Cheltenham Festival: See how the action unfolded on day three and day four
A total of 14 races across two days didn't disappoint in thrilling action at the Cheltenham Festival
Thanks for following our LIVE BLOG and make sure you see next week's Newbury Weekly News for all the reaction to this year's Festival.
The action concluded on day four, which saw Willie Mullins train four winners - including Al Boum Photo who won the Gold Cup.
Well, there we have it folks. After four days and a total of 28 races, the Cheltenham Festival draws to a close for another year. It's been a memorable one, for many different reasons.
Thomas Macdonagh, who was running for Lambourn trainer Jamie Snowden, took a fall on the final fence after being in contention for the win until the end.
In the final race of the day, a photo finish was required as the 25/1 priced Indefatigable secured victory for Banbury trainer Paul Webber.
FAST RESULTS - Martini Pipe Conditional (5.30)
1) INDEFATIGABLE
2) PILEON
3) GREAT WHITE SHARK
The Gordon Elliot-trained Chosen Mate backed up it's odds as favourite to win the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual, finishing ahead of stablemate Eclair De Beaufeu.
FAST RESULTS - Johnny Henderson Challenge Cup (4.50)
1) CHOSEN MATE
2) ECLAR DE BEAUFEU
3) US AND THEM
There was a shock in the Foxhunter as the 66/1 priced It Came To Pass stormed to victory for Eugine M. O'Sullivan, finishing ahead of Willie Mullins' Billaway and Shantou Flyer.
FAST RESULTS - Foxhunter Steeple Chase (4.10)
1) IT CAME TO PASS
2) BILLAWAY
3) SHANTOU FLYER
The win is also significant for Mullins as the victory was his fourth, from four, of the day. Some going from the Irish trainer and his team.
WOW! What a race. It's a second successive Cheltenham Gold Cup victory for Willie Mullins, Al Boum Photo and Paul Townend. Santini pushed the winner very close, but it wasn't to be for Nicky Henderson and his Seven Barrows team.
FAST RESULTS - Magners Gold Cup (3.30)
1) AL BOUM PHOTO
2) SANTINI
3) LOSTINTRANSLATION
Last year's winner, Al Boum Photo is favourite for this one as Willie Mullins bids to win a fourth straight race today. Meanwhile, Delta Work and Clan Des Obeaux are also well backed.
Just the one local runner in this big one, with Nicky Henderson's Santini aiming to score glory.
Well, next up is the featured race of the afternoon - and of the week. The Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Monkfish, ridden by Paul Townend does enough and it's Latest Exhibition and Fury Road who finish second and third respectively. What a finish.
Would you believe it, it's another winner for Willie Mullins and it's now three from three for him this afternoon as Monkfish does enough to hold onto victory.
FAST RESULTS - Albert Bartlett Novices' (2.50)
1) MONKFISH
2) LATEST EXHIBITION
3) FURY ROAD
It's the Albert Bartlett up next with Nicky Henderson [The Cashel Man] and Jamie Snowden [Kiltealy Briggs] both having runners.
Saint Roi finishes ahead of stablemate Aramon and it's another win for jockey Barry Geraghty.
It's a back-to-back win for Willie Mullins on the final day of the festival and it's also a 1-2 for the Irish trainer - he really is loving this year's Festival.
FAST RESULTS - Randox Health Handicap Hurdle (2.10)
1) SAINT ROI
2) ARAMON
3) EMBITTERED
Meanwhile Ciel De Neige is favourite for this one as the Willie Mullins-trained horse aims to go one better than last time out. The five-year-old finished second to Pic D'orhy in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.
The Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle is up next and we have some local interest in this one. Seven Barrows trainer Nicky Henderson has three runners in this one with Adjali, Elusive Belle and Rathill.
Wow! What a start to the final day. Goshen, the leading favourite, looked to be cruising to victory. However, on the final hurdle, fell and unsaddled jockey Jamie Moore and it was the Willie Mullins-trained Burning Victory who powered over the line to win.
FAST RESULT - JCB Triump Hurdle (1.30)
1) BURNING VICTORY
2) ASPIRE TOWER
3) ALLMANKIND
Meanwhile, the Paul Nicholls-trained Solo has been well backed for this one as has Dan Skelton's Allmankind. It should be a cracker.
The 13 horses, lined up for this first race, are heading towards the starting post. It's Goshen, trained by Gary Moore, who heads the betting for this one.
This is your 10 minute warning! We are almost ready to go for the final day of this year's Cheltenham Festival.
Ahead of the JCB Triumph Hurdle, we'll be bringing you everything you need to know for today's big sporting event.
Like yesterday, which was a fantastic day of action - which included a first-ever Cheltenham winner for Lambourn trainer Harry Whittington, we'll be bringing you all the updates across the day.
HELLO....It's Gold Cup day at Cheltenham as we prepare for the fourth and final day of this extraordinary racing festival. We're just under two hours until the opening race of the day - the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
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We'll be back with the LIVE BLOG tomorrow - thanks for following us throughout the afternoon.
It's been another stunning day at Cheltenham with a crowd of over 65,000 people. The Festival concludes tomorrow (Friday) with Gold Cup day.
