Cheltenham Gold Cup betting is huge to the gambling industry in the UK. This is one of the most prestigious horse races in the British Isles. As the centrepiece of the Cheltenham Festival held every year in March, this is the premier National Hunt steeplechase. This is our guide to betting on the Gold Cup with everything you need to know about the blue riband event for chasers.
Best Bookies for Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting Offers
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#1 UK Bookie for Cheltenham Gold Cup BettingBet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
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- BOG on Gold Cup ante post
- Also NRNB on the big race
- ITV Racing 4/1+ Winner deal
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- NRNB market open on race
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- Early Gold Cup specials
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- NRNB on Gold Cup ante post
- BOG from the day before
- Extra Place races available
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- One of first to go NRNB on Gold Cup
- Bonus King with many offers
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- NRNB for Gold Cup bets
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- Daily racing specials
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9.0CopiedCHEL22CopyLearn MoreClose61Min deposit £10 with promo code: CHEL22 • The offer valid until Monday, 14 March 23:59:59 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 on horse racing • Min odds 1/2 • £10 in Free Bets + £10 Casino Bonus credited upon qualifying bet placement • £30 in Free Bets for the Cheltenham Festival split across three days during the event, log in required to receive £10 per day • Free Bets are valid for 3 days • Free Bet stakes are not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days and expires after 60 days • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods & countries & Full T&C’s apply.Min deposit £10 with promo code: CHEL22 • The offer valid until Monday, 14 March 23:59:59 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 on horse racing • Min odds 1/2 • £10 in Free Bets + £10 Casino Bonus credited upon qualifying bet placement • £30 in Free Bets for the Cheltenham Festival split across three days during the event, log in required to receive £10 per day • Free Bets are valid for 3 days • Free Bet stakes are not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days and expires after 60 days • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods & countries & Full T&C’s apply.
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It’s stating the obvious but Gold Cup betting odds are a big deal for the bookies. The race is the highest level of competition for staying steeplechasers every year. Covering two full circuits of Cheltenham Racecourse and a distance of an extended three-and-a-quarter miles, Gold Cup odds are available all year round.
This is because there are a number of official and unofficial trials taking place throughout the jumps season. Each of those, including previous Cheltenham results, shape the market. Betting for the Cheltenham Gold Cup has plenty of influencing factors in it besides form, though. There is also the past record of racehorse trainers to consider.
You should always aim to get some Cheltenham Gold Cup betting offers if you’re taking a punt. Find out more about those on another dedicated page. These help you feel like you’re getting a good deal with your wagers.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Trials
Top National Hunt racehorses have plenty of chances to advertise their Cheltenham credentials. Here are all the key Gold Cup trials in the UK and Ireland:
Cheltenham Gold Cup Trial Racecourse Trial Distance When Most Recent Winner National Hunt Chase Cheltenham 3m 6f March Stattler Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase Cheltenham 3m March L’Homme Presse (injured) Betway Bowl Aintree 3m 1f April Clan Des Obeaux (not entered) Mildmay Novices’ Chase Aintree 3m 1f April Ahoy Senor Grand National Aintree 4m 2f 56y April Noble Yeats bet365 Gold Cup Sandown 3m 5f April Hewick Punchestown Champion Novice Chase Punchestown 3m ½f April Capodanno (withdrawn) Punchestown Gold Cup Punchestown 3m ½f April Allaho (not entered, injured) Irish Daily Star Chase Punchestown 3m 1f October Galvin (withdrawn) Down Royal Champion Chase Down Royal 3m October / November Envoi Allen (withdrawn) Charlie Hall Chase Wetherby 3m October / November Bravemansgame Betfair Chase Haydock 3m 1½f November Protektorat Coral Gold Cup Newbury 3m 2f November / December Le Milos (not entered) Many Clouds Chase Aintree 3m 1f December Noble Yeats John Durkan Memorial Chase Punchestown 2m 4f December Galopin Des Champs King George VI Chase Kempton 3m December Bravemansgame Savills Chase Leopardstown 3m December Conflated New Year’s Day Chase Tramore 2m 6f January Minella Indo Peter Marsh Chase Haydock 3m 1½f January Abandoned Thyestes Chase Gowran 3m 1f January Carefully Selected (not entered) Cotswold Chase Cheltenham 3m 1f January Ahoy Senor Irish Gold Cup Leopardstown 3m February Galopin Des Champs Denman Chase Newbury 2m 7½f February Zanza (not entered) Latest Gold Cup Betting Odds
The latest betting odds for the Cheltenham Gold Cup are right here, so you can see which horses are fancied on the best betting sites in the UK today. There are some great racehorses in training specifically for the blue riband event of steeplechasing right now.
