Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup |
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| Grade 1, Cheltenham 16:00 £625,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 2f 70y, Class 1  |
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Notably, only five of the 15 remaining entries are British-trained, marking a record low and highlighting the increasing dominance of Irish stables in this prestigious event.
Leading the entries is the two-time defending champion, Galopin Des Champs, trained by Willie Mullins. Following an impressive victory in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, he is the favourite to secure a third consecutive Gold Cup win, a feat last achieved by Best Mate between 2002 and 2004.
✅ 6/6 over fences at Leopardstown
— Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) December 28, 2024
✅ 2/2 in the Savills Chase
A sparkling performance again from Galopin Des Champs at the track 👏🏻
pic.twitter.com/dhXHqkdn33
Among the Irish challengers is Fact To File, also from Mullins' yard, who finished second to Galopin Des Champs in the Savills Chase and is considered a strong contender. Other notable Irish entries include Monty's Star, and Banbridge, the latter having secured a victory in the King George VI Chase in December.
Connections of L’Homme Presse are not shying away from the challenge. The winner of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham in 2022, the gelding has long been one of Britain’s shining lights in the staying chase division and finished best of the home team when third in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on his seasonal reappearance.
After winning the Cotswold Chase, L’Homme Presse disappointed in the Ascot Chase on February 15, being pulled up. Perhaps a race too soon after Cheltenham.
The rest of the British representation comprises Grey Dawning, who was runner-up in the Betfair Chase but did not finish in the King George, Royale Pagaille, winner of the Betfair Chase, The Real Whacker, and Ahoy Senor. Each of these horses is currently listed at odds of 33-1 or longer, indicating the challenges they face against the dominant Irish contenders.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase
£625,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 2f 70y, Class 1
15 remaining entries
Going:
NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY (form as of Feb 19)
1 62-3PP Ahoy Senor 10 11-10 Lucinda Russell
2 9-14U1 Banbridge 9 11-10 Joseph O'Brien
3 6U5870 Conflated 11 11-10 Gordon Elliott
4 13-262 Corbetts Cross 8 11-10 Emmet Mullins
5 11-123 Fact To File 8 11-10 W P Mullins
6 1-2311 Galopin Des Champs 9 11-10 W P Mullins
7 P5-433 Gentlemansgame 9 11-10 M F Morris
8 11-P62 Grangeclare West 9 11-10 W P Mullins
9 113-2P Grey Dawning 8 11-10 Dan Skelton
10 323257 Hewick 10 11-10 Miss Tara Lee Cogan
11 /416-1 Jungle Boogie 11 11-10 Henry De Bromhead
12 24-31P L'Homme Presse 10 11-10 Venetia Williams
13 12-225 Monty's Star 8 11-10 Henry De Bromhead
14 1F-1P6 Royale Pagaille 11 11-10 Venetia Williams
15 P5-U14 The Real Whacker 9 11-10 Patrick Neville
