One of the UK’s biggest betting events is about to get underway – the Cheltenham Festival. A favourite among both casual and seasoned punters, there’s nothing quite like it in the world of horse racing.
If you’ve been following the Festival in recent years, one name will be all too familiar – Willie Mullins. The Irish trainer has dominated both the headlines and the Cheltenham betting markets, and 2025 looks set to continue that trend.
At the top of Mullins’ formidable stable stands Galopin Des Champs, the two-time Gold Cup winner who is now aiming for a historic hat-trick. Victory this year would put the horse alongside legends Arkle and Best Mate with three Gold Cup triumphs. It would also allow Mullins to equal Tom Dreaper’s record of five wins in the race, while jockey Paul Townend would become the first to reach five wins in Cheltenham’s showpiece event.
A Chance to Emulate Arkle and Best Mate
There’s history on the line, but what about betting value? Galopin’s odds currently sit at 8/13 – short, certainly, but reflective of his undeniable class. This isn’t to question his talent – quite the opposite – but rather to underline the fact that the Gold Cup is a demanding test, where even the greatest can falter.
It’s rare to see an odds-on favourite in the Gold Cup. Best Mate was priced at 8/11 when winning his third title in 2004, and you’d have to go back to Arkle in the 1960s to find a winner with shorter odds. Galopin’s current price isn’t quite at Arkle’s level – the great horse went off at 1/10 in 1966 – but it’s still extraordinary by modern standards.
There are multiple ways to interpret this. On one hand, backing Galopin makes sense: he’s the finest staying chaser of his generation. While perhaps not as thrilling to watch as Kauto Star, his raw power and control are remarkable. Watching Paul Townend ride him is like watching a master at the wheel, shifting gears effortlessly when required.
This ability to shift through the gears will be crucial in 2025’s Gold Cup – particularly because the field looks weak. Townend, a supremely intelligent jockey, knows how to extract only what’s needed from his horse based on the competition. If the standard of opposition remains low, expect Galopin and Townend to deliver when it matters most.
Watch a clip of Galopin Des Champs in action:
A Class of His Own in a Weak Field
So, who stands in his way? The current ante-post challengers include Fact to File, Banbridge, Monty’s Star, and Corbetts Cross – none of whom look capable of troubling Galopin at his best. Banbridge might be the biggest threat, having shown he can rise to the occasion at Cheltenham, but the gap in quality remains significant.
Still, no horse is invincible. Galopin has had his off days – including a defeat to Fact to File this season, and two losses last term to Fastorslow. Some will argue that he comes alive in the Gold Cup, while others may point to his fall in the 2022 Turners’ Novices’ Chase as a reason for caution.
Ultimately, there’s no clear-cut answer. If Galopin performs to his full potential, 8/11 might prove to be good value. He’s simply in a different league. But as seasoned punters know, horse racing has a habit of delivering surprises – the Gold Cup included. Keep a close watch on market fluctuations in the build-up to the race – the odds may still shift.
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