Ante Post Betting Tips for the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup

With the 2025 Cheltenham Festival fast-approaching, I’m taking a look at the big one – the Cheltenham Gold Cup in today’s article. And for this I’m advising an each way bet on L’Homme Presse.

This ante-post play is a combination of me genuinely liking the horse for the race, and also thinking tactically, as the Gold Cup field looks very likely to cut up significantly over the next 10 days.

Betting advice

Ante-post – Cheltenham Gold Cup – Friday 14 March 2025

• L’Homme Presse – 1pt Each Way @ 33/1 - bet365 (3 places)

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A look at L’Homme Presse

L’Homme Presse’s record at Cheltenham reads 1-1-4-1 with a win in The Dipper Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) on New Years Day back in 2022, which was followed up with a win in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.

He then ran a mighty race to finish fourth in last year’s renewal of the Gold Cup, which I think deserves considerable credit considering he was ridden prominently, and led clearly from four out - in very testing conditions.

He was headed two out by Galopin Des Champs, who is simply a monster, and only dropped back approaching the last. L’Homme Presse’s latest run at Prestbury Park then came in this year’s Cotswold Chase (Grade 2) back in January, where he toyed with Stage Star before going on to win.

Across those four performances, he has run to a RPR of 166, but I think you could argue that at least two of those could easily be higher. His top three career performances have seen him record RPRs of 170, 170 and 172.

Proof of his worth

Matt Chapman interviewed Charlie Deutsch straight after L’Homme Presse’s 2024 Gold Cup run. Charlie explained that he did everything right, he just got tired on the tacky ground. He said they know he has plenty of speed when he beat Protektorat at Lingfield (and that one went on to win the Ryanair).

Matt suggested maybe the Ryanair next year and I liked the way that Charlie replied “Well no, maybe better ground”. I was so pleased to hear Charlie say that, as I thought exactly the same.

My take on L’Homme Presse

In less testing conditions, I feel L’Homme Presse would have finished his race off much stronger. I feel it was the ground that emptied him, rather than the trip. I know the Cotswold Chase is an easier race, but he was powering through the line, and it’s only a furlong shorter than the Gold Cup.

For what it’s worth, it looks as though we are in for better ground this year than the bog we had in 2024. As mentioned, and also key to this bet, is the fact that I feel the Gold Cup field is going to cut up considerably. I’m under no illusions that Galopin Des Champs will be running, barring a mishap, and he will be extremely tough to beat.

The 2025 Gold Cup Contenders

However, let’s have a look through the rest of the contenders. The current second favourite for the race is Banbridge, who is not a certain runner. He may well go to the Ryanair Chase or if rain comes, he could skip Cheltenham altogether.

Fact To File is third in the market and seems all but confirmed to be running in the Ryanair. Monty’s Star and Corbetts Cross are the next pair. They are both eight-year-olds, so they could still be progressing, but I don’t think either of them have produced form to the standard of L’Homme Presse yet.

Corbetts Cross finished behind L’Homme Presse in the King George on Boxing Day. I know he reversed the form in the Ascot Chase, but that’s not a genuine piece of form in my opinion, with it being an inadequate trip for them both. I fancy L’Homme Presse’s chances over that pair in the Gold Cup, if all three turn up.

The next two are Grey Dawning and Grangeclare West, who are both reportedly bypassing the Gold Cup. Grey Dawning won at Kelso and Grangeclare West ran at Navan this weekend, so it’s fairly certain they’ll both be heading to Aintree.

Next up is Jungle Boogie, who finished behind L’Homme Presse in last year’s renewal and who is now an 11-year-old, Ahoy Senor who is hard to trust, Gentlemansgame who was pulled up last year, Hewick who reportedly bypasses it for Aintree, and The Real Whacker who isn’t good enough and is also ground dependent.

We also have Royal Pagaille, who is another 11-year-old. He had a hard race in the Betfair Chase and has subsequently not fired in his two runs since. The only other entry is Conflated, and he is miles off the required standard this season, and rightfully available priced at 150/1.

The 2025 Gold Cup reality

If you had a final field of Galopin Des Champs, Monty’s Star, Corbetts Cross, L’Homme Presse, Jungle Boogie, Ahoy Senor, Gentlemansgame, The Real Whacker, Royal Pagaille and Conflated (if we even get that), could you confidently say L’Homme Presse wouldn’t hit the frame?

For me, he’d have an exceptional chance and I’d quite fancy him to be the one to follow Galopin Des Champs home. As they say, never be frightened of one horse. All it takes is one mishap in the race, not even necessarily his own fault and Galopin Des Champs is out of contention.

I’m sure the majority of you reading this remember his tumble at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival… If something like that was to happen again, L’Homme Presse would have every chance of winning this year’s renewal and returning a hefty 41.6pts at 33/1.

If he could just hit the first three, a place pays 13/2 and we get a 7.6pt return, quadrupling our outlay on the bet. For those who like something less mainstream, I wouldn’t put you off a play on the ‘L’Homme Presse without Galopin Des Champs‘ market and I have seen 6/1 available for that.

I could simply tell you that Galopin Des Champs is going to win the Gold Cup, but so could everyone else, hence why he is currently priced up at 8/13. For me, it is all about finding the value in the market and I feel that L’Homme Presse is exactly that.

To summarise

As the 2025 Gold Cup field cuts up the closer we get to the Festival, I can only see L’Homme Presse’s price shortening. In fact, this could easily end up being a very small field Gold Cup. Even in last year’s stronger renewal, L’Homme Presse went off at 16/1, so now is definitely the right time to get him on our side.

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