This season’s King George VI Chase winner Banbridge has been entered in three races at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
Connections of the horse are keeping their options open ahead of the biggest meeting of the year in Jumps racing.
One of those races Banbridge has an entry for is the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
If he lines up in the blue-riband event in the sport, he will be bidding to become the first King George winner in 13 years to land the famous double in the division.
Irish chaser showed his stamina at Kempton
Going into the prestigious chase contest on Boxing Day at the Surrey Venue, there were question marks over Banbridge’s stamina.
However, the Irish horse proved he could stay the 3m distance. He is now 12/1 in the racing betting for the Gold Cup.
The former Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle winner featured in the Ryanair Chase last season, finishing ninth in the contest.
He is 5/1 in the Cheltenham Festival betting to win the day three festival race this season.
Banbridge reeled in early race leader Il Est Francais in the King George at Kempton.
Those two horses may clash again in the Ryanair Chase or the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
The latter is over a shorter distance of 2m.
One more run before Cheltenham Festival
Joseph O’Brien’s runner is likely to have one more run before he lines up at the Cheltenham Festival.
The King George winner could feature at the Dublin Racing Festival in February.
The race he participates in at that Irish meeting is likely to give a big clue about his Cheltenham target.
There are also races in the UK that connections of Banbridge will be considering. O’Brien ran his horse in the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton 2024.
He rewarded his trainer for that trip by winning the valuable Grade Two contest.
The Cotswold Chase on Trials Day at Cheltenham and Ascot Chase are two of the leading trails in the UK for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Both of those races would provide Banbridge with the perfect preparation for the Festival feature.
Galopin Des Champs bidding for hat-trick in Gold Cup
Should Banbridge line up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, he will need to defeat the defending champion, Galopin Des Champs.
Last year’s winner is vying to complete a hat-trick in the race, as he was also successful in 2023.
Only one horse this century has won three Cheltenham Gold Cups, and that was Best Mate who prevailed in 2002, 2003 and 2004.
His latest triumph in the Savills Chase at the festive meeting at Leopardstown suggests Willie Mullins’ runner remains at the top of his game.
Mullins has five entries in this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
John Durkan Memorial Chase winner Fact To File is likely to line up alongside his stablemate, while Tramore winner Embassy Gardens is also expected to be part of the Mullins team in the race.
The 2025 Cheltenham Festival takes place between 11-15 March, and many horse racing fans in the south west of London will make the short trip to Gloucestershire for the meeting.
Picture credit: Free to use from Unsplash
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