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The most exciting four days of horse racing this year are just under two months away, as the Cheltenham Festival 2025 is fast approaching. As is typically the case, fans of racing from far afield will make their annual pilgrimage to the Cotswolds to watch the greatest stars that the world has to offer over jumps.
As always, the feature of the week comes in the form of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, as a talented field compete over three miles and two furlongs to join legends such as Golden Miller, Kauto Star, and Denman in the history books.
A thrilling renewal of the Gold Cup is already taking shape, but who are the current leaders in the betting for the Blue Riband race on the National Hunt calendar?
A shot at history awaits Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs at the Cheltenham Festival this year. The nine-year-old could become the first horse since Best Mate in 2001 to win three successive editions of the Gold Cup, and there has been little form on track over the last two years to suggest that we have already seen the best of the National Hunt superstar.
Galopin Des Champs was as dominant as ever when winning his second Gold Cup last March, finishing three lengths clear of Gordon Elliott-trained Gerri Colombe. Once again, his 2024-25 season started on a slow point, taking third behind Fact To File in the G1 John Durkan over an inadequate two miles and three.
That form was firmly reversed when back up to three miles in the G1 Savills Chase, putting seven lengths between himself and Fact to File. Once again, the only thing in between the Mullins star and Gold Cup glory could be a jumping error.
Find more information on how to wage in Cheltenham here: twinspires.com/betting-guides/beginners-guide-betting-horse-racing/
The competitiveness of the Gold Cup in 2025 could hinge on the involvement of Mullins-trained Fact To File. The second-season chaser also holds an entry for the Ryanair Chase, and is currently among the market leaders to win one of the features on the third day at the Festival this year.
However, there is only one Gold Cup, and J P McManus very much has his sights set high with this eight-year-old. Fact To File got the better of Galopin Des Champs and Spillane’s Tower in the G1 John Durkan in November, but was losing more ground than the seven-length defeat suggested over three miles in the G1 Savills.
But, there is clear evidence to suggest that he will be a different beast around Cheltenham, beating the progressive Monty’s Star by three lengths in the G1 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase in 2024.
Returning horses don’t have the best record in the Gold Cup, but there is a strong argument that we haven’t yet seen Gerri Colombe reach his peak performance level when pitted against Galopin Des Champs.
He ran to a career-best rating when second in the race last year, and followed up that effort with a pleasing display of jumping to beat Ahoy Senor by just under a length in an Aintree Grade One in April. However, this season does raise questions surrounding his chances of even running at the Festival. The Gordon Elliott runner was last seen finishing a disappointing third in the G1 Champion Chase at Down Royal in November, before avoiding Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown at Christmas.
Elliott has already stated that the nine-year-old is not near a return to action, and a planned run at Windsor was called off in the middle of January. Another run will be needed if he is to enhance his claims of reversing the Gold Cup form from 2024.
It’s a sorry state of affairs that there is no leading British hope in the Gold Cup this year, but an interesting contender that could still be unexposed over three miles could be Banbridge from the Joseph O’Brien yard.
The nine-year-old stepped up in trip for the first time on Boxing Day, running down the front-running Il Est Francais to land the King George by nearly two lengths. Banbridge is a proven performer at the highest level over fences, winning six from eleven efforts over the biggest obstacles. He has winning Cheltenham experience after landing the G2 Arkle Trial in November 2022.
However, connections will likely take ground conditions into account after a no-show in the G1 Ryanair last year on soft ground. Three miles around Kempton is a different kettle of finish to a gruelling three miles and two in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham, and likely testing ground would be an off-putting factor for his chances at this stage. A return run in the Ryanair could make the most appeal if he gets his ground in 2025, while dropping back to two miles and an unlikely raid on the G1 Champion Chase has also not been ruled out by connections.
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