Asterion Forlonge leads the way from Aye Right and Santini in third.

A roar from the stands and the Cheltenham Gold Cup is under way!

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

Willie Mullins, trainer of Al Boum Photo, Asterion Forlonge and Tornado Flyer, on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra: "It is going to be tough for Al Boum Photo and a horse of his age to win it again - it will be even tougher for him having not won it last year too. We've put cheekpieces on him and they help him concentrate a bit more and this better ground might not be any harm to win. He has every chance in a wide-open Gold Cup.

"Asterion Forlonge is being ridden by Brian Cooper and he'll probably be rode more handily. He travels beautifully into his races but then makes a couple of mistakes. The first time he gets his jumping right he's going to win a grade one race. He has got the ability - he just hasn't his head around jumping fences yet.

"Tornado Flyer has never gone this distance but he could be better over this distance. Fingers crossed.

"I haven't got time to get nervous today - we've got runners in every race!"

Barry Geraghty
Former jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

I've fancied Minella Indo all year but the drying ground is a worry. It was slower than this last year.

There's also a question mark about the pace in the year this year. Where is the pace going to come from with no Frodon this year? If Minella Indo has to generate his own pace it might play into the hands of the likes of A Plus Tard.

John Hunt
Race commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

On Wednesday when the rain came down, it would have saddened most hearts but trainer Venetia Williams must have had a spring in her step about Royale Pagaille. He has shown at Haydock how much he loves the rain-softened ground. A big run is expected if the ground does not dry out too much..

Gina Bryce
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra presenter at Cheltenham

I'm hoping the ground dries out for A Plus Tard. The lack of obvious pace could see the race play to his favour as a horse with a turn of foot. He's the class horse in the race and I think he'll go one better than last year.

Andrew Thornton
Former Gold Cup-winning jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

He comes alive at Cheltenham and I'm going for Minella Indo to chalk up back-to-back wins. He should not be inconvenienced by the ground and can come out best again.

Andrew Thornton
Former Gold Cup-winning jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

Minella Indo is chomping at the bit in the parade ring. I can't believe he has drifted out to 13-2 - that is an enormous price.

Barry Geraghty
Former jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

It is the most important race of the week and it matters to everyone but Willie Mullins won't overload Paul Townend with pressure, stress or instructions. He knows what he is doing - Willie just has to trust him.

Emma Lavelle
Trainer at Cheltenham on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

You can make a case for pretty much every horse in the race.

Minella Indo has taken the same route as last year and was beaten by pretty much the same distance. He is a genuine stayer and he's the one I can imagine again.

Santini would be a fairytale story.

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of A Plus Tard and Minella Indo, on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra: "It is brilliant having the crowds here. We obviously have the Gold Cup under our belts from last year but it would be nice to do it again with the crowds here. There is a buzz around the place.

"Minella Indo has been targeted here all season. He seems in really good form now. A Plus Tard was brilliant at Haydock and ran really well last time out. He's in great form as well. Fingers crossed they'll both run well.

"The riders are saying the ground is the easy side of good - I hope it is OK for both."

Just clocked former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson in the parade ring. He's got Gold Cup interest in Protektorat, who he part owns.

Barry Geraghty
Former jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

Every part of your mind will be thinking 'I'm in a Gold Cup' - you know where you are but you're not acknowledging the enormity of it.

Everyone will want to get the ideal position. Nobody wants any excuses. You want to get everything right and tick all the boxes. You'll have planned everything so you want to be in the best place at every moment.

5-2 A Plus Tard, 4-1 Galvin, 6-1 Minella Indo, 7-1 Al Boum Photo,10-1 Tornado Flyer, 12-1 Protektorat, 16-1 Royale Pagaille, 20-1 Chantry House, 22-1 Asterion Forlonge, 33-1 Santini 50-1 Aye Right

Barry Geraghty
Former jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

The tension will be building in the changing room. Everybody will be quiet in there - it will be tense. There is no red-hot favourite and everyone has a chance.

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Last year's first three will face each other again in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The 2021 champion Minella Indo, runner-up A Plus Tard and Al Boum Photo are among 11 contenders in the race.

Two-time champion Al Boum Photo is looking to become the first horse to regain his title since Kauto Star in 2009, and the first triple victor since Best Mate 18 years ago.

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

Robbie Power will ride Minella Indo for trainer Henry de Bromhead with Rachael Blackmore on stablemate A Plus Tard.

Blackmore, the leading jockey at last year's meeting who went on to win the Grand National on Minella Times, is bidding to become the first female rider to win the Gold Cup.

Three races down and soon it is time for the feature race - the Gold Cup.

After his treble, Willie Mullins now has eight victories and cannot be caught. He is the leading trainer for the week with four races still to go.

It equals his own record set in 2015 and is the ninth time he has been top trainer at the meeting.

Today's treble means Ireland lead Great Britain 14-10 in the Prestbury Cup. With one Scottish and one Welsh-trained winner, Mullins has trained as many victors as all the English trainers put together.

Ginto, trained by Gordon Elliott, was in contention but broke down and looked to have suffered a bad injury towards the end.

Charlie Poste
Former jump jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

This was a huge step up in class for The Nice Guy but he's handled it with aplomb.