Cheltenham Festival 2025 Betting & Odds

Cheltenham Festival is the premier event of the National Hunt calendar. Throughout the event’s four days, the good and great of British and Irish racing battle it out for some of the biggest prizes in racing, from the Cheltenham Gold Cup to the Stayers’ hurdle – and you can find all the latest Cheltenham odds here at Betway.

From its famously vibrant atmosphere to a prize pool worth over £6m, Cheltenham truly is the “greatest show on turf.” Legends are made at this festival, with the 28 races (including 14 Grade 1 events) providing ample opportunity for jockeys and horses to make their mark in the history books. Check out our betting site or app for the latest on Cheltenham betting and odds information.

Over 250,000 racing fans attend the event in person, with the famous Cheltenham roar proof of their passion for the sport. Millions more watch on television around the world, with anywhere between £500m and £1bn staked on Cheltenham Festival odds across the four days as bettors make the most of Cheltenham betting offers.

Other Cheltenham betting markets include top trainer, top jockey and whether the UK or Ireland will win the Prestbury Cup for amassing the most wins during the week. Of course, you can also bet on more standard markets every Cheltenham festival race at Betway, from the opening Novices Hurdle all the way to Friday’s closing Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Cheltenham Festival 2025 latest

The final day of the Cheltenham Festival 2025 is Gold Cup Day, as some of the best horses in racing compete for one of the biggest prizes in the sport.

Two-time winner Galopin Des Champs is seeking his third Gold Cup win in as many years, and Willie Mullins’ star chaser is the clear favourite in the betting to triumph again.

Jockey Paul Townend will again ride Galopin Des Champs, and will face stiff competition from the likes of Inowthewayurthinkin, Banbridge, Corbetts Cross and Monty’s Star.

Friday’s racing began with a huge shock in the Triumph Hurdle as debutant Poniros won at 100/1 for Willie Mullins. The result of the County Hurdle was far less surprising, as favourite Kargese – also from Mullins’ yard – won in impressive fashion.

It has been a Festival of shocks at Cheltenham this year, with several of the week’s biggest favourites being beaten. Constitution Hill fell in the Champion Hurdle, Jonbon was beaten in the Champion Chase, and Ballyburn travelled poorly in the Brown Advisory.

Gold Cup expert tips

Richard Hoiles: “After all of the jumping travails of leading horses this week, coupled with the fact GALOPIN DES CHAMPS had his own disaster three years ago in novice company here, it does seem that only another capsize can stop the best chaser from joining the elite to have won three Gold Cups.”

Katie Walsh: “There isn’t much to say in the Gold Cup other than if GALOPIN DES CHAMPS turns up in his usual form and gets around, I can’t see him getting beaten. He was magnificent at Leopardstown last time and even seems to be improving! It’ll take a good one to stop him. I hope for racing he does win his third Gold Cup.”

Ross O’Sullivan: “Friday looks so competitive, but I like the fact they’ve supplemented INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN in the Gold Cup. He must have a very solid each-way chance. He was a huge eyecatcher in the Irish Gold Cup and it looked as if he was heading for the Grand National, which he might do, but it’d not the strongest Gold Cup and he could really be in the mix.”

What is the going at Cheltenham Festival 2025?

In horse racing, the going refers to the condition of the track surface, determined by the amount of moisture in the turf.

The current going at Cheltenham is Good to Soft.

Where is the 2025 Cheltenham Festival Held?

The Festival is staged at Cheltenham Racecourse at Prestbury Park, Gloucestershire in the Cotswolds.

What are the main races at the Cheltenham Festival?

These are the feature races on each day of the Cheltenham Festival:

Tuesday's feature race is the Champion Hurdle, which is run over a distance of 2m ½f and takes place over smaller obstacles known as hurdles. It is open to horses aged four or older.

Wednesday's feature race is the Champion Chase, which is run over a distance of two miles and takes place over larger obstacles known as fences. It is open to horses aged five or older.

Thursday's feature race is the Stayers' Hurdle, which is open to horses aged four or older and is run over a longer trip of three miles that comprises 12 hurdles.

Friday's feature race is the Gold Cup, the most valuable non-handicap chase in Britain. It is run over a distance of 3m 2½f that includes a total of 22 fences and is open to horses aged five or older.

