Cheltenham Gold Cup Runners 2025

Find the latest Cheltenham Gold Cup odds and likely runners on this page. Oddschecker updates this page in real-time, so you’ll find the latest Gold Cup odds immediately.

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest horse racing events of the year as it features four days of intense action from Cheltenham Racecourse.

First run in 1924, the Gold Cup has evolved into the pinnacle of steeplechase racing. Its long-standing tradition and rich history gives the race a sense of legacy and achievement that riders, trainers, and owners aspire to be part of.

Some of the most prestigious runners have won this race, with few winning multiple times. Securing victory in the Gold Cup cements a horse’s place in racing history with the likes of Arkle, Golden Miller, and Best Mate all having won this race three times or more.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is celebrated as the pinnacle of National Hunt racing, attracting top-class runners due to several unique aspects:

• Grade 1 Status: The race holds Grade 1 status, marking it as one of the most elite and challenging events in the sport, reserved for the best horses, jockeys, and trainers.
• Length of Course: The Gold Cup is run over 3m2f70y.
• Number of Fences: The course features 22 fences.
• Cheltenham Hill: The race concludes with a steep ascent known as the Cheltenham Hill, which has famously determined the outcome of many Cheltenham Gold Cup races.
• Prize Money: The prize pot stands at £625,000 which is split across the top five finishers. The winner will receive £351,688.
• Legendary Winners: The race has produced some iconic moments and legendary winners such as Golden Miller, the only horse to win the Gold Cup five consecutive times (1932–1936), and Arkle, whose three consecutive victories (1964–1966) established him as one of the greatest jumpers in racing history. Meanwhile, modern legends like Best Mate and Kauto Star have continued to elevate the race’s prestige.

Key Runners to Watch in 2025 Gold Cup

There are a few key runners to keep your eye on for the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup, including some names you’ve probably heard of before:

Galopin Des Champs

Trained by Willie Mullins, Galopin Des Champs would have an impeccable record of 10 wins from 10 left-handed chase starts if not for a fall at the final fence in the 2022 Turners Novices’ Chase. He claimed the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle in 2021 and the last two renewals of the Gold Cup. Like last year, he was defeated in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown on his seasonal return but has been back to his best in both Grade 1 successes at Leopardstown.

Banbridge

Victorious in the Grade 1 Champion Chase over 2 miles, ½ furlong at Punchestown last term, Banbridge showcased his adaptability by outpacing Il Est Francais in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. He’s likely to benefit from firmer ground at this year’s Festival, having underperformed on soft terrain in last season’s Ryanair at this meeting.

Inothewayurthinkin

Last year’s Kim Muir Handicap Chase winner at the Festival was supplemented for this race at a £25,000 cost by JP McManus so they must be serious about his chances. A Grade 1 victor at Aintree last season, he struggled in his opening two outings this term before finishing fourth, 7¼ lengths behind Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup.

Monty's Star

With just two wins from 10 starts under rules, Monty's Star took second in last season’s Brown Advisory Chase at Cheltenham and was runner-up in the Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown behind Spillane’s Tower. After a defeat as the odds-on favourite at Tramore on his return, he placed fifth in the Irish Gold Cup, beaten 7¾ lengths by Galopin Des Champs.

Corbetts Cross

An emphatic 17-length winner of last season’s National Hunt Chase, Corbetts Cross followed up with a third-place finish in the Aintree Bowl as a novice. He is yet to replicate that form this season but a return to a longer trip and Cheltenham could spark a revival.

The Real Whacker

Trained by Patrick Neville, this nine-year-old won the 2023 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and returned to form with a Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase victory at Wetherby in November. However, he finished fourth in the King George (17½ lengths behind Banbridge) and faces a tough task after pulling up in this race last year.

Betting Trends for the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup

24 of the last 25 winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup were aged between seven and nine, while 22 of those 25 had competed in 12 or fewer chases. Nine of the last 11 winners were trained in Ireland (four of the last six under Willie Mullins). Ominously for Galopin Des Champs' rivals, four of the last five favourites to win the race have emerged victorious.

Roundup of Cheltenham Festival Gold Cup 2024 Runners

The 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup delivered a thrilling contest, with Galopin Des Champs taking 1st place ahead of Gerri Colombe and Corach Rambler.

Standout Performances

The 2024 winner, Galopin Des Champs, lived up to his pre-race billing as the favourite. He was also entered into the history books by becoming only the eighth horse in the 100-year history of this race to win more than once. Galopin Des Champs had only run once in 2024 before this race, which he incidentally won by 4 1/2 lengths at Leopardstown.

Gerri Colombe, ridden by Jack Kennedy, came in second 3 1/2 lengths behind the winner. Gerri Colombe was third-favourite in the betting, so did well to claim 2nd place. He hadn’t run in 2024 prior to the Gold Cup, but finished 2nd in Leopardstown to Galopin Des Champs, and won in Down Royal before that.

Broader Field Analysis

There were four runners that were pulled up including Monkfish, Gentlemansgame, Nassalam, The Real Whacker, with Fastorslow unseating his rider.

Before the race, Fastorslow, the only horse to have beaten Galopin Des Champs since the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup, was his greatest challenger but caused early drama by getting the jump all wrong and unseated jockey JJ Slevin. This led the way for Gerri Colombe and Corach Rambler to mount more of a challenge on the clear favourite.

However, they were unable to do so with Galopin Des Champs winning comfortably