Cheltenham Festival LIVE: Latest news and updates including late addition for Friday’s Gold Cup race

While no match for Constitution Hill two years ago, State Man did emerge victorious in his absence last season and is back to defend his title.

The chestnut suffered successive defeats to Brighterdaysahead before winning his third Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown last month, but how much can be garnered from that victory is questionable given his stablemate Lossiemouth crashed out four flights from home.

Mullins has decided to fit his charge with cheekpieces for his return to the Cotswolds, telling Racing TV at Cheltenham on Monday morning: “I just put them on him last week during work and we were very happy with it.

“He’s an older horse who has been running since he was three and he’s lazy, isn’t he? When Lossiemouth fell (at Leopardstown) he didn’t do anything, he just thought he wasn’t in a race.

“He was always laid-back and only ever beats what he has to beat – he never goes and wins by 10 lengths. He’s a horse with a lot more ability I think than people think he has, so we’ll find out.”

Brighterdaysahead has been beaten only once in 10 outings to date and that was at last year’s Festival when third behind the reopposing Golden Ace as an odds-on favourite for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Elliott has no track concerns, though, as he blames himself for that defeat.

He added: “She only had one blip and that was in Cheltenham last year and that was my fault because I said to Jack (Kennedy) ‘don’t set the race up for Paul Townend (riding Jade De Grugy)’ and Willie probably said the same thing to Paul. The two of them seemed to look at each other and something went by both of them like a bullet.

“I always go back to what Jack Kennedy said to me, that she doesn’t quicken she just gallops. She’s got a cruising speed and when she gets into it it’s hard to stop her – she’s a relentless galloper I suppose would be the term to use.”

Gordon Elliott is confident Brighterdaysahead has what it takes to serve it up to Constitution Hill in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

Not many would have had the Gigginstown House Stud-owned mare down as a genuine contender for the two-mile crown in the autumn, but back-to-back defeats of Willie Mullins’ reigning champion State Man – and in particular her 30-length demolition job at Leopardstown over Christmas – put her right in the mix.

After toying with the idea of taking the perceived easier option of the Mares’ Hurdle, connections confirmed last week they would roll the dice and bid for Champion Hurdle glory with a six-year-old who is held in the highest esteem by her trainer.

“I’m not going to say she’s the best I’ve trained because I’d be telling you a lie, but she knows how to win and that’s what you want, isn’t it?,” said the Cullentra House handler.

“She’s been good over two and a half miles, but was impressive the last day over two miles.

“I just decided to miss the Irish Champion Hurdle because we started off early in Down Royal and we’ve had three runs, so we didn’t need to have four before Cheltenham. I just thought I’d freshen her up.

“I always thought she was very good and I always said from day one what I thought of her.”

Our experts give their best bets and 10 horses to watch on day one:

Alan Shearer has had a stake at the Festival previously through part-ownership of Augusta Kate, who was trained by Willie Mullins.

But he’ll be cheering on the equine Shearer and can’t wait to soak in four days of racing: “I’ve been to Cheltenham and had a runner, with Augusta Kate, at the Festival. It was amazing to go into the parade ring, with the other owners and trainers it was brilliant. It’s a side you don’t usually see as a punter – it was brilliant to experience.

“I once had a winner at Cheltenham, not at the Festival, but Trials day, which was a 50-1 shot. Unfortunately, I was actually playing that day at St James’s Park.

“We had a horse called Akilak and the other owners, my mates, had gone down to watch the horse and half of my other mates were in my box during the game.

“I got into the dressing room, the manager did his team talk, and then I snuck my phone into the toilet to see if I could check on the result!

“We won the match as well so it was one of the better days. We went out to celebrate both wins afterwards – it was a great day!”

Alan Shearer is looking forward to watching a horse named in his honour at the Cheltenham Festival this week.

The equine Shearer will take his place in the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase for 14-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls and will be ridden by his daughter, Olive. The nine-year-old is a perfect four from four over fences and made an impressive return to this track this season following a 601-day absence.

