British Gold Cup challenge hits new low as entries for major Cheltenham Festival chases are revealed

A record low total of just five British horses were put in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup when entries closed at noon on Tuesday.

Ireland has won jump racing's most prestigious chase in each of the last six years and eight of the last nine and totally dominates the 19-strong initial field.

To further illustrate the power swing that has occurred in jump racing over the last 15 years, in 2011 there were 34 entries made for the Gold Cup, 29 of which were British.

Galopin Des Champs has won the race for the last two years and tops the entries, having bounced back from a slightly below-par reappearance to rout his rivals in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.

He is a best-priced 6-4 favourite to become the first three-time winner of the Gold Cup since Best Mate completed the hat trick between 2002 and 2004. 

The Willie Mullins-trained chaser is among 13 Irish-based horses entered. Others include King George VI Chase winner Banbridge and Fact To File, who won the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham last March and chased Galopin Des Champs home in the Savills.

Galopin Des Champs is a strong favourite to win a third straight Gold CupCredit: Edward Whitaker

Each of the five British entries is quoted at at least 33-1, the best price available about Grey Dawning, who finished second in the Betfair Chase but was pulled up in the King George.

Betfair Chase winner Royale Pagaille (50-1) is among the other home-trained chasers put in the race, along with L'Homme Presse (50-1), The Real Whacker (66-1) and Ahoy Senor (100-1).

French-trained King George second Il Est Francais is also among the 19 entries. That total is one fewer than last year and down from 27 in 2023, which had been the lowest number in the previous dozen years.

Jonbon is likely to face a strong challenge from the yard of Willie Mullins in the Champion ChaseCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Entries are up for the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase, with 26 horses put in the two-mile championship compared to 19 last year and just 14 in 2023.

Those engaged include market leaders Jonbon and Gaelic Warrior along with Gold Cup entries Banbridge and Il Est Francais.

That pair are also in the Ryanair Chase, in which the initial entry of 34 is up from 31 last year and 27 in 2023.

Mullins has given Gold Cup second favourite Fact To File the option of tackling a shorter trip by putting him in the Ryanair. Fellow JP McManus-owned chaser Spillane's Tower, who had been as short as 14-1 for the Gold Cup, was only entered in the Ryanair.

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2025 Cheltenham Festival: big-race betting

Bet MGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (4.00, March 12)

Entries: 26

Full betting (Paddy Power): 9-4 Jonbon, 7-2 Gaelic Warrior, 9-2 Energumene, 10 Il Est Francais, 12 El Fabiolo, 14 Marine Nationale, 25 Banbridge, Found A Fifty, Solness, 33 Djelo, 40 Blood Destiny, Quilixios, 50 Boothill, Captain Guinness, Edwardstone, JPR One, Jungle Boogie, Kalif Du Berlais, Master Chewy, Matata, 66 Libberty Hunter, 100 American Mike, Blue Lord, Gentleman De Mee, Martator, 250 Senecia 

There was no temptation for Nicky Henderson to give Jonbon any target other than the Champion Chase – or to give Sir Gino the option of taking on his elders. Willie Mullins big guns Gaelic Warrior, dual winner Energumene, and last year's beaten favourite El Fabiolo are all in contention but also have the Ryanair as an option. Energumene is set to take on Jonbon in next week's Clarence House Chase while his two stablemates could be next seen at the Dublin Racing Festival in February.

Paul Nicholls has handed a speculative entry to novice Kalif Du Berlais, who was an impressive winner at Cheltenham on New Year's Day. Il Est Francais, Banbridge and Jungle Boogie have all been entered here as well as in the Ryanair and Gold Cup.

*All entries listed below

Ryanair Chase (3.20, March 13)

Entries: 34

Full betting (Coral): 7-2 Fact To File, 5 Banbridge, 6 El Fabiolo, Gaelic Warrior, 8 Spillane's Tower, 10 Il Est Francais, 12 Energumene, Grey Dawning, 14 Djelo, Protektorat, 20 Envoi Allen, Jungle Boogie, 25 Embassy Gardens, Found A Fifty, Heart Wood, 33 Ga Law, JPR One, Ginny's Destiny, Journey With Me, Grangeclare West, Stage Star, Springwell Bay, 50 Ahoy Senor, Blue Lord, Gentleman De Mee Le Patron, Il Ridoto 66 Fil Dor, Master Chewy, Hitman, Hang In There, Conflated, Blood Destiny, Martator

The shape of the Ryanair is still very much up in the air with so many of the protagonists holding entries in the other top chases. Last year's winner Protektorat should be in line to defend his title after only being entered here, while Spillane's Tower was also handed only one festival option. Novice Springwell Bay, like Kalif Du Berlais an impressive winner on New Year's Day at Cheltenham, was entered by Jonjo and AJ O'Neill but is likely to have plenty of novice and handicap options as well.