For more on Gold Cup odds, keep checking SportsLens are our experts have all the analysis and information ahead of the Cheltenham Festival. Here is the latest Gold Cup ante post betting show:
All prices quoted best odds and correct as of 10:00 GMT on Friday, 17 March 2023.- Galopin Des Champs (13/8 with William Hill)
- A Plus Tard (5/1 with BetUK)
- Bravemansgame (13/2 with bet365)
- Noble Yeats (14/1 with Betfred)
- Stattler (18/1 with betway)
- Conflated (18/1 with QuinnBet)
- Protektorat (20/1 with LiveScore Bet)
- Ahoy Senor (20/1 with 10bet)
- Minella Indo (20/1 with 888sport)
- Sounds Russian (33/1 with bet365)
- Royale Pagaille (50/1 with William Hill)
- Hewick (66/1 with BetUK)
- Eldorado Allen (125/1 with BoyleSports)
Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting Odds & Implied Probabilities
All odds from horse racing betting sites have implied probabilities behind them. Prices are just another way of expressing what those are. The Cheltenham Gold Cup betting odds and market is no different. So that you understand odds better, we thought it would be helpful if there was a table with the implied probabilities sat next to the prices for the leading big race contenders. Here it is:
Horse Betting Odds for Cheltenham Gold Cup Implied Probability Galopin Des Champs 13/8 38.1% A Plus Tard 5/1 16.7% Bravemansgame 13/2 13.3% Noble Yeats 14/1 6.7% Stattler 18/1 5.3% Conflated 18/1 5.3% Protektorat 20/1 4.8% Ahoy Senor 20/1 4.8% Minella Indo 20/1 4.8% Sounds Russian 33/1 2.9% Royale Pagaille 50/1 2% Hewick 66/1 1.5% Eldorado Allen 125/1 0.8% Cheltenham Gold Cup Entries 2023
From an initial 27 entries made for the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup, there are 23 left in the race ahead of penultimate declarations on Saturday,11 March. These are the horses, complete with silks, set to compete in the blue riband event of steeplechasing this year.
Ahoy Senor
- Age: 8
- Rating: 161
- Trainer: Lucinda Russell
- Jockey: Derek Fox
- Recent Runs: 121-5351
- Cheltenham Form: 2-1
- Odds: 20/1
Scottish raider put it all together to land the Cotswold Chase on Festival Trials Day on his last outing, but winning horses in that event have a poor recent Gold Cup record. Second to L’Homme Presse in the Brown Advisory at last year’s Festival. Not discounted, especially as he seems to come alive in the spring.
A Plus Tard
- Age: 9
- Rating: 180
- Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- Jockey: Rachael Blackmore
- Recent Runs: 12/121-P
- Cheltenham Form: 1/3/2/1
- Odds: 5/1
Last year’s Gold Cup hero has a solid record at the Festival, never finishing out of the frame in four visits. Career best when bolted up by 15 lengths 12 months ago, but pulled up in and later scoped dirty after mounting no kind of defence of Betfair Chase crown on reappearance. Not seen since, but cannot be counted out because of his past Cheltenham exploits.
Bravemansgame
- Age: 8
- Rating: 172
- Trainer: Paul Nicholls
- Jockey: Harry Cobden
- Recent Runs: 1114-11
- Cheltenham Form: 3
- Odds: 13/2
Charlie Hall and King George VI Chase winner that trainer holds in very high regard. Only one previous visit to Cheltenham and third in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, but has taken his form to a new level over fences. Leading British contender.
