Following three days of action-packed racing we are back for the finale of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival and one of the most iconic occasions in the sport, the Gold Cup.

Yesterday it was Flooring Porter and Allaho who stole the show by spectacularly retaining their respective titles, while the fall of Galopin Des Champs will also linger long in the memory. But today, the world will be watching at 3.30pm when 2021 champion Minella Indo, runner-up A Plus Tard and Al Boum Photo are among 11 contenders in the showpiece race.

Galvin is another leading Irish challenger, while Protektorat, Chantry House and Royale Pagaille are some of the British-trained hopefuls.

The first race of the day comes just after at 1:30pm, with a competitive field contesting the JCB Triumph Hurdle. Surprisingly, British and Irish bragging rights remain in the balance too, with the Irish going into the final day just 11-10 up in race winners.

With another historic day of racing on the cards, be sure to follow all the action right here on the Mirror Sport live blog.

Racing TV is the only channel broadcasting every race live from the Cheltenham Festival, with two exclusive races each day. For a limited time, you can join Racing TV for half price for the Festival – just £12.49 a month for an entire year, with promo code "RTVCHELT50". For more info click here .

St. James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase result

Here's the official top three:

1st Billaway (IRE) p 10 12 0 Mr J. Turner W. P. Mullins Ireland Mr P. W. Mullins

2nd Winged Leader (IRE) 8 12 0 Samuel John Hegarty/Miss Jennifer O'Kane D. M. Christie Ireland Mr Barry O'Neill

3rd Mighty Stowaway (IRE) ts, p 11 12 0 Camilla Sharples Gordon Elliott Ireland

A new record for Willie Mullins!

That's nine winners this week for Willie Mullins. He's broken his own record. Incredible.

Billaway storms to a last ditch win.

Wow, if you thought the Gold Cup finish was dramatic, that was sensational.

Winged Leader seem to have it in the bag, but Billaway, ridden by Jordan Turner, closed a seemingly insurmountable gap to take it on the line.

Punters rejoice, and bookmakers despair.

Billaway wins St. James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase

Oh. My. Word.

Two fences to go!

Winged Leader holding off Mighty Stowaway.

Don Bercy pulls up!

For so long out in front, but now it's Winged Leader ahead with three fences to go.

Winged Leader makes a move

Winged Leader is alongside Don Bersy with five fences to go.

Don Bersy hanging on

Don Bersy has led from the start, and now has 10 fences to go.

Bob And Co goes down

Fingers crossed Bob and Co is ok after taking an awkward tumble.

Don Bersy leads

Don Bersy setting the early pace. Billaway well placed in sixth.

And we’re off!

Race six is underway ladies and gents!

Overworkdunderpaid nearly fell at the first there, but thankfully regained balance.

Billaway the 13-8 favourite

So, after having to digest not winning a race today, trainer Willie Mullins is strongly fancied to get another one now.

Billaway is the favourite for this one.

The St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase is seconds away……..

Cheltenham Festival owner forces apology from ITV Racing after X-rated interview

If you were watching yesterday, you may recall one syndicate member got quite excited live on air before his horse, Flooring Porter, retained his Stayers' Hurdle crown.

It left ITV needing to issue an apology to viewers after the man in question swore in interview.

I dare say, most would have understood the excitement.

St. James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase

The main event has come and gone, but the show will go on.

Here's the runners and riders for the St. James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase.

1 Back Bar (IRE) 10 12 0 Richard Cranfield Alan Hill Miss Izzie Marshall

2 Billaway (IRE) p 10 12 0 Mr J. Turner W. P. Mullins Ireland Mr P. W. Mullins

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3 Bob And Co (FR) ts 11 12 0 Mr David Maxwell Paul Nicholls Mr David Maxwell

