Mike Cattermole previews Cheltenham Gold Dup day

One of National Hunt racing’s strangest anomalies may be put right at Cheltenham on Friday as Djakadam is taken to provide legendary trainer Willie Mullins with an overdue first win in the Timico Gold Cup.

Mullins, extraordinarily, has trained the runner-up in this race six times, twice in the past two years from Djakadam who has chased home Coneygree and Don Cossack. And, my goodness, he is due a change of luck this week!

Last year, Djakadam’s preparation for the big day was not straightforward as he suffered a lacerated chest when falling on Trials Day in late January and Mullins was forced to lay off while he recovered. This year, the preparation has been smooth and that could make all the difference. 

Now he has to prove he is good enough in this most open of Gold Cups.

Attempting to win jumping’s Blue Riband at the third time of asking has echoes of The Fellow about it, although the French star took four goes after running second, second (both by a short head) and fourth.

In last year’s race, Cue Card was just being produced to make a challenge at the third last when he fell heavily, leaving Paddy Brennan with sleepless nights since. The Irishman is determined to right the wrong but time is creeping up on Cue Card and maybe his record this season, two good runs and two below his best, including in the King George at Kempton, is a sign that he's not as consistent as he was.

What A Myth was 12 when he won in 1969 and the last 11-year-old to win was Mandarin, back in 1962. But who would not want this great chaser to win?

Native River looks a proper Gold Cup-type and has taken the Master Oats and Synchronised route by winning the Welsh National. He also won the Hennessy in great style and his warm-up at Newbury was satisfactory, even if Bristol De Mai returned lame.

Native River will just keep on galloping and is a major threat to all.

I am quite intrigued by Sizing John as he appeared to enjoy being stepped up in trip in the Irish Gold Cup. I wonder how many of his rivals here would get to seven lengths of Douvan in an Arkle? There could be more to come from him and he is a darker one.

Champagne West won the Thyestes (as did Djakadam in 2015) in style and his jumping issues looked to be a thing of the past. He deserves to take his chance.

Jonjo O’Neill’s two challengers, More Of That and Minella Rocco would not be surprise winners, either. More Of That has had his issues but would have been involved in the finish but for falling at the last at Leopardstown, a race in which Minella Rocco (whose jumping is suspect) went early. But remember, he beat Native River in last year’s NH Chase.

The opening JCB Triumph Hurdle revolves around whether Defi Du Seuil is able to reproduce his smart form on a faster surface. If he can, he will be tough to beat.

That won’t be a bother at all for Master Blueyes who has made great progress since being beaten by Charli Parcs at Kempton over Christmas. I thought he was about to get his revenge there last time when Charli Parcs, who was though responding to pressure, fell two out.

It would have been good to see Divin Bere, who beat Master Blueyes at Huntingdon, hacking up in the Fred Winter, but he still ran very well under top weight. So, with Alan King, already a two-time winner of this, bullish about his grey’s improvement, I too am convinced.

Gordon Elliott has had a magnificent week and is set to have yet another good day as Mick Jazz is fancied to take the Randox Health County Hurdle, a race title that is just plain wrong - the new sponsors should be ashamed of themselves for removing Vincent O’Brien’s name.

Mick Jazz, only beaten by Labaik, no less, at Navan in November, was unlucky in the big handicap at Fairyhouse in December before running out a game winner at Punchestown. He looks just the type for this battle and won’t mind any sort of ground.

Elliott has an interesting back-up too in Tell Us More who looks attractively weighted compared to his chase form.

The King-trained Winter Escape is also worth a close look in the market as he was a bitterly disappointing favourite here last November in the Greatwood and is clearly a lot better than that.

Death Duty would have been one of Elliott’s bankers in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and confidence must be even greater now.

Although he tries three miles for the first time, Death Duty has been finishing his races off so strongly and looked to have the measure of Augusta Kate when she fell at the last at Naas.

Tom George’s horses have also been running very well this week and The Worlds End is a most likeable type who won well at Haydock in slow ground last time. He stays very well and is an attractive each-way shot.

Coo Star Sivola can give Nick Williams a good chance of a second handicap win of the week, and Lizzie Kelly a first Festival success, in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle.

A fine third in the Fred Winter on good ground last year, he is only 6lb higher now and warmed up at Warwick with a ridiculously easy victory last month.

Finally, Dandridge, runner-up in last year’s Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase, is also taken to show that there is nothing like course form by going one better this year. His chance was compromised by a bad mistake at the first 12 months ago and he is just 4lb higher here.

That said, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Paul Nicholls squeezing in a winner here with the novice Le Prezien.

SELECTIONS: 1.30 MASTER BLUEYES, 2.10 MICK JAZZ, 2.50 DEATH DUTY, THE WORLDS END (EW), 3.30 DJAKADAM, 4.10 ASK THE WEATHERMAN, 4.50 COO STAR SIVOLA, 5.30 DANDRIDGE

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