Paddy Power Gold Cup 2025: Best Soft Ground Horses?

With storm Claudia battering most of the country – including Cheltenham – we look at which of the Paddy Power Gold Cup runners will act best on soft or heavy ground.

Paddy Power Gold Cup Runners, Form On Soft/Heavy Ground and Betting Odds ☔

See below the list of 15 Paddy Power Gold Cup runners for this Saturday’s big Cheltenham race, which is live on ITV Racing.

We’ve been through each one and looked at their runs and wins on SOFT and HEAVY ground – giving each an overall percentage score on how they might handle the testing ground.

As you can see ALL the entries have won at least one race on soft or heavy, but some are yet to race on heavy.

While others don’t exactly have a great wins-to-runs ratio with give underfoot.

Hopefully, this info might help your search in finding the Paddy Power Gold Cup 2025 winner.

Horse	Soft Runs/Wins	Heavy Runs/Wins	Totals	Percentage	Odds
HOE JOLY SMOKE	2/2	No Runs	2/2	100%	12/1
HUNTER LEGEND	4/11	1/2	5/13	38%	14/1
JAGWAR (NR)	2/4	1/4	3/8	38%	4/1
PANIC ATTACK	4/10	0/1	4/11	36%	13/2
ISSAR D’AIRY	2/5	0/2	2/7	29%	50/1
THE OTHER MOZZIE	2/7	0/1	2/8	25%	33/1
RISKINTHEGROUND	1/5	No Runs	1/5	20%	33/1
ES PERFECTO	0/4	1/1	1/5	20%	16/1
IL RIDOTO	1/10	2/7	3/17	18%	13/2
VINCENZO	1/6	No Runs	1/6	17%	6/1
BAD	0/5	1/1	1/6	17%	18/1
THEATRE NATIVE	0/3	1/4	1/7	14%	20/1
COMING UP EASY	0/3	1/4	1/7	14%	12/1
CONYERS HILL	1/9	1/7	2/16	13%	16/1
THECOMPANYSERGEANT	0/7	1/3	1/10	10%	11/1

Note: All Paddy Power Gold Cup betting odds are subject to change

Note: Very soft run are also included in the ‘heavy’ stats

Hoe Joly Smoke Is Two-From-Two On Soft Ground

The only Paddy Gold Cup runner that brings a 100% record on soft ground to the race is HOE JOLY SMOKE.

This Dan Skelton entry has raced twice on soft ground – winning both times.

The first came in a point back in 2022 at Charm Park.

While the most recent was last December, when winning at Sandown over 3m on soft.

He’s, however, yet to race on heavy – should the ground get any worse.

If he can keep up his perfect soft ground record, he’ll also be giving trainer Dan Skelton his first win in the race.

With two seconds the best he’s managed to date.

Last Year’s Winner Il Ridoto Is Only Three-From-Seventeen On Soft Or Heavy Ground

The 2024 Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Il Ridoto will be looking to become the first ‘back-to-back’ winner since Bradbury Star in 1993/94.

He’s rated only a pound higher this time, but is 4lbs worse off this time without Freddie Gingell’s 3lb claim.

Last year’s win came on good ground.

So if this Paul Nicholls chaser, who is running in the race for a fourth time, is to go in again he’ll have to do it in much more testing conditions.

He has, however, won on both soft or heavy ground so will be fine.

But those looking to take him on will also notice Il Ridoto is only three-from-seventeen in these ground types.

Leading Irish Hope Thecompanysergeant Just One-From-Ten With Give Underfoot

The last time we saw an Irish winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup was in 2009 with Tranquil Sea, who was trained by the late great Edward O’Grady, who this year’s race is named in honour of.

We’ve Conyers Hill, Coming Up Easy, The Other Mozzie, Theatre Native and Thecompanysergeant flying the Irish flag this time.

Meaning a third of the field is from the Emerald Isle.

But the expected shortest-priced of these five – Thecompanysergeant – might have a small bit to prove on the ground.

Yes, he’s won on heavy, so should be okay – but is only one-from-ten on soft or heavy.

Which sees him bring in the worst percentage return of just 10% in these conditions.

Paddy Power Gold Cup Favourite Jagwar Will Need To Lump 12st In Testing Conditions

JP McManus will be hunting his first Paddy Power Gold Cup win and if he’s to do it his JAGWAR will need to shoulder 12st.

That, of course, won’t be easy on this ground, but this Greenall/Guerriero-trained 6 year-old is a fast-improving chaser.

With many suggesting that after his Festival win in the Plate last season (watch below), he could easily progress out of handicap company soon.

Despite his big weight burden, Jagwar will be fine on the ground.

He’s won on both soft and heavy and is three-from-eight on either surface.

**Note: JAGWAR is now a non-runner**

What Is The Current Cheltenham Going and Ground Description?

The current Cheltenham going is described at ‘HEAVY’, and ‘soft’ in places.

This was moved from soft on Friday.

With the GoingStick 5.9.

Cheltenham Racecourse Weather Forecast

The Cheltenham weather forecast for the next few days will see rain until Saturday at 6am – according to the Met Office.

There is an amber warning in place on Friday and that is moved to a yellow warning on Saturday.

In short, the worst of the weather looks to be on Friday and into the night, with things getting a bit better early on Saturday.

But racing fans will just be hoping that with racing on Friday and more rain forecast – the track can withhold it for the last two days of the fixture.