4 Cousin Pascal (FR) 10 12 0 Mr P. A. Clifton J. J. O'Shea Mr James King

5 Desire de Joie (FR) 9 12 0 Nick Wright and Luly Wright N. R. W. Wright Mr Archie Wright

6 Don Bersy (FR) p 9 12 0 Mr R. D. Potter Ryan Potter Mr Tommie M. O'Brien

7 Dubai Quest (IRE) 9 12 0 The Oak Partnership T. Ellis Miss Gina Andrews

8 Fumet d'Oudairies (FR) 7 12 0 D'oudes Partnership T. Ellis Mr Zac Baker

9 It Came To Pass (IRE) 12 12 0 Mrs Alurie O'Sullivan Eugene M. O'Sullivan Ireland Miss Maxine O'Sullivan

10 Lord Schnitzel (IRE) v 9 12 0 Mr Klaus Koentopp Declan Queally Ireland Mr M. C. O'Donovan

11 Mighty Stowaway (IRE) ts, p 11 12 0 Camilla Sharples Gordon Elliott Ireland

12 Monbeg Chit Chat 11 12 0 Mrs J. W. Furness Mrs G. B. Walford Mr Christopher Furness

13 Overworkdunderpaid (IRE) v 9 12 0 The Overworkdunderpaid Partnership L J Morgan Mr George Chatterton

14 Point The Way (IRE) 11 12 0 Mr C. H. Brewer G. C. Brewer Mr Joe Wright

15 Pont Aven (IRE) p 9 12 0 Mr T. C. O. Gredley J. P. Owen Mr Alex Chadwick

16 Premier Magic (IRE) ts 9 12 0 Mr Julian Sherriff Bradley Gibbs Mr Bradley Gibbs

17 Rewritetherules (IRE) h 8 12 0 Mr David O'Brien David O'Brien Mr David O'Brien

18 Senor Lombardy (IRE) 9 12 0 K&B Harding & A&K Thompson Mrs K Harding Mr Lyall Hodgins

19 Winged Leader (IRE) 8 12 0 Samuel John Hegarty/Miss Jennifer O'Kane D. M. Christie Ireland Mr Barry O'Neill

20 Zamparelli (IRE) bl,ts 10 12 0 Miss Sarah A. Dawson Miss V. Collins Mr Darren Andrews

Blackmore lifts the trophy as Ireland wins Prestbury Cup

Huge cheers as Blackmore holds the silverware aloft. Really can't put into words how strong a finish that was.

And the result means Ireland have now officially won the Prestbury Cup, now in an unassailable 15-10 lead.

Two in a row for disbelieving de Bromhead

Of course, Minella Indo finishing second meant it a one-two for Henry de Bromhead for the second successive year.

He's just been asked on ITV: "Can you believe it?"

His reply?

"No, definitely not, just incredible. Rachael was so brave. She just kept sitting and sitting. And the pace Plus Le Tard showed at the end was just incredible."

Indeed it was.

Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase result

Confirmation of the top three:

1st A Plus Tard (FR) ts 8 11 10 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead Ireland Rachael Blackmore

2nd Minella Indo (IRE) 9 11 10 Mr Barry Maloney Henry de Bromhead Ireland Robbie Power

3rd Protektorat (FR) ts 7 11 10 Sir A Ferguson G Mason J Hales & L Hales Dan Skelton Harry Skelton

A stellar 12 months for Blackmore

So, Blackmore's last 12 months.

March 2021: First female jockey to win Champion Hurdle; first to be top rider at Cheltenham Festival.

April 2021: First woman to ride Grand National winner.

December 2021: World Sport Star of the Year.

March 2022: First female rider to land Cheltenham Gold Cup.

So, how's your year been Rachael?

"Being attached to Henry’s yard is unbelievable"

Blackmore has told ITV Sport: "I can't believe it. I am so lucky to get to ride all these horses. You can't do it without these horses. Being attached to Henry's yard is unbelievable. I don't know what to say.

"I wouldn't swap the Grand National for anything but this is the Gold Cup. I wish I had something better to say but I just can't! I can't explain how lucky I feel."

Two in a row for Henry de Bromhead. Needless to say, he looks pleased.

Emotional Blackmore celebrates win

What a race, what a finish.

Minella Indo made a strong surge but A Plus Tard absolutely motored up the hill, and in the end must have been 15 or 20 lengths clear.

Blackmore is celebrating with tears in her eyes.

She made no secret of her disappointment at missing out last year. Great sportspeople come back and out things right though – and she's done just that.

A PLUS TARD WINS THE GOLD CUP

What a finish from A Plus Tard. Ran down Minella Indo and won with room to spare.

History for Rachael Blackmore!

Asterion Forlonge in front!

Just two fences to go…..

Chantry House pulls up!

One horse gone.

Minella Indo advancing

Minella Indo is creeping up nicely on current leader Asterion Forlonge.

No one is pulling clear though. With five fences to go – it's in the balance.

12 fences to go!

Aye Right is still leading from Asterion Forlonge.

It's an 11-strong leading pack though, and all are tightly bunched.

Aye Right takes to the front

Aye Right now taken up the lead, still 16 fences to go mind.

We’re underway!

We're away! One horse, and one rider, is now just under three miles and two furlongs from immortality.

After the first, the very early leader is Asterion Forlonge.

10 minutes until the Gold Cup!

Here's your last chance to place a wager – and here's our tips for the marquee event of jump racing.

Spend wisely, but also quickly. 10 minutes and counting.

Ireland pull clear in Prestbury Cup

Incidentally, that win for The Nice Guy has extended Ireland's Prestbury Cup lead to 14-10 – meaning it will now take four British winners from four races to simply tie.

Things had been on a knife edge at 11-10 overnight, but Willie Mullins has seen to that.

Still a lot closer than the 2021 score of 23-5 mind.

A Plus Tard the favourite

So 2021 runner up A Plus Tard, who will be ridden by Rachael Blackmore, is now at 11-4.

A win would make Blackmore the first female jockey in history to ride a winner in the Gold Cup.

She's bang in contention, that's for sure.

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