*All entries listed below

Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (4.00, March 14)

Entries: 19

Full betting (Paddy Power): Evens Galopin Des Champs, 4 Fact To File, 10 Gerri Colombe, 12 Banbridge, 14 Monty’s Star, 25 Il Est Francais, L’Homme Presse, 33 Corbetts Cross, Embassy Gardens, Gentlemansgame, Grey Dawning, Jungle Boogie, 40 Hewick, Royale Pagaille, 66 Ahoy Senor, Grangeclare West, Minella Cocooner, The Real Whacker, 100 Conflated

A total of 19 entries marks a new low in the Gold Cup, lowering last year's tally of 20. In Paddy Power's reshaped market, only Galopin Des Champs and Fact To File are available at single-figure odds, with plenty of question marks over the quality of those wishing to dethrone the dual champion. Willie Mullins is responsible for more than a quarter of the potential field, with Embassy Gardens, Grangeclare West and Minella Cocooner his other options alongside the top two in the market. Bravemansgame, runner-up in 2023 and fifth last year, was not entered with the Grand National likely to be his main goal for the rest of the season.

*All entries listed below

2025 Cheltenham Festival: full list of entries for the Gold Cup, Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase

Cheltenham Gold Cup (19)

Ahoy Senor
Banbridge
Conflated
Corbetts Cross
Embassy Gardens
Fact To File
Galopin Des Champs
Gentlemansgame
Gerri Colombe
Grangeclare West
Grey Dawning
Hewick
Il Est Francais
Jungle Boogie
L’Homme Presse
Minella Cocooner
Monty’s Star
Royale Pagaille
The Real Whacker

Queen Mother Champion Chase (26)

American Mike
Banbridge
Blood Destiny
Blue Lord
Boothill
Captain Guinness
Djelo
Edwardstone
El Fabiolo
Energumene
Found A Fifty
Gaelic Warrior
Gentleman De Mee
Il Est Francais
JPR One
Jonbon
Jungle Boogie
Kalif Du Berlais
Libberty Hunter
Marine Nationale
Martator
Master Chewy
Matata
Quilixios
Senecia
Solness

Ryanair Chase (34)

Ahoy Senor
Banbridge
Blood Destiny
Blue Lord
Conflated
Djelo
El Fabiolo
Embassy Gardens
Energumene
Envoi Allen
Fact To File
Fil Dor
Found A Fifty
Ga Law
Gaelic Warrior
Gentleman De Mee
Ginny's Destiny
Grangeclare West
Grey Dawning
Hang In There
Heart Wood
Hitman
Il Est Francais
Il Ridoto
JPR One
Journey With Me
Jungle Boogie
Le Patron
Martator
Master Chewy
Protektorat
Spillane's Tower
Springwell Bay
Stage Star

Cheltenham Festival ante-post tip

Jungle Boogie

Ryanair Chase (Cheltenham, March 13)

By Harry Wilson

The Ryanair Chase market is headed by plenty of horses who, at this stage, look unlikely to line up, with ante-post favourite Fact To File still shorter for the Gold Cup, King George winner Banbridge dependent on the ground and Gaelic Warrior likely going down the Champion Chase route, while we are yet to see El Fabiolo.

At more than three times the price of any of those, Jungle Boogie makes plenty of appeal at 25-1, despite having turned 11 since comfortably seeing off Fil Dor and James Du Berlais in a graduation chase at Ascot last month.

He had no problem coping with the shorter trip or quicker ground there, cruising round in front and jumping brilliantly, albeit more and more to his left as the race went on, before clearing away after the last to produce a career-best Racing Post Rating.

Lightly raced with just seven runs under his belt, Henry de Bromhead's charge was still going well in last season's Gold Cup before making a race-ending mistake three out and could play a major role in a Ryanair, with the intermediate trip and return to a left-handed course sure to suit.

Jungle Boogie15:20 Cheltenham

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: Henry De Bromhead

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