On the final day of the 2022 festival, all eyes will be on the Gold Cup, with Rachael Blackmore hoping to take the plaudits aboard A Plus Tard.
Three races run before that, however, with a total of seven races on Friday's card.
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (5.30pm)
Winner: Banbridge (Joseph Patrick O’Brien) 12/1
Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase (4.50pm)
Winner: Elimay (Willie Mulllins)- 9/4
Willie Mullins claimed an amazing fifth winner on the day and his 10th success at the 2022 Festival as Elimay grabbed the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase on the line.
Following on from Vauban, State Man, The Nice Guy and Billaway, the JP McManus-owned Elimay scored in the hands of Mark Walsh.
The Grade Two affair produced a thrilling finish with four in contention, but it was 9-4 chance Elimay who just edged ahead of Scarlet And Dove and Pink Legend.
St. James' Hunter Chase (4.10pm)
Winner: Billaway (Willie Mullins)-13/8
Billaway produced a devastating late finish to snatch victory in the St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase at Cheltenham.
The 10-year-old, completing a remarkable four-timer for trainer Willie Mullins, got up in the shadow of the post in the hands of his son Patrick to deny Winged Leader.
WHAT A FINISH 🤯
BILLAWAY absolutely storms home in the @sjpwealth Hunters' Chase.#TheFestival pic.twitter.com/yCOpyFAJ0y— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 18, 2022
Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (3.30pm)
Winner: A Plus Tard (Henry de Bromhead) - 5/2
A Plus Tard and Rachael Blackmore avenged their defeat of last year as they won the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
RACHAEL EXACTS HER REVENGE! 😮👏
A PLUS TARD wins the @Boodles Gold Cup for @HenryDeBromhead & @Rachaelblackmor a year after finishing second #TheFestival pic.twitter.com/uWwplqgBGo— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 18, 2022
Second 12 months ago to fellow Henry de Bromhead-trained runner Minella Indo, the pair reversed that form in style as the 3-1 favourite stormed up the hill to claim a stylish success.
Blackmore, who became the first woman to win the Champion Hurdle and Grand National last season, is now the first woman to land the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
⭐️ @rachaelblackmor - what it means to win the @Boodles @CheltenhamRaces Gold Cup#TheFestival pic.twitter.com/Vjy2N0Mx6t
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 18, 2022
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (2.50pm)
Winner: The Nice Guy (Willie Mullins) - 18/1
The Nice Guy made it two from two over hurdles and gave Willie Mullins the top trainer title at Cheltenham 2022 as he saddled a one-two in an eventful Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
With 2-1 favourite Hillcrest never travelling and pulled up after the fourth-last in the Grade One three-mile event, the race seemed at the mercy of second-favourite Ginto with Jack Kennedy’s mount tanking approaching the final bend.
THE NICE GUY makes it 3️⃣ on the day for @WillieMullinsNH winning the @albert_bartlett Novices' Hurdle!#TheFestival pic.twitter.com/vrfNltGPWq
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 18, 2022
Yet as he attempted to ease between rivals, he appeared to take a false step and suffered what sadly proved to be a fatal injury.
That left the free-going Minella Cocooner to fight it out with stablemate The Nice Guy, who had been produced with a timely run approaching the second-last.
Carrying the colours made famous by Monsignor, the Malcolm Denmark-owned seven-year-old outstayed his rival up the hill to score by five lengths, denying Paul Townend a treble. Minella Cocooner had four and a quarter lengths to spare over Bardenstown Lad.
McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle (2.10pm)
Winner: State Man (Willie Mullins) - 11/4
State Man continued the dominance of trainer Willie Mullins and piled on the misery for bookmakers at Cheltenham when powering up the hill to land a competitive renewal of the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle.
The inexperienced five-year-old, who fell in a maiden hurdle at Christmas and gained his first success in a Limerick maiden last month, was sent off the 11-4 favourite under Paul Townend.
His rider was cool under pressure, making stealthy headway down the hill and being produced between the last two flights of hurdles.
SO good from STATE MAN 😮💨
A quick double for @WillieMullinsNH & @PTownend after taking the @ltd_mccoy County Hurdle 💪#TheFestival pic.twitter.com/GZsTwF4TyJ— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 18, 2022
There was still work to do to wear down Eclair De Beaufeu, who was always up with the pace, and Colonel Mustard, who approached the last in front.
Yet State Man grabbed the stands rail, as Townend had done in the opening JCB Triumph Hurdle with Vauban, and jumped the last flight on a good stride.
He soon forged a length and a quarter clear and held that advantage to the line, defying the staying-on First Street, and Colonel Mustard who was a length and three-quarters back in third.
The first three, all novices, had West Cork, who also stayed on nicely up the hill, a further two and a quarter-lengths behind in fourth.
JCB Triumph Hurdle (1.30pm)
Winner: Vauban (Willie Mullins) - 6/4
There was a clean sweep for the Irish in the JCB Triumph Hurdle, with Vauban powering to victory at Cheltenham and leading home four of his compatriots in the Grade One that turned into a speed test.
Paul Townend was always well-placed, hunting the relatively sedate pace set by Porticello and Fil Dor before being produced wide off the final bend.
VAUBAN is a serious talent 🤯
He cruises clear to win the @JCBmachines Triumph Hurdle 👏#TheFestival pic.twitter.com/oJ1vXYZwlI— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 18, 2022
The Willie Mullins-trained Vauban was still on the bridle as he eased a length clear approaching the last and while he made a hash of it, landing on all fours, he soon regained his momentum.
Townend always had plenty up his sleeve and the 6-4 favourite drew readily clear up the stands rail to score by two and a half lengths from Fil Dor, trained by Gordon Elliott, whose Pied Piper ran on a further neck back third.
