The Cheltenham Festival 2025 has already given us all the drama and emotion of a Hollywood blockbuster, what will Gold Cup 2025 day bring?
Cheltenham Festival 2025: Cathryn Fry’s Gold Cup Day Tips
I sincerely hope that Galopin Des Champs succeeds in winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup for a third time,. He would join Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate in this elite realm of steeplechasers. The history of the race is fascinating, if you go high above the racecourse itself to the pylons on Cleeve Hill, there is an archaeological dig taking place to find the foundations of the original grandstand.
Cheltenham Festival 2025: The Blue Riband
he Cheltenham Gold Cup’s origins trace back to July 1819, when the first race bearing its name was held. This inaugural event was a flat race spanning three miles on Cleeve Hill, overlooking the current Cheltenham Racecourse. The winner, a horse named Spectre, earned 100 guineas for his owner.
The establishment of the Gold Cup played a pivotal role in shaping National Hunt racing. In the early 1920s, most high-profile steeplechases were handicaps, with only a few notable weight-for-age races, such as the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and the Champion Chase at Liverpool. Concerns arose that this imbalance did not serve the sport’s best interests, leading to the creation of the Gold Cup as a solution.
While its exact origins remain uncertain, Mr. F.H. Cathcart, Chairman of the Cheltenham Executive, is often credited with its inception. Initially slow to gain prestige, the Gold Cup eventually became the ultimate test for staying chasers and is now regarded as the sport’s premier championship race. The first steeplechase version of the Cheltenham Gold Cup took place on 12 March 1924.
Run over a distance of three miles and three furlongs, the race was open to horses aged five and older. Five-year-olds carried 11 stone 4 pounds, while older horses were assigned 12 stone. The Cheltenham Gold Cup was originally contested on what is now known as the old course at Cheltenham. In its early years, it played a secondary role at the Festival, overshadowed by the National Hunt Chase. Even in terms of prize money, it lagged behind the County Handicap Hurdle, which offered a £1,000 purse.
Cheltenham Festival 2025: The Gold Cup
Severe weather conditions led to the race’s cancellation twice in the 1930s—once in 1931 due to frost and again in 1937 because of flooding. However, the period between these interruptions saw the rise of the Gold Cup’s most dominant competitor. From 1932 to 1936, Golden Miller won the race five times in a row, a record unbeaten to this day. In 1934, he also secured victory in the Grand National, cementing his place as one of the sport’s greatest champions.
World War II caused further disruptions, leading to the cancellation of the Gold Cup in 1943 and 1944. After the war, Cottage Rake became the first horse to achieve multiple wins in the modern era, securing three consecutive victories from 1948 to 1950. Trained in Ireland by Vincent O’Brien, Cottage Rake’s success helped spark greater Irish interest in both the Gold Cup and the Cheltenham Festival as a whole.
In 1959, the race was permanently moved to the new course, where it continues to be held today. The mid-1960s saw an era of dominance by Arkle, who won three consecutive Gold Cups from 1964 to 1966. By the time of his third victory, he was considered so superior to the competition that he started at odds of 1/10—the shortest-priced winner in the race’s history.
The commercial era of the Gold Cup began with its first sponsorship by Piper Champagne, marking a new chapter in the race’s evolution. Back to the present day. it’s been a hard week, let’s try to finish on a high.
Cheltenham Festival 2025: Hello Neighbour (1:20)
Regular readers will know that I have been with Hello Neighbour for this race for a very long time. Striking in the grade one at the Dublin Racing Festival (let’s hope Galileo Dame franks the form on Thursday). Hello Neighbour has remarkably won a Grade 2 and a Grade 1 on his first couple of outings over hurdles.
After his win at the DRF his trainer Gavin Cromwell stated: I’m just thrilled to win a Grade 1. I haven’t won a Grade 1 in Ireland for over four years, that’s just the nature of how competitive it is here. He’s a proper one. I brought him along slowly and he’s answered every call, hopefully he’ll improve again. We’ve always liked and he’s progressive.
I was very pushy to get someone to buy him and thankfully Paddy and Yvonne (Sheanon) did. Fair play to Paddy (Sheanon, owner) he was brave and put the money out, he’s getting rewarded. He was still a little bit keen, but I think he’s going to learn every day. He’s a straightforward horse, but he just wants to get on with it – he’ll be fine. The more he does, the more he’ll improve. Home and hosed? I hope so!
Cheltenham Festival 2025: McLaurey (14:00)
Another familiar name for this column is McLaurey, who scored for us at the Dublin Racing Festival. I honestly think that this has been a masterclass in training. The win at the DRF got him in here and also completing the required number of runs.
Cheltenham Festival 2025: Jet Blue (15:20)
This will be my last bet of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. Looked great when winning here over course and distance on Trials Day. Stronger opposition to face but seemed to have plenty of stamina as he won going away in January.
By Cathryn Fry
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