Galopin Gold Cup is “worst result in the book”

William Hill – Cheltenham Festival Antepost view from the trading room

Here at William Hill, we are now offering our Non Runner Money Back concession on all 28 races at the Cheltenham Festival!

As we enter 2025, we have just over three months until the flag falls in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Cheltenham Festival is underway. Hear from the traders on where the money is going in the antepost markets for the festival.

Check out the latest 2025 Cheltenham Festival betting here

Worst results

The worst result in the book currently is Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup. The star chaser is in pursuit of his third consecutive Gold Cup success, and we were happy to lay the horse at 7/2 and 4/1 for the race after he was beaten in the John Durkan at Punchestown in late November. He looked better than ever over Christmas in the Savills’ Chase, he now looks a warm order for another Gold Cup win, and we have cut him to EVS for the race, he’s the worst result of the week at the moment.

Constitution Hill has been a difficult horse to price for the Champion Hurdle due to his absence from the track as well and the notable blow-outs in public gallops. Following the Newbury gallop debacle, we laid as big as 9/2 for the Champion Hurdle. In his first appearance for a year, he looked as good as ever at Kempton winning the Christmas Hurdle in style from Lossiemouth. We are now going 4/7 for the Champion Hurdle and he’s another bad result.

Teahupoo has been all the rage in the Stayers’ Hurdle betting. He’s a very solid play in a division that’s lacking a bit of depth and we’re hoping to get him beat – he would be a bad result for us at this stage. He’s currently 11/10 but has been gradually shortening from 7/2 as contenders to his Stayers’ Hurdle crown seem to keep falling away. There’s still a fair way to go until March, though.

The talented Twiston-Davies’ novice hurdler Potters Charm has been another popular antepost selection with punters. We are currently a joint top price 8/1 for the Turners’ Novice Hurdle having been as big as 16/1. He has been impressive in his last two starts, winning the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle as well as the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett trial at Cheltenham in November. He’s a lively contender but hopefully he will find one or two too good!

Best-backed horses over Christmas

Without doubt, the most popular horse over Christmas has been Sir Gino. His facile win in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase was impressive and we went 5/4 for the Arkle following that display. That was quickly snapped up and he is now a 4/6 shot for the race.

The horse he beat that day, Ballyburn, has also been a popular selection. Whilst he was firmly put in his place by Sir Gino, the two-mile trip at Kempton may have been too sharp for him. He’ll likely be seen to better effort over longer trips and punters have latched onto the 4/1, now 3/1, for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, which is run over three miles. That race looks far more suitable for the three-time Grade 1-winning hurdler.

One we like…

Last year’s Boodles winner Lark In The Mornin certainly had something in hand when he won at the festival last year, and despite not winning since he remains unexposed and dangerously handicapped for the William Hill County Hurdle. He’d be one to keep an eye out at 10/1, particularly as we’re also now Non Runner Money Back.