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AND so we come to the final day of the Cheltenham Festival and the jewel in the crown, the Cheltenham Gold Cup at 3.30, which this year will be a real war of attrition in the conditions. Only two horses since 1972 have managed to win back-to-back Gold Cups — even the great Kauto Star couldn’t manage it, so I am going to play against Galopin Des Champs and plump for a wager on his old rival FASTORSLOW. The score between them is two apiece, but he didn’t get the pace in the race he needed when second to his old buddy in the Gold Cup at Leopardstown last month.

This stiffer track, bigger field and therefore a likely faster pace on will suit his style down to the ground. If the forecast rains come then I could see runaway Welsh National hero Nassalam maybe running into a pace, while both Gentlemansgame and the still lightly raced Monkfish could also run well. The last named would have been a shoo-in for me if he had run in the Stayers Hurdle on Thursday, and Willie Mullins must feel he retains all of his old ability for him to take his chance in the big one.

With Sir Gino sadly withdrawn from the Triumph Hurdle at 1.30, I think this represents a massive chance for the filly Kargese to take advantage. Stamina is her undoubted forte and she can make the most of the allowance that she receives from the boys and 7/1 looks a fair crack of a price to me. But even better value could be BUNTING who is having only his third start and looks ready for a test of this extent and will love it on the New Course.

The big betting race of the day will be the County Handicap Hurdle at 2.10 and I reckon that BIALYSTOK could be thrown in at the weights off a mark of 139. He looked sure to win a Listed handicap hurdle at Leopardstown last time out, only to be brought down at the second last flight, and getting lumps of weight from last year’s runner-up Pied Piper and that classy mare Zenta, he can land yet another festival winner for the incomparable Willie Mullins.

I have no real fancy in the Foxhunters Chase at 4.10 where you can always guarantee a massive-priced horse hitting the frame, but I am rather sweet on the claims of ANSWER TO KAYF in the final race of the meeting, the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle at 5.30.

If this son of Kayf Tara were trained by an Elliott, Mullins or Nicholls he would near enough be vying for favouritism, but Terence O’Brien is as shrewd a trainer as there is and he has been placed in graded hurdles this season and for a horse of his age he has few miles on the clock.