Paul Nicholls shares his views on Bravemansgame’s renewed Gold Cup prospects as last year’s runner-up prepares to face Galopin Des Champs on Friday – and his four other runners at Cheltenham

Paul Nicholls has five horses running on Friday at Cheltenham Festival, including last year’s Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame.  

The contender will hope to pip defending champion Galopin Des Champs to the post in the showpiece race, while the trainer also has prospects in County Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.  

Here, the Betfair ambassador shares his thoughts on all of his runners on Day Four at Cheltenham. 

2.10 – Afadil 

He’s a useful handicapper with conditions in his favour and I’d love to see the ground dry up for him. He was raised 4lbs after a tidy success at Musselburgh early in February when the official going was good to soft which was ideal for him. If Cheltenham get more rain then I’d be in two minds about running him. 

Paul Nicholls has five horses running on Gold Cup Day at Cheltenham Festival this year

The trainer saw success with Monmiral on Cheltenham Thursday a 25-1 winner for owner Sir Alex Ferguson

2.10 – Rare Middleton 

The same comments apply to Rare Middleton who won tidily on decent ground on his last start at Doncaster in December. 

There is more to come from Rare Middleton who is now 6lbs higher, is still lightly raced but would prefer drier conditions at Cheltenham than he is likely to encounter.

2.50 – Captain Teague 

He’s a classy horse who showed a great attitude to see off three challengers in attritional ground in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury at the end of December. 

He’s a strong stayer, conditions are right for him and he worked really well on an away day at Kempton earlier this month. He is as fresh as fresh could be and has a lovely chance. 

3.30 – Bravemansgame 

He is back for another crack at the Gold Cup after chasing home Galopin des Champs a year ago which was a brilliant effort. I expect him to be in the shake up again and drying ground would help. 

Good to soft would be perfect for him. I don’t think we had Bravemansgame at his best in the first part of the season when his programme didn’t work out as I‘d have liked. 

But he has turned a corner since then, I’ve freshened him up and we have him right where he wants to be now. He worked great at Kempton recently and returns to Cheltenham in top order. 

Bravemansgame (right) will contest this year’s Gold Cup after coming second to Galopin Des Champs (left) last year 

5.30 – Sonigino 

He is probably handicapped right on his limit but he will not mind how testing it is at Cheltenham as the ground was almost unraceable when he bolted up at Aintree in December. 

Things didn’t work out for him next time at Kempton. But he’s got a good jockey Freddie Gingell and should have a sporting each way chance in a fiercely competitive handicap. 

Best chance

Captain Teague – 2.50 – I expect him to be staying on stoutly on his first start at this longer trip.