Conflated
- Age: 9
- Rating: 168
- Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- Jockey: Davy Russell
- Recent Runs: 11F2-31
- Cheltenham Form: F
- Odds: 18/1
Unlucky faller two out when booked for second in the Ryanair Chase last year. Has since added another Leopardstown Grade 1 to his CV in the Savills Chase over Christmas. Kept fresh for this and not without each way claims for his top Irish stable.
Eldorado Allen
- Age: 9
- Rating: 162
- Trainer: Joe Tizzard
- Jockey: Brendan Powell Jr
- Recent Runs: 137-2245
- Cheltenham Form: 0/12/3
- Odds: 125/1
Not able to build on last year’s Denman Chase success. Never near to challenge and lost second up the hill in the Ryanair Chase. Showed no improvement at this level despite Betfair Chase second as moderate fourth in King George and poor fifth with tame attempt at defending Newbury crown.
Galopin Des Champs
- Age: 7
- Rating: 175
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Jockey: Paul Townend
- Recent Runs: 111F1-11
- Cheltenham Form: 1/F
- Odds: 13/8
Fell at the last in the Turners Novices’ Chase during the Festival last year. Has more than made amends for that with Fairyhouse Gold Cup, John Durkan and Irish Gold Cup successes since. A worthy favourite.
Hewick
- Age: 8
- Rating: 167
- Trainer: Shark Hanlon
- Jockey: Jordan Gainford
- Recent Runs: P1-21U1
- Cheltenham Form: None
- Odds: 66/1
Remarkable horse who won the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown last spring, then the Galway Plate over the summer. Unfortunate to unseat in the Kerry National, but made a successful transatlantic raid on the American Grand National. Laid out for this since. Intriguing contender, but ideally wants better ground.
Minella Indo
- Age: 10
- Rating: 168
- Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- Jockey: Mark Walsh
- Recent Runs: 3P22P-1
- Cheltenham Form: 1/2/1/2
- Odds: 20/1
The 2021 Gold Cup winner saw that form reversed by stable companion A Plus Tard 12 months ago. Took advantage of receiving weight from Stattler to land the Savills New Year’s Day Chase at Tramore on reappearance. Can’t be ignored after two wins and seconds at the Cheltenham Festival.
Noble Yeats
- Age: 8
- Rating: 167
- Trainer: Emmet Mullins
- Jockey: Sean Bowen
- Recent Runs: 291-P113
- Cheltenham Form: 9-3
- Odds: 14/1
Grand National hero as a novice, busting all trends last spring. Many Clouds Chase winner and eye-catching third in the Cotswold Chase latest. Taking the Gold Cup in en route back to Aintree for a defence of his crown and cheekpieces reapplied. Dangerous.
Protektorat
- Age: 8
- Rating: 170
- Trainer: Dan Skelton
- Jockey: Harry Skelton
- Recent Runs: 1/2134-14
- Cheltenham Form: U5/130/1/23-4
- Odds: 20/1
Last year’s third looked a serious contender for Gold Cup glory when storming to Betfair Chase success at Haydock on reappearance. Left undercooked when a below par fourth in the Cotswold Chase latest. Capable of better and still open to progress.
Royale Pagaille
- Age: 163
- Rating: 9
- Trainer: Venetia Williams
- Jockey: Charlie Deutsch
- Recent Runs: 212455-2
- Cheltenham Form: 6/5
- Odds: 50/1
Taken minor honours in the last two editions of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Had a lighter campaign this time and runner-up in the King George on reappearance, but is best on heavy ground. Would need more rain, ideally falling on the day, to have a say.
Sounds Russian
- Age: 8
- Rating: 161
- Trainer: Ruth Jefferson
- Jockey: Sean Quinlan
- Recent Runs: 112-1422
- Cheltenham Form: 2
- Odds: 33/1
Good runner-up in the Cotswold Chase when splitting Ahoy Senor and Noble Yeats after filling the same spot in the Rowland Meyrick. That Wetherby form let down since by the winner, though. Under the radar progress for a northern trainer, but will have to improve again for a Gold Cup.
