Steve Ryder thinks a hat-trick could be on the cards in the Gold Cup.
Gold Cup
The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup is not only the highlight of the final day of the festival but is often referred to as the Blue Riband of jump-racing. It is a Grade 1 run on the New Course over 3m2½f with 22 fences to be jumped.
Gold Cup Winners, Trends & Stats
Golden Miller holds the record with five consecutive wins in the race between 1932 and 1936 but Galopin Des Champs can join Cottage Rake (1948-1950), Arkle (1964-1966) and Best Mate (2002-2004) in winning three in a row. Willie Mullins trained Al Boum Photo to win back-to-back Gold Cups in 2019 and 2020 but he could only finish 3rd in his hat-trick bid.
If you’re looking to make use of the best free bets available for Cheltenham, here are some key trends to take note of for the Gold Cup.
- 24 of the previous 25 winners were aged between seven and nine
- 22 of the previous 25 winners had run in 12 chases or less
- Nine of the previous 11 winners were trained in Ireland
- Four of the previous six winners were trained by Willie Mullins
- Four of the previous five favourites have won
- 20 of the previous 24 winners had won or placed at the Cheltenham Festival previously
Gold Cup Key Runners & Contenders
Galopin Des Champs
Would have won all ten of his chase starts going left-handed if he hadn’t fallen at the final fence in the Turners Novices’ Chase in 2022. The Willie Mullins trained nine-year-old won the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle in 2021 and has won this race for the previous two seasons. As was the case last year, he was beaten in the John Durkan Chase on his reappearance at Punchestown but has looked imperious in both of his Grade 1 victories at Leopardstown since.
Banbridge
Won the Grade 1 Champion Chase over 2m½f at Punchestown last season before showing his versatility when beating Il Est Francais in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. It looks likely that he will get his preferred better ground at the festival this season having disappointed on soft in the Ryanair Chase last season.
Inothewayurthinkin
Last year’s Kim Muir Handicap Chase winner at the festival has been supplemented for this race at a cost of £25,000 by JP McManus. A Grade 1 winner at Aintree last season, he has been well beaten on his first two starts this season before finishing 4th beaten 7 ¼ lengths by Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup.
Monty’s Star
Has only won two of his ten races under rules but finished 2nd in the Brown Advisory Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last season before finishing runner-up at Punchestown in the Champion Novice Chase behind Spillane’s Tower. Was beaten at odds-on at Tramore on his reappearance before finishing 5th beaten 7 ¾ lengths behind Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup last time.
Corbetts Cross
Won the National Hunt Chase last season by 17 lengths before finishing 3rd in the Aintree Bowl as a novice on his next start. He hasn’t reached those heights so far this season but the step back up in trip and return to Cheltenham could see him bounce back to form.
The Real Whacker
The Patrick Neville trained nine-year-old won the 2023 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and got back to winning ways in the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in November. He could only finish 4th beaten 17 ½ lengths in the King George VI Chase last time behind Banbridge and looks up against it having pulled up in this race last year.
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Gold Cup Trainers & Jockeys to Watch
It took Willie Mullins until 2019 to win his first Gold Cup but since then he has won a further three meaning he has won four of the previous six renewals. The other two were trained by Henry De Bromhead with Minella Indo in 2021 and A Plus Tard in 2022 and both trainers are represented again this season.
Pat Taaffe solely held the record with four wins in this race (Arkle in 1964, 1965, 1966 and Fort Leney 1968) before Paul Townend won it in 2019 and 2020 on Al Boum Photo and in 2023 and 2024 aboard Galopin Des Champs.
Gold Cup Ground Conditions & Weather
Galopin Des Champs has proved that he is capable of winning on all different ground conditions but this expected better ground is a huge positive for Banbridge who isn’t as versatile. Connections of Inothewayurthinkin are hoping to have soft in the description to bring stamina into play and that would also likely aid the chances of Corbetts Cross in the same colours who won over 3m6f on heavy ground at the festival last season.
Gold Cup Pace and Tactics
Galopin Des Champs has made all on his previous two starts at Leopardstown but was only ridden ‘prominent’ in this race last year. Both Banbridge and Inothewayurthinkin will no doubt try to track the favourite and see if they can launch a challenge entering the straight.
Betting Insights for the Gold Cup 2025
Galopin Des Champs, as his price suggests, is likely to complete a hat-trick of wins in this race and join the likes of Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate in achieving that feat. Banbridge looks the most likely to challenge him but at his price, that makes little appeal as an each-way selection.
He is a best price of 4/7 with PricedUp.
