Two entrants have already jumped to victory at the Cheltenham Festival’s biggest horse race: Al Boum Photo bounded home first in both 2019 and 2020 for trainer Willie Mullins. He finished third in the 2021 edition behind Minella Indo — who returns for trainer Henry de Bromhead, along with stablemate A Plus Tard, who ran second in the Gold Cup last year.
This is the place to find out who has the best chance to win, and also find out the best places to bet the Cheltenham Gold Cup online in California!
Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting Online
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is always a thrilling betting race. With a field of 11, everyone will be trying to find out which familiar face is going to show up again, or which new superstar will choose Cheltenham as their time to emerge. Betting the race will be even more fun if you do so at an online sportsbook that gives you the best odds and bonuses for California players!
That’s where our experts come in. Our recommended sportsbooks all give you an excellent user interface, trusted deposit and cash-out features, and the best odds. They also offer the best racebook bonuses in the business, including sign-up and deposit incentives, betting rebates, and referral benefits.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Field
This is the official field for the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup including draw numbers, trainers, and jockeys:
- Al Boum Photo (Willie Mullins/Paul Townend)
- A Plus Tard (Henry de Bromhead/Rachael Blackmore)
- Asterion Forlonge (Willie Mullins/Bryan Cooper)
- Aye Right (Harriet Graham & Gary Rutherford/Callum Bewley)
- Chantry House (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville)
- Galvin (Gordon Elliott/Davy Russell)
- Minella Indo (Henry de Bromhead/Robbie Power)
- Protektorat (Dan Skelton/Harry Skelton)
- Royale Pagaille (Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch)
- Santini (Polly Gundry/Nick Scholfield)
- Tornado Flyer (Willie Mullins/Danny Mullins)
The time is now to read our online racebook reviews, make your sportsbook account and start watching the odds! Once you see an overlay on a horse you like, it is the right time to place your bet. After all, online sportsbooks offer fixed-odds wagering, meaning that you can lock in the best odds at the moment you bet. Then, you can be confident as the race gets closer, and you can enjoy the best odds on your horse.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Handicapping
Now that you have chosen the right California sportsbook for your betting needs, it is time to start handicapping the race! These are the best horses to play in the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Favorite
Though a pair of Gold Cup heroes are returning to the field, these eyes fall on the horse who finished second in 2021: A Plus Tard. Though he has to turn the tables on Galvin, who beat him by a short head in their mutual last-out in the Savills Chase (G1) at Leopardstown in December, there are reasons he can.
A Plus Tard should find this ground a little softer than that last time, which plays to his strengths. Furthermore, he has Rachael Blackmore in the irons. No one has been riding better in big chases lately than she has, especially for the Henry de Bromhead yard. Though Galvin is good enough to figure, and must be used in exotics, A Plus Tard is the one to beat.
Among the past champions, last year’s winner Minella Indo is hit-or-miss, not exciting at what will be a relatively short price. For underneath shares, however, Al Boum Photo still has appeal. Though he may be past his absolute best and ten-year-olds typically do not win this race, he did win the New Year’s Chase (G3) at Tramore for the fourth year in a row and is consistent enough to find the frame here once again.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Exotics Horses
Those who like to bet a price horse will find plenty to like about Protektorat. He has not yet been exposed at this kind of trip: he just stretched past three miles for the first time last out at Aintree, and routed 2018 Gold Cup winner Native River by 25 lengths over soft going. He should find the footing just fine here, and if that last effort is a suggestion that he is meant to stay, he could upset this. He rates an each-way play.
[cta-betting-pick bet=”Protektorat match=”each way in the Cheltenham Gold Cup” odds=”TBA” cta=”Bet Now!” id_partner=”195″]
Tornado Flyer, who like Al Boum Photo hails from the barn of Willie Mullins, could also find the picture. He has to prove his 28/1 shocker last out in the King George VI (G1) was no fluke, but the soft footing suits and he was third in the shorter Ryanair Chase (G1) last year during the Festival. That is enough to justify considering him for deeper exotics tickets.
2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup Free Picks
You know the horses. You have your online betting account set up. Now, it’s time to play! Here are the best bets for Saturday’s 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup:
- $20 to win – #2 A Plus Tard
- $10 each-way – #8 Protektorat
- $1 exacta key – #2 A Plus Tard with #6 Galvin and #8 Protektorat
- $0.50 trifecta key – #2 A Plus Tard with #1 Al Boum Photo, #6 Galvin and #8 Protektorat
- $0.20 superfecta key – #2 A Plus Tard with #1 Al Boum Photo, #6 Galvin, #8 Protektorat, and #11 Tornado Flyer
This week the Kentucky Derby Trail visits Oaklawn Park! On Saturday, February 26, eleven promising three-year-olds will line up to contest the Rebel Stakes (G2). The races offers a colossal $1,000,000 purse, and with 50-20-10-5 Road to the Kentucky Derby points available to the top four, its winner is virtually guaranteed a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate!
The Kentucky Derby Trail makes its way to Los Alamitos Racecourse on Saturday, December 11 for the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2)! The race drew a field of the most promising two-year-olds on the West Coast to go a mile and a sixteenth on the dirt. The purse is $300,000, and the top four finishers also earn Kentucky Derby Points, apportioned 10-4-2-1.
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The most famous horse race of the year, the Kentucky Derby, is coming up on Saturday, May 1, 2021. The race brings 20 of the best three-year-old horses: get to know the contenders, and the most live longshots in the race!