Stattler
- Age: 8
- Rating: 163
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Jockey: Patrick Mullins
- Recent Runs: 43/111-22
- Cheltenham Form: 4/1
- Odds: 18/1
Last year’s National Hunt Chase winner has no stamina concerns, but clearly the stable’s second string behind Galopin Des Champs on their Irish Gold Cup meeting. The way this race is run could well suit him, though.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting Preview 2023
Now that we’ve looked at the Gold Cup betting and odds, it’s time to assess the form behind the prices. A glance at horse racing news and the table of past winners further down this page shows Willie Mullins has two recent wins in this feature race. He trains the favourite, Galopin Des Champs. Since taking a tumble at the final fence when cruising to what looked like certain victory in the Turners Novices’ Chase at last year’s Festival, he has won both the Fairyhouse Gold Cup and John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup trip is a step into the unknown stamina wise, but that is the only real question Galopin Des Champs has against him. With strong market confidence behind him, he comes here as the form horse, perhaps taking in the Dublin Racing Festival en route.
Next in the Gold Cup betting is King George VI Chase hero Bravemansgame, who gave trainer Paul Nicholls a 13th win in the Christmastime showpiece, yet this horse suffered a major disappointment at the Festival a couple of years ago over hurdles.
Whether Bravemansgame handles the track is a worry, but there are no such concerns about A Plus Tard. Always saving his best for Cheltenham, Henry De Bromhead’s stable star has finished second and first in the last two editions of the Gold Cup. Illness explained A Plus Tard pulling-up in his bid to defend his Betfair Chase crown at Haydock Park on reappearance, but he then missed an intended engagement over Christmas with a knock.
Gold Cup Ante Post Betting Suggests Protektorat & Noble Yeats Still Improving
Open to further progress at staying trips, meanwhile, is last season’s third Protektorat. Dan Skelton has big ambitions for this horse after landing last season’s Many Clouds Chase up at Aintree and the Betfair Chase at Haydock on his reappearance this term. Plenty of experts giving Gold Cup tips highlight Protektorat as a solid each-way play on the race.
Grand National hero Noble Yeats quickened up superbly to win the Many Clouds after returning to the scene of his greatest triumph. Emmet Mullins is proving to be a terrific trainer and, if his charges ends up being handicapped out of the Aintree showpiece, this is another realistic target.
If there is a second string for the Mullins stable, then the Gold Cup betting suggests that is Stattler. A ready winner of the National Hunt Chase at the Festival last season, he suffered a big defeat on the New Course in the Albert Bartlett over hurdles. Stattler was also turned over by Minella Indo at Tramore on New Year’s Day, but the 2021 Gold Cup hero is a 10-year-old now and the race terms favoured him.
Those looking for a bigger price in the Gold Cup betting this year bar those names could consider Conflated. Proven at the highest level around Leopardstown, he probably won’t take in the Ryanair Chase again following his Savills Chase victory over Christmas.
Another lively outsider on Cheltenham betting sites is Shark Hanlon’s Hewick. He won the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown and that success last spring has his trainer dreaming of Festival glory. View the latest Cheltenham Gold Cup betting tips and analysis on SportsLens.
Betting on the Gold Cup – History & Past Winners
As the below table shows, nine favourites in the betting for the Cheltenham Gold Cup have won over the last 20 years. However, in the dozen most recent renewals, the market leader has only four victories. That is a 33 per cent success rate over that period. It also reflects a broad general trend in horse racing where the favourite wins races on average only around a third of the time.
An even more recent sample brings their record down to a quarter. Only two favourites in the last eight Gold Cup renewals delivered. Study five-year trends, meanwhile, and only one market leader has been successful. That reduces the performance of Gold Cup betting favourites even further to 20 per cent or a fifth. The winners table shows you the age, jockey and trainer, plus the year and starting price (SP). Any favourites have an F next to their odds.
