Cheltenham Gold Cup Runners 2025: Galopin Des Champs faces 8 in date with destiny

The Gold Cup is the headline race of the Cheltenham Festival on Friday, and we’ve taken a look at each of the nine Gold Cup runners set to go to post at 4pm, including the hot favourite Galopin Des CHamps, who is odds-on to complete a record equalling hat-trick of wins in the race.

We’ve had a closer look at each of the nine runners, in racecard order…

Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds

1. Ahoy Senor

• T: Lucinda Russell
• J: Derek Fox

Number one on the racecard is the Lucinda Russell-trained Ahoy Senor, priced a massive 50/1. The 10-year-old is one of only two British-trained runners in the race, pulled up in both his last two runs this season, it’s hard to make a case for him here. His best form comes over a shorter trip than the Gold Cup, and whilst he does have some course form, his best days are behind him.

2. Banbridge

• T: Joseph O’Brien
• J: J J Slevin

Joseph O’Brien saddles the second-favourite Banbridge, who was last seen at Christmas winning the Grade 1 King George V Stakes. There are question marks over whether he’ll get the extra quarter-mile in the Gold Cup, especially with the stiff finish up the Cheltenham hill. He’s a Festival winner landing the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle here in 2022, but there are plenty of question marks as to whether he can get the better of the favourite here.

3. Corbetts Cross

• T: Emmet Mullins
• J: Jack Kennedy

At bigger prices, Corbetts Cross is the entry of trainer Emmet Mullins and owner JP McManus. The 16/1 shot was last seen finishing second in the Ascot Chase and before that finished 21 lengths back in seventh place in the King George behind Banbridge. We do know he stays, having won the National Hunt Chase at the Festival 12 months ago over three miles and six furlongs, and he followed that up by finishing third in the Grade 1 Bowl at Aintree.

4. Galopin Des Champs

• T: Willie Mullins
• J: Paul Townend

The star of the show. Galopin Des Champs is bidding for Cheltenham immortality and a record-equalling third-straight win in the Gold Cup on Friday. But if not for a last fence blunder in the Turners Novices’ Chase in 2022, he’d be bidding for a fifth-straight win at the Festival, having also landed the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockey’s Hurdle in 2021. He’s been impressive on his last two starts, winning Grade 1 contests in Ireland and sets the benchmark here as the odds would suggest. Back against him at your peril!

5. Gentlemansgame

• T: Mouse Morris
• J: Darragh O’Keefe

The Mouse Morris-trained Gentlemansgame is another at big prices. The outsider has plenty to find at the ratings. Pulling up in the race last season, he was well beaten on his four subsequent starts, including last time out in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on Trials day in January. His last win was way back in November 2023, when he won the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, but Friday’s race is a different proposition.

6. Inothewayurthinkin

• T: Gavin Cromwell
• J: Mark Walsh

Gavin Cromwell saddles third-favourite Inothewayurthinkin, who’s officially rated over a stone higher than when he landed the Kim Muir Handicap Chase at last year’s Festival. Following that success he stepped up in class and went on to win the Grade 1 Mildmay Chase at Aintree’s Grand National meeting. This season he’s found things tougher though and has plenty to find against the favourite who he’s been well beaten in behind on his last two starts.

7. Monty’s Star

• T: Henry De Bromhead
• J: Rachael Blackmore

Henry De Bromhead trained back-to-back winners of the Gold Cup in 2021 and 2022 with Minella Indo and A Plus Tard. He saddles Monty’s Star with Rachael Blackmore in the saddle as she seeks her second Gold Cup win. Another horse in the race who was beaten last time out in the Irish Gold Cup behind the favourite, he was second behind Fact To File in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase in last season but will need to improve here.

8. Royale Pagaille

• T: Venetia Williams
• J: Charlie Deutsch

The second of the British-trained entries and one of the outsiders. Winner of the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock earlier this season, he subsequently pulled up in the Peter Marsh and well-beaten in the Grand National Trial, both at Haydock, in his last two starts. This will be his third outing in the Gold Cup for owner Rich Ricci, looking to go better than his best finish of fifth in 2022.

9. The Real Whacker

• T: Patrick Neville
• J: Brian Hughes

Last on the card is The Real Whacker, trained by Patrick Neville. He was the winner of the 2023 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and pulled up in the Gold Cup last year. He’s been lightly campaigned this season, unseating his rider in the Kerry National in September, before winning the Charlie Hall Chase in November and finishing a well-beaten fourth in the King George on his last start. The odds suggest he has it all to do here.

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