DELTA WORKS FOR ME

Ben Morgan goes with Gordon Elliott in a wide-open Cheltenham Gold Cup

- Ben Morgan

FRIDAY LINE-UP

1.30 Triumph Hurdle
2.10 County Handicap Hurdle
2.50 Albert Bartlett Hurdle
3.30 Cheltenham Gold Cup
4.10 Foxhunter Steeple Chase
4.50 Grand Annual Chase
5.30 Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle

Gold Cup

The feature race of the whole week looks set to be one of the most competitive renewals in recent years. I genuinely think I could back four or five of these so it’s very hard to pick just one. Al Boum Photo was tipped for a place in this same column last year and he ended up taking home the whole lot. He has done nothing to harm his chance in this year’s renewal from what he has done so far. He looks a sensible bet, but for some reason I can’t get too excited about him this time around.

His stablemate Kemboy got put into his place by DELTA WORK last time out and he had no known excuses. Gordon Elliott’s charge has taken his form up a level this season and his win in the Irish Gold Cup cemented his place towards the top of the betting here. Elliott has always had the utmost faith in the selection and, given his top-class form, I find him the most solid option in this race. At 11/2 he offers good value and edges a narrow vote.

Had Lostintranslation not been pulled up in the King George I may well have tipped him to win this, but coming here off the back of that isn’t the best of preparations. Before his King George run he looked the next big thing and it came as a huge shock to me that he ran so badly at Kempton. I think it was too bad to be true but stats suggest horses who pull up on their last run don’t often win the Gold Cup. But with that said I do think he is a good horse and is worthy of some each-way support.