattler if this is the case.

Mullins' to take over the Triumph

13:30 Triumph Hurdle

Willie Mullins 1280 x 853.png

We start the last day with the 13:30 Triumph Hurdle as always, and this year it has Willie Mullins' name all over it. I think Willie has the first four in the betting, so it's maybe just a case of which one.

Paul Townend knows them all and has chosen Lossiemouth, who looked unlucky when badly hampered at the Dublin Racing Festival and gets the fillies' allowance, which could be a big advantage.

You have to respect his choice, but it can't have been an easy one and Patrick Mullins will fancy his chances on Blood Destiny, who has looked very good too.

We've been hammered in the novice hurdles so far this week, and it could well be the same here, but I'm going to show a bit of loyalty and suggest that Jupiter Du Gite could reward each-way support for Gary Moore.

No. 14

Lossiemouth (Fr)

Trainer: W. P. Mullins, Ireland
Jockey: P. Townend
Age: 4
Weight: 10st 9lbs
OR: -

The stable does so well with juveniles, and he was very impressive at Newbury before disappointing at Cheltenham in the Trial, where he was too keen. They won't be hanging about here and if he settles better he's a player at a big price.

Stay Away Fay has every chance

14:50 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

Irish runners also look to dominate the 14:50 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, but Paul has a live outsider in Stay Away Fay.

I've been with Stay Away Fay quite a bit at home of late, and I've schooled him too. It's going to be a bit of a war of attrition for these novices, so jumping and stamina are going to be key.

He's been very sharp on his feet at home, and he really will stay as his stride is quite relentless. I think we can forget about his Doncaster defeat as it was a rough race.

No. 17

Stay Away Fay (Ire)

Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Jockey: Harry Cobden
Age: 6
Weight: 11st 7lbs
OR: -

I also need to mention Secret Investor in the 16:10 St James's Place Hunters' Chase and Irish Hill in the 17:30 Martin Pipe Conditional Riders' Hurdle.

Winning what was then the Foxhunters Chase six years ago for Andy Stewart on Pacha Du Polder was the best day of my racing life at the time.

It's the amateur's Gold Cup, and it's what gave me the chance to step up to the professional ranks and get to ride all those good horses like Black Corton, Frodon and Greaneteen.

It was a big thing for me that day just to walk out in the Big Buck's colours, and winning like we did, never coming off the rail, was awesome.

I won a Denman Chase on Secret Investor the only time I've ridden him in a race, and that was such a fun ride on a horse who is an absolute gent. He's got the quality obviously for a race like this, but my reservation is that he wouldn't want it too soft.

Irish Hill has gained a lot of confidence from his recent wins at Fakenham and Ascot and I've never known him in better form at home. He's bucking and kicking in a way I haven't seen before, and I think he's got a big chance in what's obviously a very competitive handicap.

My Fakenham trio

13:40 Novices' Handicap Chase

I'm going to be watching the action from Fakenham, where I've got three good rides.

The first of them is Brandisova, who I won a hurdle on at Fakenham last month, in the 13:40 GB Driveways Surfacing Norfolk & Suffolk Novices' Handicap Chase.

Brandisova didn't take to fences as we'd hoped a year ago, but she's jumping a lot better now and if she can transfer the improvement she's shown lately back to fences she'll have a good chance.

Betfair Fakenham.jpg

I then ride Mistral Nell, another of Lucy Wadham's, in the 14:20 Robert Case Memorial Maiden Hurdle.

She was pulled up last time, but mares' seasons can play havoc with them at this time of year and I think that might have been a factor. I won a bumper on her at Fakenham last season and this is not a great race, so she's got the form to go close.

Finally I ride Rare Middleton for Paul in the 15:45 Country Food Trust Fakenham Silver Cup Handicap Hurdle, and he's probably the best of them on paper.

Paul has a great strike rate at Fakenham - Irish Hill and Toothless are his only runners there so far this season and I won on both of them - and Rare Middleton has lots going for him.

He gets in on bottom weight thanks to the weight-for-age allowance, despite having been placed in the Adonis at Kempton, and he was useful on the Flat in Ireland, where he won a hot maiden over ten furlongs at Leopardstown, so he ought to be fine around Fakenham. He should have a great chance.

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