Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds: Galopin Des Champs favourite to go back-to-back

Here it is, the big one! The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the showpiece event of the four-day Festival and at the time of writing has 11 strong contenders. We've taken a look at all the Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds ahead of Friday afternoon's massive race.

Betfred are paying four places instead of three each-way and will be boosting a selected horse at 11am on Friday morning. 

Galopin Des Champs @ 11/10

The defending Gold Cup champion is a strong favourite to become the first horse to go back-to-back since Al Boum Photo and it's no surprise why.

The eight-year-old is the Mullins/Townend stable star and has won eight of his 11 starts to date, including seven Grade 1 contests.

Galopin looked back to his best in winning the Savills Chase by 23 lengths and then followed it up with the Irish Gold Cup in February.

He is going to take some stopping from picking up the big one again on Friday afternoon.

Fastorslow @ 5/1

This Maritn Brassil-trained eight-year-old is ridden by JJ Slevin, who has been bullish about this chances this week.

A two-time runner-up at the Festival, in the Coral Cup in 2022 and the Ultima last year, Fastorslow is now looking to not only go one better, but to take the ultimate prize in racing.

He has beaten Galopin Des Champs twice at Punchestown but the race favourite got his own back at the Dublin Racing Festival, where he won by 4½ lengths.

Gerri Colombe @ 9/1

Gordon Elliott's best chance comes in the form of proven stayer Gerri Colombe.

He has won nine of his 11 starts and finished runner-up in the other two to The Real Whacker in the Brown Advisory last year and to Galopin De Champs in the Savills Chase.

Gerri finished 23l behind the favourite on that day and it's hard to see him winning this one barring a big mistake from him today.

Bravemansgame @ 12/1

Paul Nicholls main stayer runs in the big one for the second year running, having finished as runner-up to GDC last year.

Now nine years old, Bravemansgame hasn't won since the King George in December 2022 but has finished second in four of his five runs since.

There have been encouraging noises coming out of Ditcheat and this could well be a good each-way bet to finish in the places once again.

L'Homme Presse @ 12/1

This nine-year-old is trained by Venetia Williams and has had some superb form in the past, winning seven of his 10 starts over fences.

A two-time winner at Cheltenham, including the 2022 Brown Advisory, L'Homme Presse jumped well in the King George before unseating Charlie Deutsch at the last.

Carries plenty of class but will need to find other gears to live with the favourites.

Corach Rambler @ 18/1

A two-time winner of the Ultima and the winner of last year's Grand National, Corach Rambler now looks to become only the third horse to win the National/Gold Cup double after Golden Miller and L'Escargot.

Lucinda Russell's 10-year-old will have no difficulty staying but hasn't been in the best of form recently, finishing fifth of six in the Gin Chase, before he was third of four in the Betfair Chase at Haydock.

This has always been his target though and has shown he can do it on the big stage before.

Gentlemansgame @ 18/1

Making his debut at Cheltenham, Mouse Morris' eight-year-old is in good form, winning two of his last three, including the Charlie Hall Chase ahead of Bravemansgame.

However, he has yet to win a Grade 1 and could be out of his depth here.

Monkfish @ 25/1

The second of Willie Mullins' entries comes in the form of Monkfish, who has had a good career over both hurdles and fences, picking up eight wins from 13 starts.

He was a well-hyped prospect when winning the Brown Advisory back in 2021 but was out of action injured for almost two years, which has stilted his progress.

However, he did win the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle back in January, so looks to be reclaiming some of that earlier form.

Jungle Boogie @ 33/1

Henry de Bromhead is having a superb Festival and looks to have his horses in tip-top condition.

Jungle Boogie has had a a short career for a 10-year-old, running just five times and winning on four occasions.

On the only time he stepped up in class, he was well beaten by El Fabiolo into fourth and looks to be out of his depth again here

Nassalam @ 33/1

The youngest horse in the race at just seven, Nassalam comes into this one as the Welsh Grand National winner and will also be entered for the big race at Aintree next month.

He won that race at Chepstow by a whopping 34 lengths but was well beaten into 10th at the Festival last year in the Ultima behind Corach Rambler.

Gary Moore will probably just see this as good experience ahead of that Grand National charge in April.

The Real Whacker @ 40/1

Patrick Neville's horse shocked the Cheltenham crowds last year, when beating heavily fancied Gerri Colombe into second in the Brown Advisory.

Since then he's pulled up in the Gold Cup Handicap Chase, finished fourth in the King George and then runner-up in the Cotswold Chase here in January.

Surely a place at best is all he can hope for here?