After Willie Mullins surpassed the 100 winners mark at the Cheltenham festival earlier in the week, it’s wise to look for his runners on the final day. KARGESE is expected to play a hand in the finish of the Triumph Hurdle after a decisive Leopardstown Grade 1 success last month. She finished ahead of the reopposing pair of Storm Heart and Majborough that day and can confirm form over this slightly longer trip. She is in receipt of 7lb from the majority of her rivals, with her filly sex allowance a valuable one.

ETHICAL DIAMOND is worth a small each-way wager if able to back up an encouraging sixth-placed-finish at Leopardstown last-time-out. Clearly learning plenty from a quiet debut effort, he made smooth headway before keeping on nicely under a tentative ride. There is the offer of further improvement with that run under his belt and he cannot be completely ignored from a place perspective at big odds.

KING OF KINGSFIELD is the standout selection in the County Handicap Hurdle. He’s not been missed in the market but has shown an abundance of smart form this season, including an excellent third behind subsequent Cheltenham festival scorer Ballyburn at Leopardstown. That is high-class form and his allotted handicap mark of 140 could seriously underestimate him.

ZENTA is certainly worth supporting as an each-way contender, following an encouraging third on handicap debut in strong company last time. The daughter of Pastorius kept on nicely from the rear that day, suggesting she has plenty of mileage in the handicap ranks. Unexposed over hurdles, she has the potential to be involved, especially with good Cheltenham festival form – she ran a huge race to finish third behind subsequent G1 Mares’ Hurdle winner Lossiemouth last year.

BY YOUR SIDE is a speculative place contender at massive odds for Gordon Elliott. A consistent type, he was in the process of running better than his odds suggested last time, prior to finding traffic in-running. He ran well on sole attempt at this venue and could outrun his odds, especially if playing the extra place markets.

READIN TOMMY WRONG rates an obvious challenger and is worth noting for a top-three finish or in multiple bets, having landed won both hurdle starts, including a battling victory at the top level in January. He has three miles winners in his family and could have further improvement to come, now racing over a longer trip. Keep him firmly in mind.

HIGH CLASS HERO continues to go from strength-to-strength this season, having won four-from-four for Willie Mullins, in novice company. Despite not contesting a grade event, the seven-year-old chestnut certainly knows how to win and must be seriously respected, arriving as an experienced hurdler. His latest success was a workmanlike effort but he should be seen to better effect with a truly run affair on this occasion.

LECKY WATSON is another contender for Willie Mullins. He ran a fine fourth in last season’s Champion Bumper, so we know he can handle the track at Prestbury Park. After winning a modest maiden, he stepped up considerably to run an excellent second to subsequent G1 Supreme Novice Hurdle winner Slade Steel at Navan. A keeping-on third behind the likely favourite for this race – Readin Tommy Wrong – enhanced his claims for this, considering he has the potential to improve now raised in journey. A first-time hood could also spark improvement.

This year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup promises to be a thriller, with GALOPIN DES CHAMPS aiming to join an illustrious roll of honour, by landing back-to-back victories. After a devastating seven-length win in the 2023 edition, he found Fastorslow a tough nut to crack in two races, before returning to something like his best when winning the G1 Savills Chase by 23 lengths at Christmas. He subsequently gained his revenge on Fastorslow and arrives at the peak of his powers.

FASTORSLOW has to be the main danger, with two successes over Galopin Des Champs last season, fresh in the memory. His upward trajectory from the handicap ranks has been remarkable and he’s still an unexposed individual over fences. With good Cheltenham festival form, it would be no surprise if he was able to be involved when it matters the most up the run-in, especially after wind surgery.

Grand National hero, CORACH RAMBLER, is a hugely popular horse, who has the credentials to play a stronger hand in this race than his double-figure odds suggest. A dual Cheltenham festival winner (scored in the 2022 and 2023 editions of the Ultima Handicap Chase), his spring form is exceptional and he has the requisite stamina to be finish strongly into the placings.

FERNS LOCK has the right profile to land this race, run over the exact same track and distance of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The seven-year-old Telescope gelding was giving 7lb to the market rival here, Its On The Line, in a half-length defeat at Down Royal. He is weighted to reverse form and is the one to beat, with an excellent chase record of four wins from six attempts.

PREMIER MAGIC is a Cheltenham specialist, who landed this prize last season, at a whopping 66/1. That was no fluke, as he’s subsequently won at the track again (by 17 lengths) and landed a brace of point-to-points in straightforward fashion. He is likely to be bang in there when it it counts, up the Cheltenham Hill, and offers punters genuine win potential.

QUINTIN’S MAN is one to note at each-way odds, as a course-and-distance winner, who is an ultra-consistent type. He may not have the class of those to the front of the betting, but he has the desired stamina reserves to keep on over this testing journey. Look for him to be picking up the pieces late for a placed opportunity.

ALLEGORIE DE VASSY would usually have the right credentials to be the market leader for this contest, having landed a brace of Grade 2 wins over fences already and being trained by Willie Mullins. This season, she has to play second fiddle in the market, as her handler is responsible for the clear favourite in the race, Dinoblue, who is a Grade 1-winning chaser, landing the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown in December.

She was impressive in beating the boys that day and on official figures should be tough to beat here. One potential stumbling block is the extended 2m4f distance at Cheltenham – she is yet to run at this trip and has performed mainly at the minimum two miles journey. Allegorie De Vassy warmed up for this target with a smooth four-length victory at Naas, leaving the impression that she is coming to hand to peak right now. With three victories over the mares’ chase distance or beyond, stamina is no issue and she was an excellent runner-up in this race last term.

LIMERICK LACE warmed up for this test with an authoritative demolition of her rivals in a Listed Doncaster chase for mares. She’s a consistent type who is a smooth traveller in her races, which should allow her to be involved in the shake-up rounding for home. With no concerns over her stamina, having scored over this distance three times, she holds notable claims to find the necessary improvement in this strong company.

RIVIERE D’ETEL cannot be discounted from an each-way showing, if able to show her best chase form. A largely consistent type, the Martaline mare was still in contention in last year’s renewal before falling and isn’t far off the pick of these runners on official ratings. She is an intriguing runner, having defeated Allegorie De Vassy by a wide margin earlier in the campaign and must be seriously respected.

The concluding event of the Cheltenham festival is expected to be a thoroughly competitive affair, run at a quick tempo from the offset. There are numerous genuine contenders, including NO ORDINARY JOE, who went into plenty of notebooks after his effort at Kempton last time. He lost a left-fore shoe during that race but still finished his race off strongly, under what could be described as tender handling. Second in this race last season, he is likely to play a part in the finish if replicating that good effort from just 1lb higher in the weights.

BETTER DAYS AHEAD could be lurking from a dangerously attractive handicap mark of 140, having showed excellent form in novice company behind subsequent G1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Slade Steel at Navan. As a thoroughly unexposed individual, he catches the eye for a trainer who has landed this prize twice in the previous seven years.