What is the prize money for winning Gold Cup at Cheltenham Festival 2025?

Day Four of the Cheltenham Festival features the prestigious Gold Cup, where some of the best in the sport compete over 22 fences.

This year's event is dominated by the narrative of Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs, the current two-time champion and strong favourite to achieve a third consecutive win.

However, a host of Irish and British contenders stand in his way, including King George winner and good-ground aficionado Banbridge, JP McManus' supplemented Inothewayurthinkin, and Rachael Blackmore's mount, Monty's Star. The victor of the coveted Gold Cup will not only write their names into the history books but will also be handsomely rewarded for their efforts, as the 3m2f race boasts the Festival's richest prize pool.

The winner of the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup will receive a whopping £363,999, with the total prize money for the event standing at a substantial £625k, according to the Racing Post.

In 2024, the runner-up pocketed over £130k, while third place took home just over £66k. Fourth and fifth places earned around £33k and £16k, respectively. Jockeys typically receive between eight to 10 per cent of the prize money won, with the lion's share going to the owner, reports the Mirror.

The Gold Cup's total prize money accounts for roughly an eighth of the overall prize fund on offer in the Cotswolds this year, which stands at a record-breaking £4.93million. The prestigious National Hunt race first took place under the Gold Cup moniker in 1819, with the winning owner receiving 100 guineas.

In contrast, the inaugural Gold Cup at the Festival in 1924 saw its victor pocket £685 – equivalent to around £35k in today's money. Since 2004, the champion of the blue riband event has taken home over £200k, with the last two victories of Best Mate's hat-trick netting connections £203k each.

For both of his initial two triumphs, Mullins' Galopin Des Champs has bagged an estimated £352k prize each time, and he's well-positioned to complete the treble.

The son of Timos kicked off his campaign with a modest third-place finish in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown, trailing behind winner Fact To File, but bounced back impressively at his favoured Leopardstown by reversing form in the Savills Chase.

Most recently, he clinched his third consecutive Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival, and few would bet against him replicating that success in Gloucestershire. Nine contenders make up the field for the 2025 renewal, but all attention will undoubtedly be on one horse.

British racing titan Paul Nicholls can't look past the gelding and told the Mirror: "He'll win at Cheltenham this week. I can't see anything beating him. The way he's improved this year... and riding him from the front positively seemed to have suited him a little bit. Ultimately, he'd be very hard to beat. I'd be surprised if he was beaten.

"They [the Irish] have got some smart horses to run this year, especially in those Grade 1 races. The best horses always win those Grade 1 races. They should because they're the best horse. They've got an advantage on advantageous terms. Those horses win the best races because they're the best."