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GG Going For Gold – Monty’s Star Dimmed by Sparkling Embassy Gardens

The Cheltenham Gold Cup entries have been made for 2025, and in our latest GG Going For Gold entry, we look at the new markets, any moves to have occurred since, as well as one in-depth look into a race back on New Year’s Day…

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Wednesday, 1st January – New Year’s Day Chase @ Tramore

Dark horses’ reputations are just as susceptible to taking a hit as those of a favourite, and so it proved at Tramore on New Year’s Day. The chase synonymous with the opening day of the year was famously used as a springboard by Al Boum Photo when he won his two Gold Cups, as well as in the two years afterwards too.

It was another Willie Mullins-trained charge who galloped away victorious as Embassy Gardens proved best fresh under a smart front-running ride from Michael O’Sullivan. Allowed to dictate proceedings, the nine-year-old won by five lengths with something to spare despite having drifted to 9/1 at the off.

Initially a 100/1 chance for unlikely Cheltenham glory, Embassy Gardens had continued to shorten since that triumph and is now a best price of 33/1 for the Festival showpiece. The scalp he was notably claiming was that of Monty’s Star, the dark horse in question, who was considered by many to have an excellent each-way chance for the Gold Cup.

That may still be so, but he was caught wanting here. Seemingly in a good position throughout, he found precious little for pressure at odds of 4/5 and was convincingly beaten despite receiving 6lb from the winner. Nevertheless, the fact he has been seen and entered into the race, where numerous other contenders were not, has ensured his best odds of 20/1 are unchanged. No other runners in the New Year’s Day Chase received such entries for the Gold Cup.

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Tuesday, 7th January – Cheltenham Gold Cup Entries

NumberHorseTrainer
1Ahoy SenorLucinda Russell
2BanbridgeJoseph O’Brien
3ConflatedGordon Elliott
4Corbetts CrossEmmet Mullins
5Embassy GardensWillie Mullins
6Fact To FileWillie Mullins
7Galopin Des ChampsWillie Mullins
8GentlemansgameMouse Morris
9Gerri ColombeGordon Elliott
10Grangeclare WestWillie Mullins
11Grey DawningDan Skelton
12HewickTara Lee Cogan
13Il Est FrancaisNoel George & Amanda Zetterholm
14Jungle BoogieHenry De Bromhead
15L’Homme PresseVenetia Williams
16Minella CocoonerWillie Mullins
17Monty’s StarHenry De Bromhead
18Royale PagailleVenetia Williams
19The Real WhackerPatrick Neville

Only 19 entries were made for the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup, and the relative scarcity of competition, coupled with his already strong position in the market, saw Galopin Des Champs shortened into a general Evens from 6/4 as favourite for a third successive title.

With the entries ensuring the broad movement in the market was forward, the two other significant moves skyward were for Gerri Colombe and Banbridge. The former has only been sighted once, finishing a disappointing third at Down Royal in November, but is 14/1 from 16s to go one better than in 2024. The latter was still as big as 33/1 for the Gold Cup even after his King George success, but can no longer be backed at bigger than 16/1 to secure an historic double. 

He is now fourth best in the market, as the likes of Spillane’s Tower and Inothewayurthinkin were made absentees from the race by owner JP McManus. The former could be Ryanair Chase bound, while the latter’s options are being weighed up by trainer Gavin Cromwell.


Cheltenham Gold Cup Ante-Post Movers

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