Cheltenham Day 4 Tips: Owen’s seven selections for Gold Cup day

It goes by very fast, doesn't it? We're onto the final day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. Gold Cup day.

Here's my Cheltenham Day 4 tips - including a 4/1 Nap in the big one.

13:20 - Selma De Vary @ 7/2

The fact Brian Hayes is on Macho Man in the Triumph Hurdle suggests he's Willie Mullins' fifth-string. That's not much of an endorsement for favourite Proactif, who was just under three lengths ahead of the Donnelly-owned four-year-old, who did plenty wrong in running, at Fairyhouse in January.

With that in mind, I'm keen on SELMA DE VARY, the pick of Paul Townend.

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The Rich Ricci-owned daughter of Zarak, who arrived at Closutton with plenty of experience from France, ran a huge race on debut for new connections in the Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival, finishing runner-up to the impressive Narciso Has, who'd have been a warm order for this if fit and healthy.

Mullins suggested before the race that the mare would improve plenty for the run, which puts her bang in the picture here.

How she'll act on this quicker ground is unknown, but she is given a huge chance in what looks a fairly modest renewal of the Triumph.

14:00 - Sinnatra @ 11/2

To be frank, SINNATRA has a huge chance for the Skeltons in the County Hurdle - a race they've won four times in nine years.

The six-year-old son of Walk In The Park was a €205k store who showed good form in bumpers for Paul Nicholls before moving to Dan Skelton's Alcester yard last year.

On debut for new connections at Newbury in November, at a time when the yard's novices were badly in need of the run, he was second to the 129-rated Captain Hugo - and in front of Storming George (126) and Klub De Reve (127) - after a significant mistake at the second last. He wasn't knocked about afterwards.

Three weeks later, he was runner-up to Act Of Innocence on return to Newbury. The latter was second in the Turners Novices' Hurdle on Wednesday and will likely be rated well into the 140s, so that reads extremely well in the selection's favour.

A non-event at Sandown in the new year resulted in a 55-length triumph, before another meeting with the aforementioned Act Of Innocence - this time in the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon over a bit further. The margin of defeat was larger, but I don't think he quite got the trip on the day.

He got that all-important fifth run at Warwick just 21 days ago, bolting up past Ben Pauling's 118-rated Four Springs, and now he lines up here off an unchanged mark of 133.

In all likelihood, a rating closer to 140 would be more reflective of his actual ability. If so, he's a dangerous proposition here.

14:40 - Dinoblue @ 2/1

The path of least resistance - DINOBLUE to defend her crown in the Mares' Chase.

I'll be watching from behind the sofa, for Willie Mullins' nine-year-old has a mistake in her, but with a clean round she ought to take a bit of beating.

Dan Skelton has been waxing lyrical about his 10-year-old Panic Attack, who's enjoyed a stellar season, but she's got 12lbs to find on official ratings. Spindleberry has less ground to make up, but I don't like her preparation (pulling up in the Irish Gold Cup).

Diva Luna and Only By Night are interesting, but my suspicion is they're not quite up to this level. It's hard to advise the rest.

15:20 - Mondoui'boy each-way @ 11/1

If there's a monsoon overnight and the ground softens up big time, the market leaders - Doctor Steinberg, Thedeviluno, The Passing Wife, Spinningayarn et al - will take a bit of beating in the Albert Bartlett. However, it's safe to say a sound surface is expected, which brings others into it.

I find MONDOUI'BOY very, very interesting for Ben Pauling.

The King George-winning trainer has been rather bullish about the six-year-old son of Castle Du Berlais, bought for £115k from the David Maxwell Dispersal in October, during the build-up to the Festival.

At a preview night, he said: "I've never known a horse come out of a race quite like this. He is literally firing on all cylinders. He's come in his coat completely, he looks insane and I'm now very sweet on him. I really am very sweet on him."

The race Pauling refers to was a standard novice event at Ascot in February, but he absolutely bolted up by seven widening lengths, beating the likes of Catchintsavo (rated 123).

It's hard to get a gauge on how high his ceiling is, which I quite like in a wide-open race like this. He acts on good ground, confidence is high and his trainer's got a decent record in the race of late. I think he's a cracking each-way bet.

16:00 - Gaelic Warrior @ 4/1

My Nap of the Day is GAELIC WARRIOR in the Gold Cup.

The eight-year-old son of Maxios, who's Willie Mullins' only runner and therefore the mount of Paul Townend after Galopin Des Champs was ruled out through injury, is hitting his prime and I think he'll take some stopping in a wide-open renewal of the Cheltenham Festival's blue-riband event.

Since a disappointing effort in the Dublin Chase over two miles at the 2025 Dublin Racing Festival, the former Arkle hero boasts form figures of 11132.

Those first couple of victories were in the Aintree Bowl and Oaksey Chase over in and around three miles at the end of last season - and the third was in the John Durkan at Punchestown at the start of the current campaign, beating Fact To File in gutsty fashion.

He was third in the King George, perhaps unfortunately as Paul Townend dropped his whip after the last, and then runner-up to the aforementioned Fact To File under Patrick Mullins in the Irish Gold Cup at this year's DRF.

That was a huge run and he should only improve for Townend taking over, plus the extra distance in the Gold Cup. Any rain between now and the off will help, too.

I fully expect him to reverse the form with The Jukebox Man, while I'd be disappointed if he wasn't able to beat the likes of Haiti Couleurs, Grey Dawning and Co.

The two I'm most worried about are Jango Baie and Inothewayurthinkin. If the latter is back to something like, he's obviously a huge danger, but I refuse to believe he is. It would be the training performance of the decade.

Jango Baie is the youngest horse in the field and I don't think he was seen to best effect in the King George. He can give us the most to think about.

But Gaelic Warrior has everything going for him. He's the right age. He's versatile in terms of ground, trip and tactics. He's got the blend of speed and stamina required in a Gold Cup. He's trained by the master, and ridden by the best in the business. He's the one for me.

16:40 - Con's Roc @ 11/2

This looks a deep renewal of the Hunters' Chase, with cases to be made for several of the 24 runners.

My vote goes to CON'S ROC, for Terence O'Brien.

The nine-year-old son of Shirocco is very lightly-raced, with just seven starts to his name - only three of those under rules.

He was third, just over a length behind Its On The Line at Down Royal on Boxing Day and comes here fresh, with cheekpieces on.

If any of these have scope to improve, it's him, so he's the bet for me.

17:20 - Air Of Entitlement @ 9/1

The Cheltenham Festival concludes with the Martin Pipe - a handicap hurdle over 2m4½f for conditional jockeys.

Last year's Mares' Novices' Hurdle winner AIR OF ENTITLEMENT appears to have every chance for Henry de Bromhead and Patrick O'Brien.

Since her success at Prestbury Park 12 months ago, the seven-year-old daughter of Westerner ran respectably under plenty of weight at Fairyhouse in November, before getting that all-important fifth run under her belt at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Her mark of 139 is very fair as I'm concerned, she's got experience at the track and conditions won't be a problem. Every chance.

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