This race will take place on day four of the Cheltenham Festival on Friday 14th March
Corbetts Cross is our each-way selection against Galopin Des Champs
Paul Townend on Galopin Des Champs cross the finishing line for victory in the Gold Cup 2024. (Getty)
Contents
2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds
2025 Gold Cup Tips - The Defending Champion
2025 Gold Cup Tips - The Chasing Pack
2025 Gold Cup Tips - Best Bets
The feature race of the Cheltenham Festival is the Gold Cup, the most prestigious race in all of National Hunt racing. This historic contest was first run at the Festival in 1924 and victory in this three-and-a-quarter mile chase guarantees any horse a place in the annals of sporting history.
Here's our free guide to the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup, featuring the latest odds, expert analysis and our best betting tips.
*Note - Best bets won't be finalised until the field has been confirmed*
2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds
Name
Odds
Galopin Des Champs
8/15
Fact To File
6/1
Banbridge
9/1
Corbetts Cross
14/1
Monty's Star
20/1
Bar
25/1
2025 Gold Cup Tips - The Defending Champion
Another victory in the Irish Gold Cup cemented Galopin Des Champs' position as an all-time great. Paul Townend's mount had the field stacked up behind him entering the straight, but the favourite took off at the back of the last to win by five easy lengths.
Galopin Des Champs has been imperious in the last two Gold Cups. I backed Bravemansgame against him in 2023, and Gerri Colombe 12 months ago. Although both of my picks ran blinders to finish second, neither looked like troubling Willie Mullins' star.
A hat-trick of Gold Cup wins would put Galopin Des Champs in the same pantheon as Arkle and Best Mate. There have been comparisons with Kauto Star in recent weeks, and rightly so. Barring a calamity, I can't see anything being good enough to stop the favourite from creating history.
2025 Gold Cup Tips - The Chasing Pack
Only 14 horses are entered against Galopin Des Champs, and I wouldn't be surprised if most of those weren't declared. Fact To File has been outstayed and outpaced by Galopin Des Champs on their two most recent starts around Leopardstown and I fancy connections may swerve a fourth clash of the season in the Gold Cup. The Ryanair Chase is a more realistic objective.
Apparently, it's the Gold Cup or nothing for Banbridge at this year's Cheltenham Festival. Joseph O'Brien's star was a fantastic winner of the King George and the team isn't concerned about the extra two-and-a-half furlong trip at Cheltenham. What will pose a problem is the ground. Banbridge would want the turf to be as good as possible and we haven't had a good ground Gold Cup since 2017.
Monty's Star was my ante-post pick at the start of the season and I still think he could run into the places. The Grand National could be the target for him, though, while connections of Grangeclare West and Hewick have also highlighted their Aintree aspirations.
Of the British contenders, only L'Homme Presse seems like a possible runner. Grey Dawning is being trained for Aintree, Royale Pagaille would need a bog to be competitive, The Real Whacker doesn't stay and Ahoy Senor has been a bitter disappointment.
Derek O'Connor riding Corbetts Cross clear the last to win The Maureen Mullins National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Novices' Chase. (Getty)
2025 Gold Cup Tips - Best Bets
I stuck CORBETTS CROSS (14/1) up at 20/1 in my ante-post Cheltenham Festival tips. Emmet Mullins said following his staying on sixth in the King George that the Gold Cup was the big target and, as far as I know, that hasn't changed.
Corbetts Cross isn't a brilliant jumper. That was exposed in the King George, where Derek O'Connor's mount couldn't cope with the pace of the race. Mullins' raider spent much of that contest toiling at the rear of the field, so I was 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.
If Corbetts Cross runs well in the Ascot Chase this week, he'll be a single-figure price for Cheltenham. Once the race cuts up as expected, Mullins' star might even go off as the second-favourite and 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 glory on Friday, March 14th.
Verdict
Corbetts Cross has all of the attributes needed to challenge in a Gold Cup. I'm not saying he's good enough to beat Galopin Des Champs, but I'm confident he'll hit the frame if he arrives at Cheltenham in top form. Even at 14/1, he's an excellent each-way bet.
Best Bet1: Corbetts Cross E/W 2025 Gold Cup Tips @14/1 at bet365 - 5 Units
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