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Former Olympian Victoria Pendleton on Pacha Du Polder. Tim Goode
Provisional licence

More Irish success at Cheltenham but Victoria Pendleton's performance wins many new fans

The former Olympian rode Pacha Du Polder to fifth place in the Foxhunters.

HE WON’T BE officially credited with the win as he’s yet to gain his full licence, but the Joseph O’Brien trained Ivanovich Gorbatov has romped home to claim the JCB Triumph Hurdle.

The JP McManus owned four-year-old trailed Apples Jade over the last but showed a better turn of pace up the hill under Barry Geraghty to come home by a length.

The fancied Willie Mullins/Ruby Walsh challenge, Footpad, finished third.

While Aidan O’Brien will be officially credited as the winning trainer, the horse is managed on a day-to-day basis by his son Joseph who quit racing this year to take up training but won’t receive his licence until doing his exam in May.

It was yet another winner for Ireland as they continue to dominate the 2016 festival.

There was a first win of the week for the Skeltons as the Dan-trained and Harry-ridden Superb Story (8/1) picked up the day’s opening handicap in a race that saw Ruby Walsh take a heavy fall ahead of the Gold Cup.

The festival’s top jockey also fell in the next when Long Dog went down with what looked a serious injury as Unowhatimeanharry (11/1) claimed a surprise victory in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Noel Fehily’s mount swerved from side to side but still had enough in hand to beat longshot Fagan (33/1) and Champers on Ice (20/1).

The the Foxhunter Chase — a race known as the amateur Gold Cup — Nina Carberry and On The Fringe (13/8) justified their favouritism with a strong performance in race that was dominated by Victoria Pendleton in the build-up.

The former Olympian finished fifth following a strong jumping performance.

The final two races of the festival were won by Ibis Du Rheu (14/1) and Solar Impulse (28/1) who took the Martin Pipe and the Grand Annual respectively.

Results

1.30 – JCB Triumph Hurdle
1. Ivanovich Gorbatov 9/2
2. Apples Jade 5/1
3. Footpad 11/1

2.10 - Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle
1. Superb Story 8/1
2. Fethard Player 33/1
3. Sternrubin 33/1
4. Wait For Me 8/1

2.50  - Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
1. Unowhatimeanharry 11/1
2. Fagan 33/1
3. Champers on Ice 20/1
4. Barters Hill 4/1

3.30 – Cheltenham Gold Cup
1. Don Cossack 9/4
2. Djakadam 9/2
3. Don Poli 9/2

4.10 - Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup
1. On The Fringe 13/8
2. Marito 4/1
3. Paint The Clouds 9/2
4.50 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Hurlde
1. Ibis Du Rheu 14/1
2. Flying Angel 8/1
3. Sky Khan 50/1
4. Tully East 50/1

5.30 – Grand Annual 
1.  Solar Impulse 28/1
2. Dandridge 8/1
3. Rock The World 9/2f
4. Savello 25/1

Don Poli the most likely as Irish trainers close in on Gold Cup: Cheltenham Day 4 Preview

Poll: Who do you think will win today’s Gold Cup at Cheltenham?

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