They’re off in the lead-up to the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, horse racing’s most famous jump racing extravaganza. The flag officially came down to mark the start of nine weeks of frenzied anticipation with the announcement of the first entries at the four day, March 12-15, fixture.
Cheltenham unveiled the identities of the horses which have been engaged in its three biggest races over fences, the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair Chase. Top of the pile is Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs who will bid to emulate Arkle and Best Mate as three-time winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Galopin Des Champs heads 19 entries for the Gold Cup, which has attracted a record low of five British contenders for March’s blue riband event. Willie Mullins’ nine-year-old has been imperious in winning the Gold Cup for the past two years and after routing his rivals at Leopardstown over Christmas, is a short-priced favourite to land three straight Gold Cups.
His chief market rival appears to be stablemate Fact To File, who lowered Galopin Des Champs colours in the John Durkan before seeing the tables turned in the Savills Chase. He is, however, also among the leading contenders for the shorter Ryanair Chase after 34 put their name in the mix for that particular contest on Tuesday morning.
