Reigning champion Inothewayurthinkin has run three poor races this season
The last seven Gold Cups have been won by Irish-trained horses
Fact To File heads the market after his Irish Gold Cup success
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is building towards one of the most open renewals in recent times as the various contenders from both sides of the Irish Sea have failed to produce a standout candidate.
Fact To File's dominant win in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown ensures he tops the market but, at the time of writing, the Willie Mullins-trained contender isn't even entered in the race.
Here's a look at five Gold Cup talking points as the countdown to the Cheltenham Festival from Tuesday, March 10 – Friday, March 13, gathers pace.
Fact To File states his case
Fact To File boasts figures of 211 at the Cheltenham Festival in three appearances. He was second in 2023 Champion Bumper behind A Dream To Share and has since won the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase and the Ryanair Chase.
He ran poorly in the King George at Christmas and that led many observers to believe he would defend his Ryanair crown come March, but his five-length win in the Irish Gold Cup has changed that narrative.
Trainer Mullins has always believed he is a Gold Cup horse, but owner JP McManus saw fit to take him out of the Gold Cup before his DRF win, so a supplementary fee will need to be paid. The owner has deep pockets and covets the biggest prizes.
Fact To File to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup @ 7/2 with LiveScore Bet
Inothewayurthinkin has major issues
Gavin Cromwell was the toast of Cheltenham last March as Inothewayurthinkin stormed home to deny Galopin Des Champs a third Gold Cup.
Things have taken a major downturn this season. Inothewayurthinkin was beaten a combined 94-lengths in the John Durkan and the Savills Chase. Despite Cromwell believing he was getting things right, the eight-year-old took a tired fall when beaten in the Irish Gold Cup.
His trainer conceded now that running in Cheltenham is far from certain, and he may want to find a suitable target this month to try and get his fallen star back in business.
Inothewayurthinkin to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup @ 16/1 with LiveScore Bet
Galopin not written off
Willie Mullins had that one-two-three in the Irish Gold Cup and he believes Fact To File should be allowed to take his Gold Cup chance, but the champion trainer isn't for writing off Galopin Des Champs.
The two-time winner was third at Leopardstown, the same place he occupied in the Savills Chase on his delayed comeback in December.
Mullins feels that race might have left a mark and now thinks Galopin Des Champs is well placed to hit top gear in the Cotswolds again.
"I'm not despondent," said the trainer. "Hopefully, if I can get him in the same form going back to Cheltenham, he will run a good race there."
Galopin Des Champs to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup @ 8/1 with LiveScore Bet
Kempton pair lead British challenge
Not since Native River in 2018 for Colin Tizzard has a horse trained in Britain won the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Hopes this year include Grey Dawning for Dan Skelton, though he was disappointing on Festival Trials Day as well as The Jukebox Man and Jango Baie – who finished first and fourth in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day.
The first four home were split by a half-length, with Ben Pauling's star just holding off 2024 winner Banbridge and Gaelic Warrior between him and Jango Baie for Nicky Henderson.
Now the trick for both UK horses is to find that level of form over the extra two furlongs at Cheltenham. If The Jukebox Man can do it, owner Harry Redknapp will feel like he's won the biggest pot of his sporting life.
The Jukebox Man to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup @ 11/2 with LiveScore Bet
National winners lurking in the mix
Of the outsiders, there are three National winners potentially lurking at bigger odds. Haiti Couleurs won the Irish National last season and added the Welsh version at Chepstow over Christmas for Rebecca Curtis and Sean Bowen. Native River won that marathon in 2016 before his Gold Cup glory of 2018.
I Am Maximus won the Aintree National in 2024 for Mullins and was second in the Grade 1 Savills at Christmas, though well held in the Irish Gold Cup (fifth), while stablemate Nick Rockett famously won the Merseyside marathon last spring under Patrick Mullins for his father, but hasn't run since. He holds an entry here.
Haiti Couleurs to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup @ 10/1 with LiveScore Bet
