A Cheltenham Gold Cup Preview at Festival Trials Day

We could be in for a Cheltenham Gold Cup preview at Festival Trials Day as the Gold Cup contenders are in action in the day's feature race.


Here at BoyleSports we caught up with our horse racing ambassador Robbie Power to get his insight on the feast of racing in store for us this weekend ahead of Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham.

As we all know, Cheltenham is the biggest festival in the horse racing calendar and Saturday's racing is a vitally important day for horses, jockeys and trainer as they make their final preparations for the Cheltenham Festival.

The biggest race at the festival in March is the Gold Cup and the Cotswold Chase at Festival Trials day is almost like a Cheltenham Gold Cup preview as it gives a great indicator of form on the course ahead of the showpiece in less than two months time.

If you want to know more about Cheltenham Festival Trials Day then you can check out our recent post explaining everything you need to know about the event.

Now, let's get the thoughts of Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey Robbie Power ahead of Festival Trials day.

The Cotswold Chase on Saturday is a belter and a good chance for a few to throw their hats into the ring for the Cheltenham Gold Cup like Noble Yeats?

Absolutely. He was very impressive at Aintree in the Many Clouds Chase and took a big step forward.

But, I am really looking forward to seeing Protektorat. He was hugely impressive in the Betfair Chase and it will be interesting to see if he can repeat that. I know A Plus Tard was way below par. He is definitely the strongest British challenger for the Gold Cup.

Has Protektorat got what it takes to go up against A Plus Tard and Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup?

Definitely. We will see Galopin Des Champs at Dublin Racing Festival, so we will see how the next ten days or so can have a bearing on the Gold Cup markets. Protektorat was third last year in the Gold Cup, his season debut this year was very impressive and he’s definitely the number one English challenger.

This will have been the plan since he ran at Haydock. They never considered the King George on Boxing Day, they freshened him up for here en route to the Gold Cup. You also have Frodon, Noble Yeats, Ahoy Senor and they are all good horses but if Protektorat is going to stamp his authority on the Gold Cup then he has got to win here.

Trials Day is a very competitive card this year after the inclusion of the Clarence House and a top-class field in the Cotswold Chase?

It’s great to see a race such as the Clarence House be moved, previously it would have likely been scrapped but it’s great to have it moved and have a nine-race card at Cheltenham at the end of January.

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The Skeltons (Protekotrat trainer Dan and jockey Harry) certainly know how to win a big-money race on a Saturday . . . 

They have had a great season with some real big Saturday wins. I do think if Protekotrat and Noble Yeats turn up, I see Protekorat repeating his Betfair Chase win.

Trials Day perhaps isn’t quite as prestigious as Dublin Racing Festival but it’s still a good chance for a final run before the big one in March?

It is an important day, especially with the rescheduling of the Clarence House as this is the only chance the two-milers can run between now and the Festival because after this, you’re starting to get a bit too close to the Festival.

That’s especially the case with the Cotswold Chase over three miles and a furlong as staying chasers take a bit longer to recover. If this was delayed or didn't happen then the likes of Protektorat would be going straight to the Cheltenham Festival having not run since November, so it is a very important day.

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