Cheltenham Gold Cup Preview

The 2025 Cheltenham Festival is almost upon us, with ante post markets shaping up nicely as we draw closer to final declarations.

With top trainers like Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins having opened their doors to the media in the traditional pre-festival stable tours, we have decided that now is the time to preview the big races at the Festival.

The fifth of our preview series looks at the Gold Cup contest on day four, with all pricing coming from our friends at Betway who offer punters a £30 free bet and 100 free spins offer.

The feature race of the Cheltenham Festival takes place on Friday, with the Gold Cup and potential history in the making, as Galopin Des Champs bids to join Best Mate, Arkle, Cottage Rake and Golden Miller in winning the race three consecutive times. (Golden Miller won five in a row between 1932-1936)

Galopin Des Champs (2/5) is the one to beat again, with Willie Mullins' star performer winning fourteen of twenty-two starts and currently on a two-race win-streak having won the Grade 1 - Savills Chase at the end of the year before winning the Irish Gold Cup for a third consecutive time, beating Grangeclare West by 4.75 lengths. Despite the odd struggle over shorter trips, he loves getting back to 3m 2f and barring any mishaps should be too strong for the rest.

Banbridge (9/2) has the dubious honour of leading the chasing pack in the betting, with JP O'Brien's runner back to his best when winning the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, reeling in Il Est Francais to win by 1.75 lengths. He has the talent, but it remains to be seen if he can handle this extended trip for the first time. If he does, he could offer a big challenge to the favourite.

Fact To File (5/1) is a rare beast, having got the better of stablemate Galopin Des Champs in the Grade 1 - John Durkan in November. That trip was over 2m 3f and he has not been able to replicate that in two subsequent runs over the extended 3m trip, with Galopin Des Champs finishing 7.5 and 4.75 lengths ahead respectively. Like Banbridge, Fact To File has not raced over this trip and will need a best ever run or a mistake from the favourite to win this contest.

Away from the leading trio in the market, Montys Star (10/1) has performed admirably, including a second in a Grade 1 - Novice Chase last April, when 0.75 lengths adrift of Spillanes Tower. With the excellent Rachael Blackmore onboard, there is a chance of grabbing a place, but the win is probably out of reach.

Corbetts Cross (12/1) is another solid performer, who won a Grade 2 at last year's meeting and has since placed second last time out in the Grade 1 - Ascot Chase, 10 lengths behind Pic D'orhy last month. Loves the mud, so if conditions worsen, expect some money on the markets.

At 16/1, both Grangeclare West and L'homme Presse cannot be completely disregarded, but place finishes are probably the more likely, if they run.

The rest are 33/1 bar