The Cheltenham Gold Cup is arguably the biggest, classiest and best jumps race in the world and it is certainly one that most serious racing punters really look forward to. Held as the feature race on the final day of the four-day Cheltenham Festival, it typically takes place on Friday in mid-March, at Cheltenham (of course), on the New Course.
Run over a distance of more than three miles and two furlongs at a ferocious pace, with 22 testing fences to contend with, it is one of the toughest tests a horse can face. First held in 1924 it is open to horses aged five and up, though it tends to be won by runners aged between seven and nine years of age. It offers a total purse of around £500,000 and over the years has been won by legends such as Golden Miller, Arkle, L’Escargot, Desert Orchid, Best Mate and Kauto Star.
2026 - Gaelic Warrior
Gaelic Warrior produced a dominant display to land the Cheltenham Gold Cup for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. Sent into the lead before the second-last fence, the 11/4 joint-favourite quickly put the race beyond doubt and powered eight lengths clear of Jango Baie. Defending champion Inothewayurthinkin stayed on strongly to finish third, but the contest was effectively over once Gaelic Warrior hit the front. The victory added another Festival highlight for Mullins, who moved level with Tom Dreaper as the most successful Gold Cup trainer, while Townend became the outright leading jockey in the race’s history with his fifth success.
- 1st – Gaelic Warrior 11/4J, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd – Jango Baie 11/4J, Jockey: Nico de Boinville, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 3rd – Inothewayurthinkin 11/1, Jockey: Mark Walsh, Trainer: Gavin Cromwell
2025 - Inothewayurthinkin
A major upset unfolded at Cheltenham as Inothewayurthinkin denied Galopin Des Champs a historic third consecutive Gold Cup victory. The 15/2 chance, supplemented for £25,000 just six days before the race, travelled strongly under Mark Walsh before powering clear up the hill to win by six lengths and deliver a very tidy profit on that £25k investment. Odds-on favourite Galopin Des Champs had to settle for second in his bid to join an elite group of three-time winners. The success was a remarkable turnaround for Inothewayurthinkin, who had been well beaten by Galopin Des Champs in the Irish equivalent of this race just weeks earlier.
- 1st - Inothewayurthinkin 15/2, Jockey: Mark Walsh, Trainer: Gavin Cromwell
- 2nd - Galopin Des Champs 8/13F, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd - Gentlemansgame 40/1, Jockey: Darragh O’Keeffe, Trainer: Mouse Morris
2024 - Galopin Des Champs
Galopin Des Champs successfully defended his Gold Cup crown with another authoritative performance under the brilliant Paul Townend. Ridden more prominently than in his previous victory, the 10/11 favourite travelled smoothly throughout before taking the lead two fences from home. Gerri Colombe tried to close the gap after the final fence, but Galopin Des Champs had plenty more in reserve and stayed on strongly up the hill to win by three and a half lengths, with Corach Rambler finishing third. The victory made Townend only the second jockey to win the race four times, matching Pat Taaffe's record.
- 1st - Galopin Des Champs 10/11F, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd - Gerri Colombe 13/2, Jockey: Jack Kennedy, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- 3rd - Corach Rambler 14/1, Jockey: Derek Fox, Trainer: Lucinda Russell
2023 - Galopin Des Champs
After his dramatic final-fence fall 12 months earlier, in the Novices' Chase, Galopin Des Champs gained Cheltenham redemption with a brilliant Gold Cup victory. Held up early by Paul Townend, the 7/5 favourite was forced to overcome several challenges as Ahoy Senor set a searching pace before falling six fences from home, leaving Hewick in front until his own mistake at the second-last. Bravemansgame briefly looked the biggest danger, but Galopin Des Champs jumped the last alongside his rival before pulling seven lengths clear up the hill.
- 1st - Galopin Des Champs 7/5F, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd - Bravemansgame 6/1, Jockey: Harry Cobden, Trainer: Paul Nicholls
- 3rd - Conflated 22/1, Jockey: Sam Ewing, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
2022 - A Plus Tard
History was made at Cheltenham as Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Gold Cup aboard A Plus Tard. Settled in midfield through the early stages, the 3/1 favourite travelled smoothly before Blackmore patiently waited for a gap approaching the final fences. Once in the clear, A Plus Tard produced a decisive burst after the last to pull a huge 15 lengths clear of stablemate Minella Indo. The victory reversed the previous year’s result and added the Festival’s biggest prize to Blackmore’s remarkable list of achievements. It was a brilliant ride and although it seemed a woman would claim this prize sooner rather than later, it was still a momentous occasion.
