Bet365 Gold Cup Tips: Repeat Winner On The Cards

The 2025 bet365 Gold Cup is a race that could decide the destination of the British Trainers' Title looks all set for Closutton with Willie Mullins training the first four in the betting. Will there be an upset that denies Mullins a second successive crown, or will the dominant force in jumps racing triumph again? Billy Grimshaw has had his say...

Horses for courses is one of the most used adages in racing, and for good reason. Sandown is not the first track you think of when that cliche is uttered, but look back over the years and plenty of horses back up here and perform markedly better here than anywhere else. With that in mind, I am more than happy to back the 'outsider' of Willie Mullins' awesome foursome and last year's hero in the race, MINELLA COCOONER. Paul Townend has once again chosen to ride something else, as he did at Aintree, but I am more than happy with Danny on top as he was in last season's gutsy success.

Back in 2024 Townend once again chose another horse against Minella Cocooner in Nick Rockett - of course, the 2025 Grand National hero - and finished third. I'd not be surprised to see his mount High Class Hero fill a similar position here, and for all he obviously has a big chance and Townend usually knows his onions when picking his ride, I would be cautious of a horse who was beaten at long odds on last time out. He should stay and 10st8 could be a lovely racing weight, but Minella Cocooner has been there, done that and got the trophy to prove it. The 2024 renewal was probably weaker, but it was still a fine performance to reel in Annual Invictus and 11st1 will not be a problem for him.

My main fancy for the Grand National was Grangeclare West and he was an unlucky loser to my eye, rallying brilliantly after a shocking mistake at the last to get back up for third. He'd have been much closer to Nick Rockett if staying upright there and that was a huge performance off a big weight, but I worry this is a bit of a stab in the dark from team Mullins in the hunt for more prize money. This horse is notoriously tricky to train and fragile and after the performance of his life, I worry he may bounce for Brian Hayes. I couldn't fancy him, but wouldn't begrudge the horse victory were he to claim it.

Minella Cocooner finished seventh this season at Aintree in the big one, but that performance needs marking up a fair bit as Johnny Burke said the saddle slipped before the horse had even jumped the first. He is a more robust proposition than Grangeclare West but there's no doubt that effort in Liverpool will have taken plenty out of him, however as I opened this piece by talking about, course form is key at Sandown. We know he'll enjoy the test, we know Danny gets on well with him and we also know he'll be trained to the minute as they all will. Unlike the other three from Closutton, he is a consistent sort and that is crucial for gaining my support.

The one Mullins runner in the top four in the market I've not yet mentioned is Dancing City and that could be folly as he clearly was travelling well at Aintree in a novices' chase before tipping up, however I do not trust his jumping and Sandown is a track with no hiding places over fences. O'Moore Park Klarc Kent, Lombron, Spanish Harlem, Chosen Witness and Olympic Man complete the ridiculously impressive ten pronged Mullins assault on the race, and although it'd not be a huge shock to see any win I prefer the claims of the 'big four' and a few others that are not heading over on the ferry.

Olly Murphy's Resplendent Grey has looked the sort of horse who will relish this extended test and could give the freshly crowned champion jockey Sean Bowen a brilliant spin if he gets into a good jumping rhythm. The horse likes to make his move late but it is important he doesn't get too tailed off at the back as at Sandown it can be hard to make up a big deficit on the frontrunners. 

A result that'd bring the house down would be if Dan Skelton's sole representative against the Mullins (figurative) millions Hoe Joly Smoke somehow managed to win, but he is well out of the weights and has a big job on his hands. An intriguing runner is the enigmatic Goshen, who is somehow still only nine but has finally started to show sings of consistency of late. The trip is a massive concern though and he'll be a huge price.