It was an enthralling battle as the seven-year-old held off the challenge from Kilfilum Cross to end the day on top of the podium, while the Warren Greatrex-trained Bob Mahler finished in the places.
Trainer Gordon Elliot ended day three of the Cheltenham Festival in the same way he started as Milan Native secured victory in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup.
FAST RESULTS
1) MILAN NATIVE
2) KILFILUM CROSS
3) BOB MAHLER
It's a 1-2 for Willie Mullins as Concertista storms to victory in the Daylesford Mares' Novices' Hurdle, well clear of second-place Dolcita.
FAST RESULTS
1) CONCERTISTA
2) DOLCITA
3) RAYNA'S WORLD
After Saint Calvados came second, it wasn't long before Whittington had to wait for his maiden Cheltenham Festival winner. Happy Diva came second, while the Mick Channon-trained Mister Whitaker finished third.
Unfortunately, the Warren Greatrex-trained La Bag Au Roi did fall, but both the horse and jockey, Richard Johnson, were both okay.
WE HAVE A LOCAL WINNER! Simply The Betts wins the Brown Advisory and hands Harry Whittington his first Cheltenham Festival winner as a trainer.
FAST RESULTS
1) SIMPLY THE BETTS
2) HAPPY DIVA
3) MISTER WHITAKER
In the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle, there was a shock as Lisnagar Oscar - priced at 50/1 - battled hard to win. Ronald Pump (20/1) was second and Bacardys (33/1) finished third.
FAST RESULTS
1) LISNAGAR OSCAR
2) RONALD PUMP
3) BACARDYS
Speaking after the race, Whittington said: "I am so proud, you can feel the energy coming off of him - it was unbelievable. We wanted to bring the house down, I am gutted, but so proud of him because he has run a stormer.
"He will go up in trip next year and although I am gutted, I am thrilled for the horse because he has given everything and all the team at home have done a great job to get him here in pristine condition."
"I could feel the energy coming off him, I knew he was going to run a big race today and I knew the horse was ready to rock and roll.
"It was nip and tuck at the last, the door was slightly frozen and he had to come round. We are not defined by these moments as we'll brush ourselves off and be back for another day."
It's Min who wins the Ryanair Chase, closely followed by the Harry Whittington-trained Saint Calvados.
FAST RESULTS
1) MIN
2) SAINT CALVADOS
3) A PLUS TARD
It should be a cracking race with big names such as Aso, Frodon and Min all battling to win this one.
The Ryanair Steeple Chase is up next for the crowd at Cheltenham and we have the one local runner in this race as Saint Calvados runs for Harry Whittington.
It was a great run from Hughie Morrison's Third Wind, who finishes a respectable fourth place. I'm sure the East Ilsley trainer will be very happy with that.
It's back-to-back wins for trainer Gordon Elliot as jockey Barry Geraghty holds off the late threat from joint-favourite, The Storyteller, to win the Pertemps with the 10/1 shot, Sire Du Berlais.
FAST RESULTS
1) SIRE DU BERLAIS
2) THE STORYTELLER
3) TOUT EST PERMIS
Welsh Saint - trained by Nicky Henderson - and The Storyteller are currently heading the betting for this race. Meanwhile, Third Wind runs for East Ilsley trainer Hughie Morrison.
We hope you have settled down after that one as we have the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle coming up in five minutes time!
Faugheen had the lead for a lot of the race and was still in with a chance after the final fence, but Melon and Samcro pulled clear while Itchy Feet fell earlier in the race, but both jockey and horse got straight up.
Well! What a fantastic race we had there. The legend Faugheen gave it his all, but Samcro and Melon battled until the end, with a photo finish determining that the latter crossed the line first.
FAST RESULTS
1) SAMCRO
2) MELON
3) FAUGHEEN
Other horses to look out for in this one include Willie Mullins' Melon, the Davy Russell-trained Samcro and Annie Mc - who won at Newbury Racecourse last year.
Seven Barrows trainer, Nicky Henderson is looking to continue his tremendous start to the Festival as Mister Fisher lines-up in the opening race.
Meanwhile, the Olly Murphy-trained Itchy Feet is a close second in the betting as jockey Gavin Sheehan aims to kick start day three of the Festival with a win.
We have a field of 12 for the opening race of the afternoon - the Grade 1 Marsh Novices' Steeple Chase. Faugheen, who has won his last three starts, is currently favourite for this one. The 2015 Champion Hurdle winner recorded his 11th Grade 1 win at Leopardstown last month.
The winners enclosure is starting to fill up, but who will be gracing this famous podium this afternoon?
We're now less than an hour away until we hear that famous roar! The runners and riders will no doubt be preparing for the action to begin.
It's a little quiet at the moment, but believe us, you won't be able to see this much space at 1.30pm.
We're just over 90 minutes from the start of day three, with The Marsh Novices' Steeple Chase (Grade 1) kick-starting the action.
We'll be bringing you all of the action from the racecourse for the next two days as we get set for an extraordinary climax to racing.
Hello and welcome to our LIVE BLOG as we come to you from Cheltenham Racecourse, four day three of the iconic Cheltenham Festival.
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