Bravemansgame has had two cracks at the Cheltenham Gold Cup, finishing runner-up to Galopin Des Champs in 2023 and fifth to the same horse in 2024.
The horse won the King George for trainer Paul Nicholls at Kempton in 2022 but has not passed the post first since then despite some admirable performances in defeat.
Name: Bravemansgame |
Age: 10 |
Weight: 11-2 |
Trainer: Paul Nicholls |
Winnings: £341,223 |
Cheltenham Festival wins: 0 |
Runs | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
26 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
Bravemansgame is currently 10 years old.
Bravemansgame weighed in at 11-2 for his most recent run in the Denman Chase at Newbury.
Bravemansgame has won nine of his 26 races in total with three hurdles wins and six chase victories.
His King George success in 2022 remains his last win, but he has had several near misses since then, finishing second in the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup and third in the Irish equivalent at Punchestown that same year.
Last season he opened with three runner-up finishes, including in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby and on the defence of his King George crown where he was only beaten by Hewick.
However, in last year's Gold Cup at Cheltenham he went off at 14/1 but was outpaced from three furlongs out and weakened approaching the last fence to finish fifth, 18-and-three-quarter lengths behind winner Galopin Des Champs.
This season Bravemansgame again finished second in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase behind The Real Whacker and has since placed third at Haydock and eighth back at Kempton for the King George.
Barvemansgame looks set to compete in the 2025 Grand National.
Bravemansgame is owned by Bryan Drew, having previously been owned in partnership with John Dance before Drew took sole ownership in 2023. He was purchased for £370,000 at the 2019 Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale.
Bravemansgame has spent his whole career in the care of Paul Nicholls at his Ditcheat yard.
Nicholls has been training since 1991 and has been Britain's leading National Hunt trainer 14 times.
He has trained 49 Cheltenham winners with Monmiral adding to his total with a victory in the 2024 Pertemps Final.
Nicholls won the Grand National with Neptune Collonges in 2012 and has taken the King George VI Chase a record 13 times, with his top performer Kauto Star winning that race five times in addition to two Cheltenham Gold Cup successes.
After finishing eighth in the 2024 King George, Bravemansgame has an official chase rating of 157, his lowest rating since winning the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton in 2021.
Bravemansgame has earned an impressive £341,223 during his career to date, with £304,964 coming via his chase career and the remaining £36,259 over hurdles.