Cheltenham Festival Prize Money List 2024: Who Is The Only £1m Horse Running?

There are many big equine jumping stars heading to Prestbury Park in March, but when looking at the Cheltenham Festival prize money list – Did you know, there will only be ONE £1 million horse in action at the 2024 meeting?

Who Is The Only £1m Horse Running At The Cheltenham Festival In 2024?

Being billed as ‘Jump Racing’s Olympics’ you’d probably think there would be more than one horse on show that’s won over £1m in total career prize money – wrong.

As we head into the 2024 Cheltenham Festival there is just ONE horse that’s already banked their connections OVER £1MILLION in total prize money.

The horse in question is the current Gold Cup champion and favourite to win the Friday feature again – GALOPIN DES CHAMPS.

Despite only aged 8 years-old, this Willie Mullins-trained chaser has already won his owner Mrs Audrey Turley £1,025,175 in total prize money, with the bulk of that coming after scooping £351,991.08 when winning last year’s Gold Cup.

He’s also won €140k x 2 for taking the last two runnings of the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival.

In total Galopin Des Champs has won 11 of his 17 career races and won £963,479 for winning those races and added a further £61,696 in place prize money.

Don’t forget, Galopin Des Champs Cheltenham Festival prize money could have been even bigger – had he not fallen at the last in the 2022 Turners Novices’ Chase, which was worth £101,564.16 to the winner that year.

But let’s not get greedy. If he can defend his Cheltenham crown in 2024, he’ll add another £351,688 in Gold Cup prize money – which would take him up to a tasty £1,376,863.

Galopin Des Champs Career In Numbers

• Age: 8
• Runs: 17
• Wins: 11
• Chase Runs: 11
• Chase Wins: 8
• Winning Prize Money: £963,479
• Place Prize Money: £61,696
• Total Career Earnings: £1,025,175

Note: Figures correct as 21st Feb 2024

State Man and Envoi Allen The Only Two £800k Horses At This Year’s Cheltenham Festival

Coming next in the Cheltenham Festival prize money table for 2024 are two more well-known Irish horses – State Man and Envoi Allen.

Despite playing second fiddle to Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle last season, State Man has still banked £856,206 in total prize money – mainly due to two Irish Champion Hurdles and two Matheson Hurdles – making up €400k of his total prize money.

In fact, State Man has actually won £124k more than Constitution Hill – but this could quickly change with the pair set to meet again in the Champion Hurdle on the opening day that carries a winning purse of £253,215.

Last year’s Ryanair Chase winner Envoi Allen is currently third in the Cheltenham prize money list with £824,009 – of which £211,012.50 was won at the Festival 12 months ago.

The horse he beat into second that day – Shishkin – comes next with £785,210 in total prize money won for his owner Joe Donnelly.

But had he not fallen late on in the King George VI Chase this season or pulled up in the 2022 Champion Chase, then his earnings haul could have been even higher.

Constitution Hill Only Eighth In The Cheltenham Prize Money List (but that could all change)

The horse billed as the best 2m hurdler on the planet – Constitution Hill – only sits in eighth place in the prize money list heading into the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.

This unbeaten 7 year-old has banked £731,642 for winning all eight if his races for owner Michael Buckley, but another win in the Champion Hurdle, which is worth £253,215 will see him shoot right up the table.

Two Grand National Winners Feature On The Cheltenham Prize Money Table

The prize money list also features two past Grand National winners in Noble Yeats and Corach Rambler, with £761k and £709k backed respectively.

These Aintree heroes will be in action again at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival to try and further bolster their prize pots. Noble Yeats is expected to run in Thursday’s Stayers’ Hurdle and Corach Rambler in the Gold Cup on the Friday.

The 2022 Grand National third and two-time Cross Country Chase winner – Delta Work – has also made the list with an impressive £748k won.

Cheltenham Festival Prize Money List 2024