Cheltenham Festival LIVE: Latest suggestions, racecards and outcomes from Gold Cup Day as Gaelic Warrior and The Jukebox Man battle for glory as heavy rainfall hits the monitor in a single day

Maestro Conti and Minella Study both think they’re in with a chance, but the Willie Mullins-trained horse is first over the final hurdle and then can’t be caught by even his closest rivals!

… as Fantasy World, the leader pulls out before the second-last.

Like Selma De Vary, he’s someway back, but moving up now and improving. Fantasy World still leads with confidence.

Lord Byron far back looks to make ground, but finds the bunched pack difficult to navigate.

Nico de Boinville heads a length clear over the second hurdle, ahead of Mon Creuset. Maestro Conti and Minella Academy are some way towards the back of the pack.

Proactif is looking lively on the outside, but there’s a mistake for Macho Man over the quick flights of hurdles! He’s pulled up.

Our first race on the final day is underway, and happily, unlike yesterday, we avoid a false start. The crowd let out their trademark roar, as Highland Crystal leads the pack from the off, alongside Fantasy World, and Macho Man.

Selma De Vary (P. Townend) 5/1

Maestro Conti (Harry Skelton) 5/1

Minella Study (Ryan Mania) 6/1

Highland Crystal (J.W Kennedy) 15/4

Proactif (M.P Walsh) 4/1

Macho Man (J.B Hayes) 9/1

Minella Academy (D.E Mullins) 14/1

Mon Creuset (Harry Cobden) 20/1

North Shore (Keith Donoghue) 18/1

Kai Lung (S.F O’Keeffe) 22/1

Apolon De Charnie (P.W Mullins) 28/1

One Horse Town (Paul O’Brien) 35/1

Fantasy World (Nico de Boinville) 50/1

Indian River (Kielan Woods) 50/1

Forty Fifty (Jonathan Burke) 40/1

Lord Byron (Ben Jones) 90/1

Noemie De La Vis (D.King) 70/1

Tenter Le Tout (Gavin Sheehan) 50/1

Berto Ramirez (D.J O’Keeffe) 200/1

Wolf Rayet (Robert Dunne) 200/1

Odds courtesy of Paddy Power

The British trainer didn’t hold back when discussing the shambles that have been the starts at Cheltenham this week.

Talking to Betfair, Nicholls called for more ‘common sense’:

Some of the starts this week at Cheltenham have been so shambolic that the races were won and lost at the start. It’s as simple as that. So many professionals are talking about this that I hope we are listened to. John Francome did a great piece yesterday in which he said, ‘It’s been bad for 10 years, it is an embarrassment to the sport and it should have been changed.’

Rules are rules, I get that, and I’m not pointing the finger of blame at anyone in particular, but we need to take a long look at ourselves. It is embarrassing for the sport, the way some of it is run, with some of the starts held on a corner or a bend. The whole thing needs reviewing, and I am glad to read that that’s what’s going to happen because we need to change. It is not good.

We need to get together, talk it through and come up with ideas about what we want to change. In a championship race it is going to be hard to get everybody to walk in a straight line – that’s just doesn’t happen – and sometimes a bit of common sense would help, like with the Jack Richards yesterday, there might have been one or two a little bit behind, but they could have let them go first time. That would have been a good start but every time this happens they go, the crowd groans, and you just know.

We need common sense, I know rules are rules, but you are talking about a lot of animals in championship races, where everyone wants to get out of their gate quickly, and sometimes you just have to let them go. But I don’t know the answer. A lot of good brains will get together and come up with something. I am glad they are finally admitting that it is a shambles and they need to look into it. It is embarrassing for the sport. It is so important.

Someone said yesterday that you don’t win races at the start, but you do lose them at the start. That was true for No Drama This End and a number of other horses this week. It’s become the talking point of the week when what we should be talking about is great racing at Cheltenham.

Look at the blue skies overhead! It’s a beautiful day after yesterday’s blowing winds and grey drizzle.

The Jukebox Man looks resplendent in the sunlight too.

It’s still competitive heading into the final day between the British and Irish trainers – something we haven’t always been able to say in recent years.

Instead, it’s finely poised as the Irish lead by an inch.

Ireland 11-10 Britain – but what will the final day hold?

Envoi Allen has won three Grade 1s at Cheltenham, and the 12-year-old goes out on his shield today with a final spin in the Gold Cup.

He probably can’t do it but… my, if he could.

Taking the worlds of sport, arts and culture, royalty, and… farming, there’s no shortage of stars in the paddock.

Graeme Souness and Zara Tindall certainly isn’t a duo that immediately springs to mind.

Yesterday was a day for the bookies rather than the punters, as favourites were skittled left, right, and centre.

But that’s not to say that all of those looking to make a special Cheltenham flutter were down on their luck, as Betfair shared.