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Cheltenham Festival 2025 Tips - Mullins' star the value bet in Gold Cup market

jon-vine
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Last updated: 11 Feb 2025
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Jon Vine 11 Feb 2025
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  • Our fourth ante-post tip for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival
  • We've backed Corbetts Cross at 20/1 for the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup
  • The 2025 Gold Cup will be run at Cheltenham on Friday 14th March
corbetts cross
Derek O'Connor riding Corbetts Cross clear the last to win The Maureen Mullins National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Novices' Chase. (Getty)

Here's my fourth ante-post tip for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, which begins on Tuesday, March 11th.

Following a significant update from the trainer of one of last year's Cheltenham Festival winners, I've decided the time is now right to delve into the betting for the main event of this fantastic meeting.

2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup Tips - Corbetts Cross


Galopin Des Champs is the best Gold Cup winner since Kauto Star. There's no doubt about that. Willie Mullins' nine-year-old put stablemate Fact To File firmly in his place at Leopardstown over Christmas and I can't see those placings being reversed in the Irish Gold Cup.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is different to those Grade Ones at Leopardstown. It's a gruelling test of stamina and we've seen many classy horses down the years come up short. Galopin Des Champs would fall into the bracket of a classy long-distance chaser, but it's often the grinders, the dour stayers, the sluggers who relish the Gold Cup test.

Native River, Minella Indo, Corach Rambler, Noble Yeats, Santini, Gerri Colombe, Monalee. Two of these horses won the Gold Cup and the others all secured top four finishes. Yet, they'd be lapped in races like the Savills Chase, the Irish Gold Cup and the King George VI Chase, which would all favour speedy, classier stayers.

Monty's Star fits into the dour stayer's bracket. I backed him for the Gold Cup at the start of the season and haven't completely given up hope. Sadly, Henry De Bromhead has only been able to get his eight-year-old on the track once so far this term and I didn't see enough in the New Year's Day Chase at Tramore to suggest that he could challenge in a Gold Cup.

The only horse that I'm keen to back for the Gold Cup is CORBETTS CROSS (20/1). I should really have backed him after that sixth-place finish in the King George, but I've had to wait until Emmet Mullins - a trainer known for taking unexpected paths with his horses - confirmed that the Gold Cup was the main objective, which he did on the Nick Luck podcast this week.

Corbetts Cross isn't a brilliant jumper. That was exposed in the King George, where Derek O'Connor's mount couldn't lie up with the pace of the race. Mullins' raider spent much of the race toiling at the rear of the field, so I was quite surprised to see Corbetts Cross eventually cross the line sixth, just behind The Real Whacker and beaten favourite, Spillane's Tower.

Despite some fairly sketchy leaps, Corbetts Cross ran out a hugely impressive winner of the 2024 National Hunt Chase. We've seen Native River, Minella Rocco and Galvin star in that novices' chase before going on to challenge in recent Gold Cups. The fact that Corbetts Cross has won at the Festival, and over that 3m6f trip, has to boost his chances significantly.

Another defeat at the Dublin Racing Festival could see Fact To File defect to the Ryanair Chase. Banbridge is unlikely to take up his Gold Cup entry, as good ground is key to his chances. Gerri Colombe isn't right, Grey Dawning was hammered over Christmas, L'Homme Presse is a fragile ten-year-old and Il Est Francais seems to be Champion Chase bound. After them, you're getting to the likes of Gentlemansgame, Hewick, Ahoy Senor - who have all been beaten in previous Gold Cups - and Embassy Gardens, who simply isn't good enough.

Corbetts Cross will likely go off at a single-figure price for the 2025 Gold Cup, even if he doesn't run again between now and the Cheltenham Festival. There's every chance he could finish second behind Galopin Des Champs. If some bad luck was to befoul the favourite's hat-trick bid, we might even see Emmet Mullins celebrating Gold Cup success on Friday, March 14th.

2025 Cheltenham Festival Ante-Post Tips


Name
Race
Price Taken
Current Odds
Kopek Des Bordes2025 Turners Novices' Hurdle14/114/1
El Fabiolo2025 Ryanair Chase 7/17/1
King Turgeon2025 Ultima Handicap Chase20/120/1
Corbetts Cross2025 Gold Cup20/1NA

Verdict

Corbetts Cross has all of the attributes needed to challenge in a Gold Cup. I'm not saying that he's good enough to beat Galopin Des Champs, but I'm confident that he'll hit the frame if he arrives at Cheltenham in top form. At 20/1, he's an excellent each-way bet.

Best Bet1: Corbetts Cross 2025 Gold Cup Ante-Post Tip @20/1 at BoyleSports - 10 Units
Corbetts Cross
2025 Gold Cup Ante-Post Tip
@20/1 - 10 Units
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