Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the feature race of the entire meeting and is the fourth race on day four of the Cheltenham Festival and takes place at 16:00 on Friday 13th March, 2026. Read More
You can check out all the latest Cheltenham Gold Cup odds here, as well as the racecard for the showpiece event and Cheltenham tips nearer the off.
We also give you guidelines on how to place a bet and help you open a betting account while looking back at past winners, and trends and have a host of FAQs answered on the blue riband event as well as offering some Cheltenham Free Bets from some of the leading betting sites.
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About the Cheltenham Gold Cup
The pinnacle of the National Hunt season, this race is the feature race on the fourth and final day of the Cheltenham Festival, which is traditionally held in the middle of March. The race, which is run over 3 miles, 2 furlongs and 70 yards, is seen as the blue riband of Jumps racing, and its roll of honour features some of the greats of the game, including Arkle, Golden Miller, Best Mate, Kauto Star, Denman and Al Boum Photo. The race was first sponsored by Piper Champagne in 1972, and having changed its sponsorship several times since, it is currently backed by Boodles.
Having started life as a 3-mile Flat race in 1819, it was first run over jumps in 1924, and it didn’t take long for a legend to grace the race in its current form, with Golden Miller winning five straight renewals between 1932 and 1936 (with one Grand National success in 1934 to boot). The race was dominated in a similar vein around 30 years later by the great Arkle, considered by many to be the greatest National Hunt horse of all time, who won three consecutive renewals from 1964-1966.
The race continued to dazzle during the eighties, with Michael Dickinson training an unprecedented one-two-three-four-five in 1983, while Dawn Run (1986) and Desert Orchid (1989) were two other greats who struck during this decade. After being cancelled in 2001 due to the foot and mouth crisis, it was won for each of the next three years by the Henrietta Knight-trained Best Mate, a memorable feat which was followed in quick succession by the immense rivalry between Kauto Star and Denman. Having suffered defeat as the reigning champion to Denman in 2008, Kauto Star regained his crown from his great rival in 2009, becoming the first horse to do so in the process.
In a result that went down like a led balloon on course, INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN outstayed Galopin Des Champs up the famous Cheltenham hill to deny the second horse history as he hunted three Gold Cup wins in a row.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Tips
We will display Cheltenham Gold Cup tips here closer to the racetime in 2026...
Cheltenham Gold Cup Key Trends
- Four of the last 10 winners have been favourites
- Six of the last 10 winners have been aged eight years old
- Nine of the last 10 winners have been trained in Ireland
- Six of the last 10 winners had won the last race before claiming Cheltenham Gold Cup glory
Previous Winners Of The Cheltenham Gold Cup
| Year | Winner | Winning Jockey | Winning Trainer | Starting Price | AGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Inothewayurthinkin | Mark Walsh | Gavin Cromwell | 7/1 | 7 |
| 2024 | Galopin Des Champs | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins | 10.11 Fav | 8 |
| 2023 | Galopin Des Champs | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins | 7/5 Fav | 7 |
| 2022 | A Plus Tard | Rachael Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead | 3/1 Fav | 8 |
| 2021 | Minella Indo | Jack Kennedy | Henry de Bromhead | 9/1 | 8 |
| 2020 | Al Boum Photo | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins | 100/30 Fav | 8 |
| 2019 | Al Boum Photo | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins | 12/1 | 8 |
| 2018 | Native River | Richard Johnson | Colin Tizzard | 5/1 | 8 |
| 2017 | Sizing John | Robbie Power | Jessica Harrington | 7/1 | 7 |
| 2016 | Don Cossack | Bryan Cooper | Gordon Elliott | 9/4 Fav | 9 |
| 2015 | Coneygree | Nico de Boinville | Mark Bradstock | 7/1 | 8 |
| 2014 | Lord Windermere | Davy Russell | Jim Culloty | 20/1 | 8 |
| 2013 | Bobs Worth | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson | 11/4 Fav | 8 |
Frequently Asked Questions about the Cheltenham Gold Cup
When is the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
The race takes place at 16:00 on Friday 13th March 2026.
Where can I watch the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
Watch the race live on ITV1 and Racing TV which also offer options to stream the race via their streaming services.
Alternatively, most bookmakers offer a free live horse racing stream allowing you to watch the race after you've placed a bet.
Who is the most iconic winner of the feature race of the Festival?
Naming the greatest winner of all-time is a particularly contentious topic, and it is a title to which several horses can stake a claim to, including multiple winners of the race Golden Miller, Arkle and Best Mate.
However, it is difficult to begrudge the claims of the great Kauto Star, who ran in the race on six occasions in total, winning twice. After switching to Paul Nicholls from France in 2004, Kauto Star quickly built a profile of a chaser to watch, and having fallen on his first visit to the Cheltenham Festival in the 2006 Champion Chase, he put together a stunning six-race win streak the following season, which included the Betfair Chase, the Tingle Creek and the King George VI Chase, and culminated in victory in the 2007 race. Victories in the Betfair Chase, the King George and the Ascot Chase followed a year later, but Kauto Star was thwarted in his follow-up bid in the Gold Cup by stablemate Denman, a result which forged one of the greatest rivalries the sport has ever seen.
The pair would return to do battle a year later, and it was Kauto Star who came out on top this time around, defeating the admirable Denman - who had suffered a career-threatening heart murmur the previous season - and becoming the first horse to ever regain the trophy. A fall in the 2010 edition of the race meant that Kauto Star and Denman were very much considered the old guard by the time the 2011 renewal came around, but they served up one of the great moments in the race’s recent history around the final bend, when settling down to do battle one last time. The younger legs of the Nicky Henderson-trained Long Run would eventually prevail, though, with Denman finishing second and Kauto Star third. A below-par performance at Punchestown the following month prompted talks of retirement, though Kauto Star had one final season up his sleeve, sealing Grade 1 number 15 when striking in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, before winning a scarcely-believable fifth King George at Kempton a month later. Kauto Star would sign off on an anti-climax, being pulled up on his swansong in the 2012 race, but he bowed out as one of the greatest performers that National Hunt racing has ever seen.
Are there any trials for the race?
There are several key indicators for the biggest race of the Festival throughout the season, with the most important of those being the Betfair Chase at Haydock, the King George at Kempton and the Ascot Chase. Each of the Charlie Hall (Wetherby), the Ladbrokes Trophy (Newbury), the Cotswold Chase (Cheltenham) and the Denman Chase (Newbury) also hold great significance, while over in Ireland it’s worth keeping a close eye on the Jnwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal, the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown and the Savills Chase and the Irish Gold Cup, which are both held at Leopardstown.
Who is the most successful jockey in the history of the race?
The most successful jockeys in the history of the Gold Cup are Pat Taaffe, who won the race on four occasions with Arkle (1964, 1965, and 1966) and Fort Leney (1968) and Paul Townend, who has ridden a couple of two-time Champions in Al Boum Photo (2019 and 2020) and Galopin Des Champs (2023 and 2024).
Who is the most successful trainer in the history of the race?
The most successful trainer in the history of the race is Tom Dreaper, who won the race on five occasions, training Prince Regent (1946), Arkle (1964, 1965, and 1966), and Fort Leney (1968).
What is the ground like for Cheltenham Gold Cup day?
The ground is Soft (Good to Soft in places) for today's Cheltenham Gold Cup at 15:30.
What is the weather forecast for Cheltenham Gold Cup day?
The weather for Cheltenham Gold Cup day is mild with temperatures reaching around 13/14 degrees, with a gentle breeze and chance of drizzle throughout the day.
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