Other Grade 1 races include the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and the Arkle on Tuesday, the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, Brown Advisory Novices' Chase and the Champion Bumper - a flat race - on the Wednesday. Later in the week, the Turners Novices' Chase and Ryanair Chase take place on Thursday and the Triumph Hurdle and Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle on the Friday.

Who are the favourites at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival?

As soon as one Cheltenham Festival ends, speculation begins on which champions will defend their crowns the next year. You can find the 2025 Cheltenham Festival favourites for every race at the Betway sportsbook.

Galopin Des Champs won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in both 2023 and 2024 is again the favourite to win the biggest race of the Festival this year, with Banbridge currently second in the betting. Inothewayurthinkin, Monty’s Star and Corbetts Cross are among the contenders hoping to also claim one of jump racing’s biggest prizes.

Galopin Des Champs won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in both 2023 and 2024 and will be a formidable contender once again in this year’s race, but Fact To File is currently the favourite in the betting. The seven-year-old stayed on to beat Galopin Des Champs at Punchestown in November 2024 to climb to the top of the market ahead of a potentially mouthwatering showdown between Willie Mullins’ two star chasers at the Festival in 2025. Fastorslow, Spillane’s Tower and Inothewayurthinkin are among the contenders hoping to also claim one of jump racing’s biggest prizes. Two-time Cheltenham winner Lossiemouth is the current favourite in the Champion Hurdle. The five-year-old mare won the Triumph Hurdle in 2023 and the Mares’ Hurdle a year later, and now looks set to challenge for one of the most prestigious races at the Festival. She will face off against State Man, who claimed victory in the Champion Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, and the 2023 winner, Constitution Hill.

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is often one of the most exciting races of the Festival and in 2025 features a number of contenders in with a good chance. Leading them in the 2025 Champion Chase betting is Jonbon, an extremely reliable jumper who withdrew along with many of Nicky Henderson’s runners at the Cheltenham Festival 2024. The other top two-mile chasers include Gaelic Warrior, El Fabiolo, Energumene, and the 2024 Champion Chase winner, Captain Guinness.

To check out who the other current Cheltenham Festival 2025 favourites are, head to our ante-post page, where the Non-Runner No Bet concession is available as indicated. The other top two-mile chasers include Marine Nationale, Energumene, Solness and Captain Guinness.

How to bet on the 2025 Cheltenham festival

1. Win & Each Way: Check out or Win and Each-Way betting guide on the Betway Insider.

2. Head-to-Head: Head-to-Head betting is a form of sports betting where you are creating a market with two possible outcomes. For example, in a race with six runners you are betting on whether or not Horse A will beat Horse B.

3. Insurebet: This is a bet on the horse to win but you get your stake back (rather than losing the bet) if it finishes second or third, depending on the number of runners in the race.

4. Forecast (straight and reverse): A straight forecast bet is a bet where you select two horses and state the specific order in which they will finish first and second. A reversed forecast bet is very similar to a straight forecast bet in that you predict the top two finishers in a race. However, in a reversed forecast bet, it doesn't matter which order the participants finish in.

Which jockeys have the best Cheltenham record?

The most successful jockey is Cheltenham Festival history is Ruby Walsh, who rode a total of 59 winners before retiring in 2019. Behind him are Barry Geraghty on 43 and Sir AP McCoy on 31.

The most successful current jockey is Davy Russell on 25, four of which came in 2018 as he won the leading rider award.

Paul Townend has been crowned top jockey in two of the last three years, while Rachael Blackmore made history in 2021 by becoming the first female jockey to finish top of the standings after riding six winners - one off Ruby Walsh's record of seven.

Nico de Boinville (2019) is the only other person to have won top jockey since 2008.

What is the Cheltenham Festival Dress code?

While there’s no official Cheltenham Festival dress code, those in attendance enjoy dressing for the occasion. Men tend to opt for a smart, country gentleman look, featuring tweed jackets, formal overcoats and flat caps, with women sporting, dresses, overcoats and hats.

Fancy dress is not against the rules, though if it is deemed offensive you will not be let in.

Given the time of year and terrain, the most important thing is to make sure you are warm and wearing comfy shoes.