Who Are the Highest-Rated Horses In the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup?

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the pinnacle for every jockey, trainer, and owner in horse racing. The 3m2½f contest is the feature race of the four-day meeting at the UK-based racecourse and many horse racing fans from Swindon are set to attend this year.

Here is a look at the highest-rated runners in the latest renewal of the Blue Riband steeplechase.

A Plus Tard (180)

Last year’s winner A Plus Tard is now rated at 180, the highest of any horse in the Cheltenham Gold Cup field this year. Given what he achieved in 2022, many pundits make the Irish horse one of their leading Cheltenham ante post tips 2023. Henry De Bromhead's runner is 7/1 to defend his crown.

A Plus Tard - a brilliant winner of the @Boodles @CheltenhamRaces Gold Cup@rachaelblackmor is a Gold Cup heroine with a sensational victory in the Blue Riband event, leading home a 1-2 for @HenrydeBromhead #TheFestival pic.twitter.com/ayBLdt8Bzx

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 18, 2022

The Irish horse was pulled up on his only run of the season at Haydock. This will be his third straight appearance in the Gold Cup as he also finished second in 2021.

Galopin Des Champs (175)

Galopin Des Champs is into just his second season as a chaser, but he is the +150 favorite in the Gold Cup betting for the prestigious race this year. He has won five of his six races in impressive style, helping to rise to an official rating of 175

The Irish Gold Cup winner is unbeaten this season. His last success came over the 3m distance at the Dublin Racing Festival. He showed he had the stamina for the distance at Leopardstown where he beat stablemate Stattler and Fury Road.

Shishkin (174)

Recent Ascot Chase winner Shishkin is as big as +1600 to win the Gold Cup this year. The reason his odds are so big is that he also has an entry in the Ryanair Chase, a race over the shorter distance of 2m5f.

Nicky Henderson’s runner was once the most dominant horse in the 2m division. His latest performance over a longer trip suggests he may be a Gold Cup horse in the future. With a rating of 174, he will take some beating whichever race he lines up in at the Festival.

Bravemansgame (172)

After winning the King George VI Chase at Kempton, the second most prestigious race in the 3m division, Bravemansgame now has a rating of 172. That makes him one of the highest-rated jump horses in British racing.

Bravemansgame - a game King George winner! pic.twitter.com/sp2sqo7ySM

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 26, 2022

Trainer Paul Nicholls knows all about Gold Cup success. He has won the race four times, with success coming with See More Business (1999), Kauto Star (2007 and 2009), and Denman (2008). Bravemansgame is in his second season as a chaser, and the Champion Trainer believes he is good enough to test himself against the best of the UK and Ireland at Cheltenham this year.

Protektorat (170)

Victory in a Grade One contest at Haydock back in November put Protektorat in the Gold Cup picture. He beat a strong field in that race which included A Plus Tard, Eldorado Allen, Frodon, and Bristol De Mai.

Dan Skelton was beaten last time out at Cheltenham in the Grade Two Cotswold Chase but he remains rated at 170. He was third in the Gold Cup in 2022 and his connections will be hoping he can go two places better now as he is rated 6lb higher than when he appeared last year.

The 2023 Cheltenham Gold takes place on the 17th of March and there are set to be over 80,000 spectators in attendance on the day.