Willie's mare can right 2024 wrong

Willie's mare can right 2024 wrong

- BRIAN FLANAGAN

LIKE that, in a flash, we've arrived at Cheltenham Gold Cup day already.

The first three days have come and gone very quickly and hopefully Cheltenham have saved the best of the week till last. It has been some week.

On what could be an historic day for Willie Mullins with Galopin Des Champs winning three Gold Cups, he can add another victory to his Festival tally with DINOBLUE (2.40) in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase.

She can atone for an expensive failure in this race 12 months ago when heavily backed but finishing runner-up to Limerick Lace, a mare also owned by JP McManus, when there was a suspicion she wasn't at her best.

She faces that Gavin Cromwell-trained rival once again but conditions appear more in her favour this time around and last year's winner has failed to win a race since.

Meanwhile, Dinoblue has been continuing to progress, and looked as good as ever when defeating the smart Allegorie De Vassy at Naas in the Opera Hat Chase.

Indeed, Dinoblue will be hoping it's third time lucky at Cheltenham having also finished runner-up in the 2023 Grand Annual Chase.