Going for Gold at Cheltenham is to travel in search of the ultimate jumps racing accolade. So many try and so many fail, but there remains the promise of glory beyond equal measure, even during the rest of the Cheltenham Festival.
At GG, we are Going for Gold ourselves this year, previewing the big race from the very start of the season, and periodically choosing one likely contender to train our magical magnifying glass on per column. With so many thrills and spills to come throughout the jumps season, there are bound to be some contenders to emerge from left field along the way.
But for now, let’s see how the betting is shaping up, both among the market leaders, and those bubbling just below the surface.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting 2025 – The Favourites
It’s Galopin Des Champs, right? Surely, it’s Galopin Des Champs?
Well, yes, it is Galopin Des Champs, but not by anywhere near as much as many may think. The two-time champion has twice forged away up Prestbury Park’s final, limb-busting camber, but he only just holds sway. SkyBet have him at a joint high of 7/2 to emulate Best Mate, Arkle and Cottage Rake by becoming a Gold Cup hat-trick hero.
Punchestown once again proved his undoing, as he stretched his winless streak at the County Kildare venue to three, losing on every occasion to Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow. The pair are eight-year-old contemporaries, and while Galopin Des Champs has gone for gold successfully on both attempts in the Gold Cup, he has a losing overall record in his head-to-head with Fastorslow. The dual Punchestown Gold Cup hero leads 3-2.
An innocuous mishap put paid to the latter’s chances in the 2024 Gold Cup, but that was the first spill of his career. He appears to have no qualms going left or right-handed, though it is not he, at 7/1 with SkyBet, who is putting Galopin Des Champs’ grasp of favouritism under pressure.
In fact, it is a nearby neighbour doing just that. Fact To File can be backed at 4/1 with Paddy Power, but actually shares the market lead with SkyBet at 7/2.
The seven-year-old also hails from a stable ensconced within Willie Mullins’ all-powerful Closutton walls. He has won three of his four starts over fences, making light work of the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at this year’s Festival, and should have no difficulty stepping up in trip to 3m2f. Gold Cups need young pretenders, and to give his weighty reputation even more of a boost, he races in JP McManus’ famous green and gold.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting 2025 – The Field
There will come a point where Gerri Colombe must be profiled again for the 2025 Gold Cup. Galopin Des Champs became just the second horse to beat him when winning the Savills Chase at Leopardstown last Christmas, and that record still stands.
Of course, he beat him again up the Cheltenham hill, but Gordon Elliott’s charge subsequently overcame trouble in running to win at Aintree fewer than four weeks later. He can be backed at 12/1 with Paddy Power
Second season chasers the like of Grey Dawning and Inothewayurthinkin will soon test their mettle against their elders, while following in the footsteps of last year’s third Corach Rambler, could I Am Maximus step back in distance from Grand National history to prove himself Grade 1 calibre? The McManus pair are 12/1 and 16/1 respectively, with Dan Skelton’s audacious grey at 14/1.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Winners Since 2010
| Year | Horse | Jockey/Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Imperial Commander | J:Paddy Brennan T:Nigel Twiston-Davies | 7/1 |
| 2011 | Long Run | J:Sam Waley-Cohen T:Nicky Henderson | 7/2F |
| 2012 | Synchronized | J:AP McCoy T:Jonjo O’Neill | 8/1 |
| 2013 | Bobs Worth | J:Barry Geraghty T:Nicky Henderson | 11/4F |
| 2014 | Lord Windermere | J:Davy Russell T:Jim Culloty | 20/1 |
| 2015 | Coneygree | J:Nico De Boinville T:Mark Bradstock | 7/1 |
| 2016 | Don Cossack | J:Bryan Cooper T:Gordon Elliott | 9/4F |
| 2017 | Sizing John | J:Robbie Power T:Jessica Harrington | 7/1 |
| 2018 | Native River | J:Richard Johnson T:Colin Tizzard | 5/1 |
| 2019 | Al Boum Photo | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 12/1 |
| 2020 | Al Boum Photo | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 10/3F |
| 2021 | Minella Indo | J:Jack Kennedy T:Henry De Bromhead | 9/1 |
| 2022 | A Plus Tard | J:Rachael Blackmore T:Henry De Bromhead | 3/1F |
| 2023 | Galopin Des Champs | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 7/5F |
| 2024 | Galopin Des Champs | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 10/11F |