Third time lucky is not usually the right prescription for the Gold Cup, a race in which those who fail once tend to keep on failing, but Silviniaco Conti (3.20) may finally get it right in the showpiece race of the Festival. In doing so, he would give Paul Nicholls a fifth win in the race, matching the record for a trainer.
This dour chestnut looked a possiblewinner when suffering a slithering fall in the 2013 race. He seemed to have the trophy in the bag as he led over the last a year later, but wandered around on the run-in and lost three places close home in one of the most bizarre of Gold Cup finishes.
The racing surface was on the dry side that day, which may have been why he looked so uncomfortable, but 9mm of rain is in the overnight forecast, which should give us ground on which a lot of these sturdy steeplechasers feel more at home. We may get the kind of going on which Silviniaco Conti has twice won the King George VI Chase with total authority and it can help him to be a Cheltenham hero at last.
It will also help Coneygree and this front-running novice seems likely to make things very difficult for a lot of these runners. But this is a big field of classy, experienced rivals and, unless he is truly exceptional, they will hunt him down at some point.
Many Clouds should be in the reckoning at that stage, while Road To Riches ought to get into the argument. Djakadam is another that would appreciate rain and he may make a bold attempt to give Willie Mullins a first Cheltenham Gold Cup.
1.30 Nicky Henderson fields three strong contenders but this ought to be about Peace And Co, whose two British starts have been extremely impressive and include a course-and-distance success.
2.05 From the Eddie Harty yard that once won a Festival Grade One, Sort It Out appeals as an unexposed animal on the upgrade. Having won over further, he was stepped back to this distance last time, winning handsomely, and should have more to give.
2.40 There is a risk in putting a first-time hood on Tea For Two, who may have had enough talent to win this in his unheadgeared state, judged on his extraordinary Lanzarote romp. But in the hope that it will confer the intended benefit of settling him for this first attempt at three miles, he is taken to win.
4.00 It is rare to see winners of this aged 10 or older and Seventh Sign, a six-year-old, appeals, having established some useful point to point form since joining Adrian Maguire from Alan King last year.
4.40 Roi Des Francs is a likeable beast from the Mullins yard who won with some ease in the same Clonmel race used to prepare last year’s winner of this race. Any rain will help.
5.15 Mullins also has a big chance in the Festival closer with Blood Cotil, who certainly looks well treated, though his jumping will need to improve on what we saw at Naas last time.
