Cheltenham Gold Cup Ante-Post Odds: 50/1 outsider to cause a stir in Cheltenham Festival feature

With the entries for the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup now out, it's time to focus on the blue riband event from the Cheltenham Festival, and we look at the latest ante-post Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds here, and pick out a value selection at a huge price...

Irish-trained horses dominate the ante-post betting at the current stage and it's last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up A Plus Tard that sits at the top of the latest odds, as he launched to the summit with a sumptuous victory in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park. A best-priced 7/2 at the moment, Henry De Bromhead's charge was then just touched off by reigning National Hunt Chase hero Galvin in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown during the festive period, and that star stayer has catapulted himself into the Gold Cup picture, and sits second in the betting around 5/1.

The pair have top notch form already on their CV's this season, and with top quality Cheltenham form then it's no shock to see them at the head of affairs, and it's hard to not see them run a fine race on March 18. However, they will have to face the reigning champion Minella Indo, who has blown more cold than hot this season, and the De Bromhead team will hope that a return to Cheltenham in the spring will bring out the best in him once again.

An 8/1 third favourite, the 2019 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle winner and 2020 RSA Chase runner-up showed his brilliance once again last year as he outstayed A Plus Tard in a pulsating Cheltenham Gold Cup, but two disappointing runs this season has somewhat blotted his copybook. Beaten by Frodon in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal in his comeback run, he was then unable to land a blow when being pulled up in the King George VI Chase, but positive tactics that day eye-balling Frodon may not have helped his chances, so a more patient ride could be in store and he can't be discounted at a track he excels at.

Holding six of the seven top positions in the latest ante-post betting, the fourth on the list is the two-times Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo, who failed in his bid for a third crown on the bounce last season when coming third, but the 10/1 chance showed when winning at Tramore on New Year's Day for the fourth time on the bounce that he still has the class to be regarded a leading player in this market, and he will spearhead the Willie Mullins team.

That Closutton yard are likely to not only have Al Boum Photo line-up, but shock King George VI Chase winner Tornado Flyer could take his chance, and having stayed on in impressive fashion the 14/1 shot here can't be ignored. A more intriguing horse is the classy grey Asterion Forlonge, who shaped like the winner of the John Durkan at Punchestown until falling late on, while he suffered a last fence tumble in the King George when looking secured for second place on Boxing Day. So, while his jumping is certainly suspect, he has an almighty engine and some could be tempted by the 20/1 available.

The first of the British-trained runners in the betting is the recent Many Clouds Chase winner Protetkorat, who will look to hand Dan Skelton his first victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Down the years Skelton was part of the Paul Nicholls team during the Kauto Star/Denman years, so he knows what it takes to claim glory in the feature race of the Cheltenham Festival, and having finished a fine second in the Paddy Power Gold Cup to show he acts well at Cheltenham, he then cruised a mammoth success at Aintree, and at 14/1 is of interest.

Nicky Henderson has won the Gold Cup with the classy duo of Bobs Worth and Long Run, and the Seven Barrows handler has two interesting JP McManus-owned raiders in the shape of Champ and Chantry House, who are both around the 25/1 mark. However, the former was a fine winner of the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot last time out, and could be heading down the Stayers' Hurdle route, after he flopped in the Gold Cup last year, while 2021 Marsh Novices' Chase hero Chantry House was pulled up early in the King George, so he is yet to show whether he's up to this elite level yet.

One that could outrun his lofty odds is the Colin Tizzard-trained LOSTINTRANSLATION, who has run well in the race before, and at 50/1 could be the value each-way play in a market that is likely to see the prominent figures come to the fore on the final day of the festival. Third behind Al Boum Photo in the 2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Lostintranslation has lost his way a little in recent times, but he showed when bounding to victory in the 1965 Chase at Ascot earlier this year over 2m 5f that he is a class act on his day, and while the extra distance of the Gold Cup may see him falter, he is a real top notch performer, when at his best.

He would most certainly want good to soft ground, if he is to challenge some proven stayers in the event, but the Tizzard team are certainly ebullient about his chances, should he be able to find the form that saw him finish third two years ago, and at this stage he could prove to be the speculative punt in a fascinating betting market.