The eyes of the horse racing world will be on Gloucestershire this week as the prestigious 2024 Cheltenham Festival is staged…
The four-day meeting always generates massive interest in the betting industry, with punters wagering heavily on each of the 28 races during the event.
Wagering activity on the Festival on both sides of the Irish Sea goes through the roof as bettors strive to take the bookmakers to the cleaners.
The top betting sites in Ireland could be set for some sizeable payouts, with trainers from the Emerald Isle expected to dominate the meeting.
They will be particularly fearful of the outcome when the Cheltenham Gold Cup is run on Friday, with the market headed by a horse who has been heavily backed by Irish punters.
Galopin Des Champs was a superb winner of the race last year, staying on powerfully up the home straight to secure a memorable victory.
A couple of subsequent defeats at Punchestown left people questioning the horse’s credentials, but he silenced those doubts with two superb wins at Leopardstown.
County Carlow-based trainer Willie Mullins is confident that the reigning champion can headline what promises to be a stellar week for the stable.
“I couldn’t be happier,” Mullins said. “We have some fantastic horses going over, from the stars like Galopin Des Champs the whole way through to horses in the different types of races down to the Bumper and we’re strong in most divisions.
“I think it’ll be probably 60-plus horses (running at Cheltenham). Who knows what’s going to happen but we’ve been very lucky this year. We’ve had very few injuries and most of the horses are getting there at this point in time.”
The biggest threat to Galopin Des Champs’ hopes of winning another Cheltenham Gold Cup will likely be Fastorslow, who will be ridden by County Wexford-born jockey JJ Slevin.
Fastorslow famously beat Galopin Des Champs twice at Punchestown, but was no match for his rival when they met in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown last month.
However, Slevin has backed Fastorlow to reverse the form and believes the horse will be better suited to the track at Cheltenham.
“It was a good run (at Leopardstown) – hopefully we’ll have a different scenario in the Gold Cup and hopefully we can turn the tables on him,” Slevin said. “It won’t be easy, but we’ll see.
“I got upsides him and made him work and I was hoping he might not pick up, but he did. For a minute, I thought it might be on, but your man found another gear and he’s a very good horse, isn’t he?
“Galopin probably likes a bit softer ground and our lad is versatile enough. I’d say Leopardstown really suits Galopin as well. Any track suits him, but he really likes Leopardstown.
“I think a different scenario of the race is probably going to be a big thing. I’d imagine it’ll unfold a good bit different to Leopardstown, with a bigger field and flowing along, with a few more going forward – and we can use his jumping and use his travelling.”
Cheltenham Gold Cup 2024 Odds:
- Galopin Des Champs – 5/4
- Fastorslow – 9/2
- Shishkin – 13/2
- Gerri Colombe – 10/1
- L’Homme Presse – 12/1
- Bravemansgame – 16/1
- Gentlemansgame – 16/1
- Hewick – 16/1
- Corach Rambler – 20/1
- Monkfish – 25/1
- The Real Whacker – 33/1
- Nassalam – 33/1
- Jungle Boogie – 40/1
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