2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup: the runners, the odds, the verdict for today's big race

Friday's feature race at the Cheltenham Festival is the biggest event of the week, the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (3.30), in which Galopin Des Champs is a red-hot favourite to repeat last year's success for Willie Mullins. Who will come out on top in one of the biggest races of all? Get our-runner-by-runner guide . . .

Today's Gold Cup verdict

By Emily Weber, Spotlight tipster

1. Galopin Des Champs

2. Fastorslow

3. Corach Rambler

This Gold Cup is as good as it gets. Twelve months ago the stamina of GALOPIN DES CHAMPS was questioned but once over the last, down went his head and away he raced from Bravemansgame. His path hasn't always been smooth since but he was brilliant when beating Gerri Colombe after Christmas and he took his revenge for two defeats by Fastorslow when beating that one at Leopardstown last month. The latter has had wind surgery since and he looks a good bet to go very well today but spring horse Corach Rambler still qualifies as being unexposed over staying trips and his defeat of Fastorslow here last March brings him into the reckoning. L'Homme Presse has to show his stamina is equal to the task at such a high level. Bravemansgame should run his usual honest race without being a strong enough stayer to fancy for the win, but Gentlemansgame still has some potential in staying races.

2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup: forecast betting odds for today's race

• Galopin Des Champs – Evsf
• Fastorslow – 4-1
• Gerri Colombe – 8-1
• L'Homme Presse – 11-1
• Corach Rambler – 12-1
• ​Bravemansgame – 14-1
• Gentlemansgame – 20-1
• Jungle Boogie – 25-1
• Monkfish – 25-1
• Nassalam – 25-1
• The Real Whacker – 40-1

Which horse is favourite for the Gold Cup at Cheltenham today?

Galopin Des Champs is set to start today's Cheltenham Gold Cup as favourite at forecast odds of even-money (1-1) in a bid to retain his title in the Cheltenham Festival showpiece.

Trained by the maestro Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, Galopin Des Champs is a strong favourite to secure back-to-back Gold Cup victories and cap a brilliant week so far for connections.

2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup: the full list of horses and jockeys

1 Bravemansgame

Had an easy task in the King George (3m, soft; at home on good) last winter once L'Homme Presse had fallen two out but he couldn't raise the same gallop as Galopin Des Champs when runner-up in this race next time;  has had excuses since, bordering on being unlucky in the King George when badly hampered by Shishkin's unseat two out and unable to resist Hewick's late dash; makes no real appeal for the win but he is especially willing and can be relied on to give it his all.

Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Jockey: Harry Cobden
SP forecast: 14-1

Bravemansgame15:30 Cheltenham

View Racecard

Jky: Harry Cobden Tnr: Paul Nicholls

2 Corach Rambler

Has an unconventional streak but cannot fault his spring form in the last two seasons, having won the  Ultima in 2022 and 2023 (3m1f; good to soft and soft) and then the National (4m2f) in some style last April, despite taking up the running further from home than usual; the limited of his ability has yet to be established and he might well loom up late.

Trainer: Lucinda Russell
Jockey: Derek Fox
SP forecast: 12-1

Corach Rambler15:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Derek Fox Tnr: Lucinda Russell

3 Fastorslow

Has proved a natural jumper of fences and he put up a mammoth display in only his third British chase when narrowly failing to give 4lb to Corach Rambler in the Ultima last March; gave Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame a nasty shock in a 3m Punchestown Grade 1 (yielding) next time  and had the former nearly two lengths away in third when winning there in November; had to play second fiddle to an reinvigorated Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown since but has had wind surgery since and this reliable stayer has a sporting chance of revenge over the longest trip he's tackled.

Trainer: Martin Brassil
Jockey: JJ Slevin
SP forecast: 4-1

Fastorslow15:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: J J Slevin Tnr: Martin Brassil

4 Galopin Des Champs

His jumping can switch between flight and stutter but when faced with the new stamina test in this race last year, down went his head and away he went from Bravemansgame; has been beaten only twice when completing over fences, each time by Fastorslow, although there were excuses in that the first time was his final run of last season and the second was on his reappearance; had the measure of that one at Leopardstown (3m, soft) last month but it wasn't emphatic enough to think that he will have much in hand of that one with this stiffer test; he should still take the beating, however.

