British Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls goes into this year’s Cheltenham Festival bidding to win the biggest race of the week- the Cheltenham Gold Cup – for a record-match fifth time.

Nicholls is considered one of the most successful National Hunt horse racing trainers in history. He won the Blue Riband contest in 1999, 2007, 2008 and 2009. If Bravemansgame is victorious this year, he will match the record set by Pat Taaffe.

Last Year’s Runner-Up Taking on Galopin Des Champs Again

Bravemansgame is 16/1 in the betting on Cheltenham Festival for the Gold Cup. The nine-year-old horse finished just behind Galopin Des Champs in the 2023 renewal of the race - an excellent run from the former King George VI Chase winner.

The defending champion is one of the leading Cheltenham tips this year, so Bravemansgame will need a big performance to reverse the form with the Irish horse in the day four contest. Willie Mullins’ runner comes into the race on the back of a victory in the Irish Gold Cup just weeks earlier.

Nicholls knows all about preparing a horse for the Gold Cup. He has run Bravemansgame three times this season, with his last appearance being at the King George VI Chase where he was second behind Hewick. The Ditcheat trainer has given him some time off since then to ensure he is as fresh as possible for his Cheltenham Festival assignment.