He was partnered by Olive Nicholls when winning a Ffos Las Hunters Chase by a remarkable 37 lengths before a quick return to action saw him win at Taunton to qualify for the race at Prestbury Park.

Former Newcastle and England captain Shearer told Betfair: “Cheltenham is an amazing place and I can’t wait to watch all the action this week. I do really enjoy it – I used to have a share in a horse with a few of my pals. We’ve had some great days out and some bad days out, which is all part of the sport, isn’t it?

“There’s a special horse running on Friday, trained by Paul Nicholls, called Shearer, fantastic. I mean, Shearer, running in the St James’s, come on! I want to wish everyone the best of luck for Friday. I really hope it goes well, good luck Paul, Olive and all the connections. It’s won two from two this season and hopefully it will be three from three.”

Former jockey Jason Maguire tells the Racing Post: “Shane [McCann] told me this morning she’s a certainty.

“He said Jack Kennedy will give her a kick off the bend and they won’t see which way she went.”

Constitution Hill might have something to say about that, but it should be a cracking battle.

L’Eau Du Sud, who numbers Sir Alex Ferguson among his ownership group, was a beaten favourite in last year’s County Hurdle on Gold Cup day, the same afternoon the Willie Mullins-trained Majborough won the Triumph Hurdle.

His chasing bow was eagerly awaited and he lived up to the billing in victory at Fairyhouse in December, before making light of a few sketchy jumps to win at the Dublin Racing Festival.

He is unlikely to get away with any mistakes here, but Mullins is relaxed on that front.

“I thought he got a bit close to some fences the last day, but he did everything right. I didn’t mind his jumping, I thought he was learning on the job,” he said. “I don’t think he ever had a real scare, so I thought his jumping was fine. When he wanted one at the third-last, which is what you want to see at the end of the day, he flew it and then got over the last two, so I was happy with his jumping and I was happy that he learned a huge amount.”

Hot favourite Jonbon and previous winners Captain Guinness and Energumene are among eight runners declared for the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Although beaten in two previous Festival appearances, having chased home stablemate Constitution Hill in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle three years ago and El Fabiolo in the Arkle the following season, Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon is a odds-on across the board to make it third time lucky at the showpiece meeting.

The JP McManus-owned nine-year-old did not take part in last year’s Champion Chase, but has since established himself as the leading light in the division by winning his second Shloer Chase at Cheltenham, his second Tingle Creek at Sandown and his first Clarence House Chase at Ascot.

Energumene provided Willie Mullins and Paul Townend with back-to-back victories in this race in 2022 and 2023, but was unable to bid for the hat-trick last term due to injury. The 11-year-old returned from a year and a half off the track with victory in the Hilly Way at Cork in December, but was firmly put in his place by Jonbon at Ascot in January.

L’Eau Du Sud and Majborough are unbeaten over fences and bid to prove a big field is not needed for a great race when they clash in the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

“At Warwick last time I didn’t use fitness as an excuse because I thought we had him fairly fit, but he will improve for it. It wasn’t a good excuse, he was fit enough to go and win,” said Dan Skelton on L’Eau Du Sud.

“What was impressive was the way he jumped and the distance he put between himself and a good horse between the third-last and the last, Rubaud was rated 150 over hurdles don’t forget. Rubaud jumped really well at Warwick, too, and stayed on. After jumping the last Harry (Skelton) just shook him up, a little bit of company wouldn’t have done any harm. The way he jumps, the most taking part of the race was between three out and the last.

“At Sandown the ground was against him, but he was very good in the Henry VIII despite not being at his best on that ground. He will arrive on the crest of a wave so there’s not much I don’t like.

“The fact he’s got the experience is a box ticked, it’s helpful to have it than not. He’s had almost as many runs over fences as Majborough has had in his life, but the one thing you can’t make up is talent and Majborough has an unbelievable amount. I think it will be a great race, but I have a lot of faith in my horse.

“Majborough to me looks like a big, galloping horse that will keep going. They’ve been positive on him over fences as they know he stays well, which is a great asset to have.”