- 1st – A Plus Tard 3/1F, Jockey: Rachael Blackmore, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- 2nd – Minella Indo 7/1, Jockey: Robbie Power, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- 3rd – Protektorat 10/1, Jockey: Harry Skelton, Trainer: Dan Skelton
2021 - Minella Indo
Minella Indo claimed a dramatic Gold Cup victory after a thrilling battle with stablemate A Plus Tard up the Cheltenham hill. The 9/1 chance travelled strongly behind Frodon’s early pace before moving into contention three fences from home and taking control. A Plus Tard, ridden by Rachael Blackmore, launched a late challenge after the final fence but could not reel him in, with Minella Indo holding on by a length and a quarter. The victory was a career-defining moment for Jack Kennedy, who had missed the previous year’s Festival through injury following a fourth leg fracture.
- 1st - Minella Indo 9/1, Jockey: Jack Kennedy, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- 2nd - A Plus Tard 100/30, Jockey: Rachael Blackmore, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- 3rd - Al Boum Photo 9/4f, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
2020 - Al Boum Photo
Al Boum Photo became the first horse since Best Mate in 2004 to win consecutive Gold Cups after holding on in a thrilling finish. The 10/3 favourite travelled strongly under Paul Townend before making his move approaching the final fences, taking the lead after the last. Santini launched a powerful late challenge up the hill and looked a serious threat in the closing stages, but Al Boum Photo showed great determination to prevail by a neck, with Lostintranslation fading after also jumping the final fence in contention.
- 1st - Al Boum Photo 100/30f, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd - Santini 5/1, Jockey: Nico de Boinville, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 3rd - Lostintranslation 10/1, Jockey: Robbie Power, Trainer: Colin Tizzard
2019 - Al Boum Photo
After years of frustration, Willie Mullins finally secured the Gold Cup as Al Boum Photo produced a perfectly timed performance under Paul Townend. Returning from a break since New Year’s Day, the 12/1 chance travelled smoothly behind the leaders before taking control turning for home. Native River and Clan Des Obeaux faded late, leaving Anibale Fly as the main challenger after the final fence, but Al Boum Photo stayed on strongly to win by two and a half lengths. The victory ended Mullins’ long wait for Gold Cup glory after six previous runners-up in the race.
- 1st - Al Boum Photo 12/1, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd - Anibale Fly 22/1, Jockey: Barry Geraghty, Trainer: A J Martin
- 3rd - Bristol de Mai 18/1, Jockey: Daryl Jacob, Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies
2018 - Native River
A thrilling duel between two exceptional stayers produced one of the great Gold Cups as Native River defeated Might Bite in a memorable battle. The pair raced alongside each other for much of the contest, with neither willing to give an inch over the demanding three-and-a-quarter-mile trip. Aided by the soft ground, Richard Johnson’s mount found extra reserves after the final fence to pull clear up the hill and win by four and a half lengths. It was a shame that one of them had to lose, but Native River’s stamina made him a fitting champion in a great contest.
- 1st - Native River 5/1, Jockey: Richard Johnson, Trainer: Colin Tizzard
- 2nd - Might Bite 4/1F, Jockey: Nico de Boinville, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 3rd - Anibale Fly 33/1, Jockey: Barry Geraghty, Trainer: Tony Martin
2017 - Sizing John
Sizing John completed a remarkable transformation from two-mile specialist to Gold Cup winner with a superb staying performance. Stepped up in trip by Jessica Harrington after joining her stable, the 7/1 chance travelled strongly under Robbie Power before taking control on the final descent. Minella Rocco stayed on into second but never looked likely to challenge the winner, who jumped flawlessly throughout. The victory made Harrington the first woman to train a winner of the race and capped a record-breaking Festival for Irish-trained horses (19 winners).
- 1st - Sizing John 7/1, Jockey: Robbie Power, Trainer: Mrs John Harrington
- 2nd - Minella Rocco (IRE) 18/1, Jockey: Noel Fehily, Trainer: Jonjo O'Neill
- 3rd - Native River (IRE) 7/2, Jockey: Richard Johnson, Trainer: Colin Tizzard
2016
- 1st - Don Cossack (GER) 9/4F, Jockey: Bryan J. Cooper, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- 2nd - Djakadam (FR) 9/2, Jockey: Ruby Walsh, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd - Don Poli (IRE) 9/2, Jockey: Davy Russell, Trainer: Willie Mullins
2015
- 1st - Coneygree 7/1, Jockey: Nico de Boinville, Trainer: Mark Bradstock
- 2nd - Djakadam (FR) 10/1, Jockey: Ruby Walsh, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd - Road To Riches (IRE) 8/1, Jockey: Bryan J. Cooper, Trainer: Noel Meade
2014
- 1st - Lord Windermere (IRE) 20/1, Jockey: Davy Russell, Trainer: Jim H. Culloty
- 2nd - On His Own (IRE) 16/1, Jockey: David J. Casey, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd - The Giant Bolster 14/1, Jockey: Tom Scudamore, Trainer: David Bridgwater