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
SP forecast: Evsf

Galopin Des Champs15:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Paul Townend Tnr: W P Mullins

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5 Gentlemansgame

Smart staying hurdler who has made up into a better chaser, even if he caught Bravemansgame (conceded 6lb) at less than full strength when beating that one at Wetherby (3m, soft) in November; a good deal more is needed on this promotion to the top table but the latest run suggests further improvement shouldn't come as a surprise.

Trainer: Mouse Morris
Jockey: Darragh O'Keeffe
SP forecast: 20-1

Gentlemansgame15:30 Cheltenham

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: M F Morris

6 Gerri Colombe

Won three of four Grade 1 chases as a novice and only just failed to overhaul The Real Whacker in the Brown Advisory (3m, soft) last March; again looked all about stamina when making heavy weather of his winning reappearance at Down Royal and he couldn't hold a candle to Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown (also 3m, soft) after Christmas; however, this stiffest test he's tackled so far can suit and may help to narrow the large gap between them.

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Jack Kennedy
SP forecast: 8-1

Gerri Colombe15:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Jack Kennedy Tnr: Gordon Elliott

7 Hewick

NON-RUNNER

8 Jungle Boogie

Had just five runs since his debut in 2020, winning a bumper, a maiden hurdle and a beginners chase on first three starts for Willie Mullins; lost unbeaten record over an inadequate 2m on first run for this yard after an absence but a narrow Grade 3 win (2m7f, heavy) on New Year's Day doesn't promote his claims for this, even though he does have potential.

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
Jockey: Rachael Blackmore
SP forecast: 25-1

Jungle Boogie15:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Rachael Blackmore Tnr: Henry De Bromhead

9 L'Homme Presse

Winner of seven of nine completed chases, including the Brown Advisory (3m, soft) here in 2022; made favourite for last winter's King George but he jumped badly left and Bravemansgame had set sail for home when this one unseated two out; absent for 13 months subsequently; reappeared with a 2m6f win at Lingfield, and easily excused an Ascot defeat since, but he has to prove he can see the new trip out against top-class stayers in much the best race he's run in.

Trainer: Venetia Williams
Jockey: Charlie Deutsch
SP forecast: 11-1

L'Homme Presse15:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Charlie Deutsch Tnr: Venetia Williams

10 Monkfish

Unbeaten in two runs at the Festival, in the 3m Albert Bartlett in 2020 (soft) and the Brown Advisory (3m, good to soft) the following year; has raced just three times over hurdles since back from a two-year absence and was returning from yet another layoff when winning at Gowran in January; something very special needed if he's to overcome the interruptions and the passing of the years to play a part this time.

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Patrick Mullins
SP forecast: 25-1

Monkfish15:30 Cheltenham

View Racecard

Jky: Tnr: W P Mullins

11 Nassalam

The step up to about 3m1f last spring wasn't a success in the Ultima and at Aintree but he has been a different horse in refitted blinkers this winter, winning the Trial at Chepstow before following up in tremendous style in the Welsh National (3m6f, again on heavy) in December; deep ground would make things interesting but he would have more to prove otherwise.

Trainer: Gary Moore
Jockey: Niall Houlihan
SP forecast: 25-1

Nassalam15:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Niall Houlihan Tnr: Gary Moore

12 The Real Whacker

Front-runner with a terrific record over fences here last winter, winning all three starts and just holding off Gerri Colombe in the Brown Advisory (3m, soft); ran as well as could have been expected when fourth to Hewick in the King George on Boxing Day but he looks unlikely to be in this shake-up following a Grade 2 defeat here since, regardless of whether or not the first-time headgear works.

Trainer: Patrick Neville
Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
SP forecast: 40-1

The Real Whacker15:30 Cheltenham

View Racecard

Jky: Sam Twiston-Davies Tnr: Patrick Neville

• 3.30 Cheltenham (Friday, March 15): Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup

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