Big guns stand ground in Gold Cup Don Cossack, Vautour and Cue Card all feature among 14 horses still in contention for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday at the six-day entry stage. The Gordon Elliott-trained Don Cossack is the narrow favourite for the blue riband as he bids to make it third-time lucky at the Festival. Vautour is one of six possible runners for Willie Mullins, with the master of Closutton also hoping to call on last year's runner-up Djakadam and RSA Chase winner Don Poli, among others. Colin Tizzard's Cue Card heads the home team having won the Betfair Chase at Haydock and the King George VI Chase at Kempton already this season, meaning he is in line for a £1million bonus if he can complete the hat-trick at Prestbury Park. Other contenders include Alan King's Hennessy hero Smad Place and Noel Meade's Road To Riches, who was third in last year's Gold Cup but could yet switch to the shorter Ryanair Chase on Thursday due to the embarrassment of riches owners Gigginstown House Stud possess in the staying chase division.
