2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup Preview: Going for Gold

 

The Cheltenham Festival continues to draw ever nearer, with a strong, competitive field seemingly lining up for one of the strongest Cheltenham Gold Cup renewals of recent times. 

Whilst Bob's Worth disappointed in the Betfair Chase, the performance of Cue Card (8/1) was one of significant magnitude, triggering a plethora of emotions amongst the yard of Colin Tizzard as his son Joe powered to an easy victory in the most competitive of races. 

Cue Card followed up that performance with a fine second placed finish in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day, running out of petrol late on despite looking home for all money, and connections have seemingly opted to take in the Gold Cup this season rather than defend their title in the shorter Ryanair Chase a day before.

That may leave the door open for First Lieutenant (16/1) to claim the top level victory that he has deserved, with the Ryanair Chase seemingly a marginally preferred option at this stage, but few would write off the chances of Mouse Morris' charge if he were to turn up in what is building up to be a showstopping renewal of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

An exceptional animal with an amazing jump amongst his weaponry, his 2014 Cheltenham Festival odds of 16-1 look somewhat appealing.

No Cheltenham Gold Cup would be complete without an attack on the prize by Paul Nicholls, and the Ditcheat handler is double handed this year with the King George VI victor, Silviniaco Conti, and the unexposed Rocky Creek.

Silviniaco Conti (7/2) was an unfortunate faller in this race last season, with the contest just about to turn into the final competitive stages at the time. Many believe that Nicholls' charge would've been challenging up the hill after the last flight and with the belief that Silviniaco Conti is even better this year there could be some anxious moments for backers elsewhere as Nicholls' star chaser looms boldly with two fences to go. 

Victory for Last Installment (7/1) in the Irish Hennessy saw Philip Fenton's star return from a lengthy lay off to claim one of the more competitive chases of the Irish season. Whether Last Installment can provide a similar, and somewhat stronger performance, come Cheltenham given his injury hindrances of the past is open for some debate, but if Fenton's new kid on the block were to match his last race performance there could be an Irish name on the Gold Cup for the first time since 2006.