Previous Winners
Year Gold Cup Winner Age Jockey Trainer Starting Price (SP) 2022 A Plus Tard 8 Rachael Blackmore Henry De Bromhead 3/1F 2021 Minella Indo 8 Jack Kennedy Henry De Bromhead 9/1 2020 Al Boum Photo 8 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 100/30F 2019 Al Boum Photo 7 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 12/1 2018 Native River 8 Richard Johnson Colin Tizzard 5/1 2017 Sizing John 7 Robbie Power Jessica Harrington 7/1 2016 Don Cossack 9 Bryan Cooper Gordon Elliott 9/4F 2015 Coneygree 8 Nico de Boinville Mark Bradstock 7/1 2014 Lord Windermere 8 Davy Russell Jim Culloty 20/1 2013 Bobs Worth 8 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 11/4F 2012 Synchronised 9 Tony McCoy Jonjo O’Neill 8/1 2011 Long Run 6 Mr Sam Waley-Cohen Nicky Henderson 7/2F 2010 Imperial Commander 9 Paddy Brennan Nigel Twiston-Davies 7/1 2009 Kauto Star 9 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 7/4F 2008 Denman 8 Sam Thomas Paul Nicholls 9/4 2007 Kauto Star 7 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 5/4F 2006 War Of Attrition 7 Conor O’Dwyer Mouse Morris 15/2 2005 Kicking King 7 Barry Geraghty Tom Taaffe 4/1F 2004 Best Mate 9 Jim Culloty Henrietta Knight 8/11F 2003 Best Mate 8 Jim Culloty Henrietta Knight 13/8F 2002 Best Mate 7 Jim Culloty Henrietta Knight 7/1 Other Gold Cup Betting Races
There is a natural preoccupation with Cheltenham Gold Cup betting when people talk about the Gold Cup. In fact, there are plenty of other Gold Cups in the sport of British and Irish horse racing today. Many events have built up over time. Some of these event predate the Cheltenham Gold Cup, first run as a steeplechase in 1924.
Prior to that, there was a Flat stakes race of the same name over three miles held initially in 1819. Some of the other Gold Cups are steeplechases and others Group 1 contests or valuable handicaps on the level. Each of these are well worth a watch on live horse racing streaming sites for different reasons. Helping you make sense of every Gold Cup in British and Irish horse racing, which no longer includes the Hennessy Gold Cup after rebranding to the Ladbrokes Trophy in 2017, check out the other races:
Races In Ireland
There are currently four horse racing events in the Emerald Isle with Gold Cup in their title. The first of these is the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown, one of the feature contests at the Dublin Racing Festival in early February. It takes place over an extended three miles and is a valuable race in its own right. This gives top staying steeplechasers in the Emerald Isle one final run some six weeks before crossing the Irish Sea for the Cheltenham Festival.
At Fairyhouse, meanwhile, there is a two-and-a-half-mile novice chase enjoying Grade 1 status during the big Easter Festival on the day before the Irish Grand National. Previously known as the Powers Gold Cup and Ryanair Gold Cup, it doesn’t have a fixed date. This is because Easter can be as early as the end of March or late as mid-April. The Fairyhouse Gold Cup is thus an alternative target to some of the top novice chases on both sides of the Irish Sea in the spring.
Perhaps the biggest of all Emerald Isle races with this in the title, though, is the Punchestown Gold Cup. Traditionally on the last Wednesday in April, it is the feature race on the second day of Ireland’s end of jumps season extravaganza. As previous horse racing results tell us, Cheltenham Gold Cup winners often go on to the Punchestown Festival for this extended three-mile contest. Kicking King, War Of Attrition and Sizing John have all won both in the same season.
On the Flat in Ireland, meanwhile, there is the Tattersalls Gold Cup. A Group 1 contest for older horses over an extended mile-and-a-quarter, it is the big race for four-year-olds and up during the Irish Guineas Festival on the third weekend in May.
Ascot Gold Cup Betting
By far the most famous race on the Flat that is a Gold Cup is the one at Royal Ascot. A historic two-and-a-half-mile Group 1 race first held in 1807, it is the centrepiece staying race in the whole British horse racing summer calendar. Run on the Thursday of the royal meeting in mid-June, whatever their Ascot Gold Cup betting odds might be, winners are guaranteed a future career at stud as sires of National Hunt horses. The irony is the Ascot Gold Cup could produce Cheltenham Gold Cup winners in years to come.
