Eleven of the top chasers in Europe will line up for the Cheltenham Gold Cup (G1) on Friday, March 18! It is the feature race of the Cheltenham Festival. The horse race covers three miles, two and a half furlongs over fences, and the purse is a staggering £625,000. At stake is not only the money, but one of the most iconic championships in jumps racing.
Two Cheltenham Gold Cup winners return for more glory. Willie Mullins trainee Al Boum Photo took the crown in 2019 and 2020, and also finished third in 2021. Minella Indo, the upset winner for Henry de Bromhead in 2020, comes back as well — along with stablemate A Plus Tard, who ran second in the race last year.
Who will add his name to the illustrious list of Cheltenham Gold Cup winners? Keep on reading to find out.
This is the official field for the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup including draw numbers, trainers, and jockeys:
Leading into the race, the odds on each contender will fluctuate based on the news that comes out about each horse and the bets that players make with their sportsbooks. Your best bet in the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup is to make an account at a trusted online sportsbook, watch the Vegas odds, and bet when you find an overlay on your horse.
Since these online sportsbooks offer fixed-odds betting, it means you lock in your odds the moment you bet, just like you would at a traditional Vegas casino!
Online sportsbooks bring Las Vegas to you, anywhere you have an internet connection! You can play the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and lock in the best odds, from your phone, tablet, or computer.
Though the volume of choices for online sportsbooks can feel daunting at first, our experts are here to make it easy. Our guide to online sportsbooks can help you zoom in quickly on the best offerings. All our sites offer true Vegas odds, and our experts also show you which sites have the most profitable bonuses, based on how you prefer to bet.
All this adds up to the most profitable Cheltenham Gold Cup betting experience!
 |  |  |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Galvin | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| A Plus Tard | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Minella Indo | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Protektorat | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Al Boum Photo | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Tornado Flyer | TBA | TBA | TBA |
You have your online betting account set up — perfect! Now it is time to get to know the best horses in the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Though two returning champions aim to add another Gold Cup to their trophy cases, the advantage goes to someone who came close last year but has not won yet: A Plus Tard. He does have tables to turn on Galvin, who got him by a short head in the Savills Chase (G1) back on December 28, but he can turn the tables.
The softer going expected on race day favors A Plus Tard, though Galvin could certainly get a placing over it. It also helps A Plus Tard that Rachael Blackmore takes the call — no one has been riding better in big chases than Blackmore, especially when pairing up with the Henry de Bromhead yard.
Al Boum Photo, who won the race in 2019 and 2020, returns to try for a third. Though winning may be a tall order, especially now that he is ten, the Willie Mullins charge is good enough to capture another placing. Third last year in the race, he prepared for this the same way he has prepared for all three of his other tilts at the Gold Cup: with a win in the New Year’s Day Chase (G3) at Tramore.
Protektorat is an exciting new face in the Gold Cup this year. He is unproven but not yet truly tested at this sort of trip. He tried longer than three miles for the first time at Aintree on December 4 when beating 2018 Gold Cup hero Native River at Aintree by 25 lengths. These current Gold Cup foes will be tougher, but Protektorat should handle the ground and distance at a price, and merits an each-way punt.
Tornado Flyer, another from the yard of Willie Mullins, could also find a piece of the action. He won the King George VI (G1) last time over soft going as a 28/1 outsider, his first win in two years. This field is tougher, but after a third-place finish in the shorter Ryanair Chase (G1) at the Festival last year, he is good enough over the course to interest for deeper exotic wagers.
These are the best bets for the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup!
