Coral's Cheltenham Festival 2025 tips for day four's races

Gold Cup Day is here – the grand finale of the Cheltenham Festival. With reigning champ Galopin Des Champs bidding for a historic third Gold Cup, the excitement is at fever pitch.

Our Coral experts have studied the form to bring you top tips for Day Four, ensuring you can bet on Cheltenham races. We're balancing hot favourites with value each-way plays and lively outsiders. Here’s how we see each of the seven races unfolding on Friday’s card.

Nicky Henderson’s Lulamba can kick-start the day on the right note by winning the Triumph Hurdle. This classy juvenile showed a sharp turn of foot on the Flat and has quickly developed into a smart hurdler. He pulled hard when narrowly defeated last time, but a stronger gallop in this big field should help him settle.

The likely front-rinner East India Dock sets a high standard after an unbeaten hurdles campaign, but Lulamba’s raw talent and improvement potential could see him come out on top in the final day Festival opener.

In a typically wide-open County Hurdle, Lark In The Mornin (4/1) makes plenty of appeal. Trained by Joseph O’Brien, this five-year-old won the Fred Winter handicap at Cheltenham last year, so he thrives on the big occasion and spring ground.

He’s been aimed at this race with a light campaign to protect his handicap mark and should get the strong pace he relishes. As always, many hold chances – Willie Mullins unleashes several major players and Irish Panther (20/1) is one outsider who could outrun his odds – but Lark In The Mornin’s proven Festival pedigree gives him the edge as a solid each-way bet to hit the frame, if not win outright.

Dinoblue (11/10) is a short-priced favourite in the Mares’ Chase and looks hard to oppose. Willie Mullins’ mare was a close second in this race last year and has been in excellent form since. She confirmed her stamina for this 2½-mile trip with a gutsy Graded win in Ireland, and arrives at Cheltenham primed to go one better.

Her jumping is usually accurate and she handles good-to-soft ground well. Main rival Allegorie De Vassy (7/2) is clearly talented but has shown quirks and was below her best when beaten by Dinoblue in a prep run. Barring a mistake, Dinoblue’s consistency and proven Festival form should see her prevail in what looks a two-horse contest on paper.

The Albert Bartlett is notorious for producing upset winners, but The Big Westerner (5/1) can buck that trend and justify favouritism. This imposing gelding has done little wrong, arriving on a hat-trick after impressive wins in staying novice hurdles in Ireland.

He stays three miles strongly and has shown he can battle, which is crucial in this grueling Grade 1 for novices. Previous renewals have seen shock victors at 33/1 and 50/1, so one shouldn’t dismiss the outsiders – Jasmin De Vaux (11/1) and others have each-way appeal.

Even so, The Big Westerner brings the ideal blend of class and stamina, and he looks equipped to outstay the field and give his connections a deserved Festival success.

All eyes will be on Galopin Des Champs as he bids for a third consecutive Gold Cup, but at very short odds (4/7) it could pay to side with Banbridge as a value alternative. Joseph O’Brien’s challenger has earned his shot at jump racing’s blue riband after a stellar season – he was an impressive winner of the King George VI Chase at Kempton and has been kept fresh for this.

A strong traveller with slick jumping, Banbridge should relish Cheltenham’s stiff finish and could put it up to the reigning champ. Galopin Des Champs is unquestionably the one to beat – a true superstar with class and courage – but achieving a Gold Cup hat-trick is a rare feat with many potential pitfalls.

If the favourite shows any vulnerability late on, Banbridge has the proven Grade 1 quality to pounce. Keep an eye on Inothewayurthinkin (5/1) as well – this improving youngster adds further depth – but we’re backing Banbridge to give the mighty Galopin a serious challenge and possibly cause a mild upset in an epic renewal of the Gold Cup.

Last year’s Kim Muir heroine Angels Dawn can make a seamless transition to hunter chasing and land the Foxhunter. Trained by Sam Curling, this tough mare brings a high level of form – she won a competitive amateur riders’ handicap at the 2023 Festival over a similar trip, showcasing her stamina and jumping under pressure. Since switching to hunters’ contests, she’s continued to thrive and should be cherry-ripe for this target.

The main dangers look to be Its On The Line (5/1), representing the shrewd Emmet Mullins, and Willitgoahead (9/2), another consistent pointer who stays well. Both will ensure a true test in the three-and-a-quarter-mile contest.

However, Angels Dawn has proven she can handle Cheltenham’s unique demands and big-field scenarios. With her blend of class and endurance, she gets the nod to beat the boys and take home this prestigious trophy for Ireland.

The Festival’s finale is a notoriously hard puzzle, but Taponthego looks an excellent each-way shout in the Martin Pipe. This conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle often sees Irish trainers dominate – Gordon Elliott, in particular, loves to target it – yet it could be Henry de Bromhead’s charge who steals the show. Taponthego has been brought along steadily, hitting form in the new year and shaping as though a strong-run 2½ miles will play to his strengths.

He stays on well in his races and has likely been kept on a workable weight to exploit here. Expect talented young rider [Jockey] (conditional for de Bromhead’s yard) to deliver a patient ride before closing late. In a race where many have something to prove after long campaigns, Taponthego arrives relatively fresh and unexposed.

At 8/1 with Coral, he offers plenty of value to round off Cheltenham 2025 with a potential upset. Don’t be surprised if we see another Irish-trained winner – and hopefully we’ll end the week on a high note with our selection. Good luck and enjoy Gold Cup Day!

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All odds and markets correct as of date of publication.