Ayr Gold Cup Betting
Even older than the Ascot race but at the opposite end of the spectrum distance wise, the Ayr Gold Cup is a six-furlong sprint Heritage Handicap. First run way back in 1804, cut to its current distance in 1908 and held during the middle of September, the race is usually so oversubscribed that there are two consolation races – the Ayr Silver Cup and Ayr Bronze Cup. Open to three-year-olds and up, Ayr Gold Cup betting odds are always competitive because of the sheer size of the field. There are 24 runners in this wide-open cavalry charge.
Haldon Gold Cup
The first Gold Cup in any UK jumps season is the Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter. Run as a limited handicap chase over almost two-and-a-quarter miles, this is traditionally a midweek race rather than on a weekend. Winning the Haldon Gold Cup helped the careers of many top horses. It remains a stepping stone to other races, however, despite a rich roll of honour.
Paddy Power Gold Cup Betting
There are actually three races with Gold Cup in their title that take place at Cheltenham. The first of those in the order of the National Hunt season is the Paddy Power Gold Cup. This Premier Handicap chase over an extended two-and-a-half miles is the big betting race on the Saturday of Cheltenham’s three-day November Meeting. Originally sponsored by Mackeson Stout, this race has also been partnered by Murphy’s Brewery, tailors Thomas Pink and BetVictor. The Paddy Power Gold Cup betting usually has a very open look to it.
December Gold Cup
Another Cheltenham race with Gold Cup in its name, the December Gold Cup has also had various sponsors down the years. Run on the New Course rather than the Old Course, where the Paddy Power takes place, this is also an extended two-and-a-half-mile Premier Handicap chase. Originally sponsored by Massey Ferguson, the most notable recent partner for the December Gold Cup has been Caspian Caviar. When their sponsorship ended, the race found new partners in the Racing Post. The December Gold Cup takes place on the Saturday of Cheltenham’s International Meeting.
Greatwood Gold Cup
Newbury also has its own Grade 3 handicap chase over two-and-a-half miles in the Greatwood Gold Cup. Run on either the last Saturday in February or first in March, it takes place during a lull where arguably better horses prepare for the Cheltenham Festival. This race carries part of the same name as the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle, a two-mile Premier Handicap run during the November Meeting at Cheltenham.
bet365 Gold Cup
On the final day of the British jumps season at Sandown Park, the bet365 Gold Cup takes place. Over a longer distance of an extended three-and-a-half miles than the Cheltenham race, for many years this event was called the Whitbread Gold Cup. A staying handicap chase with Premier Handicap status, this race brings the curtain down on the core National Hunt season in the UK.
London Gold Cup
This is where things start to get confusing. There are currently two races, one over jumps and one on the Flat, called the London Gold Cup. Both are handicaps. The jumps race is a Grade 3 steeplechase at Ascot over three miles, run on the last Saturday in October or first in November. On the Flat, meanwhile, the London Gold Cup Handicap is a mile-and-a-quarter stakes race for three-year-olds on the Lockinge card during the middle Saturday in May.
Conclusion
That brings our look at betting on the Cheltenham Gold Cup to a close. This stupendous race has it all. Intrigue, drama and the crowning of a champion at the end. Gold Cup betting should always be an exciting experience for punters with the race at the zenith of the sport.
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What day is the Gold Cup at Cheltenham?
The Gold Cup takes place on the Friday of the Cheltenham Festival. It is always scheduled to be the fourth race on the card, making it part of any placepot bet from the meeting, and first steeplechase of the day.
How do I place a bet on the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
Gold Cup betting works in much the same way as gambling on any other race. Sign up to an online bookmaker and deposit to the account. Find the Gold Cup betting market and the horse you want to back. Click on its odds to add the selection to the betslip, add others if you’re doing a trixie bet or other multiple, then enter a stake and confirm your wager.
Is the Gold Cup real gold?
Yes, the Cheltenham Gold Cup is real gold.
Who will win the Gold Cup?
According to the Gold Cup betting, there is every chance than an Irish horse will win at Cheltenham again this year. Galopin Des Champs heads the betting from defending champ A Plus Tard, Noble Yeats, Stattler and British contenders in King George winner Bravemansgame and Protektorat, who was third 12 months ago.