Willie Mullins Will Run TEN In Saturday’s bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown Park

With a total purse of just over £170k, this Saturday’s bet365 Gold Cup looks set to be a pivotal race in the 2025 jumps trainers’ title race – which is why Willie Mullins has a stack of entries for the big Sandown Park race, that he also won 12 months ago.

With that in mind – we look at his main bet365 Gold Cup runners for 2025 – as it’s now been confirmed that Willie Mullins has declared TEN (of the 20 runners) at the final declaration stage.

If Mullins can pull off another 1-2-3, like he did in the Aintree Grand National, he’d pocket a monster £154,140.

High Class Hero The Shortest-Priced bet365 Gold Cup Willie Mullins Runner

The recent Irish Grand National had been the expected target for High Class Hero, but this unexposed 8 year-old chaser came out of the race late on – with connections and Willie Mullins seemingly preferring a tilt at Saturday’s bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.

Could this be a significant switch? The layers seem to think so.

High Class Hero will head to Sandown as one of the shortest-priced Mullins runners in the race with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK and it’s not hard to see why.

He’s won four of his six starts over fences and there could be more to come now upped in trip beyond three miles for the first time.

The horse was a tidy winner at Punchestown back in February – seeing off his stablemate Loughglynn. However, those looking to take on High Class Hero will look to his most recent run – when beaten at long odds-on (2/13) at Thurles in the middle of March.

Mullins’ nearest rival in the jumps trainers’ title race, Dan Skelton has just one entry – Hoe Joly Smoke – with the bet365 Gold Cup prize money for the winner standing at £98k.

WATCH: High Class Hero Winning Over Hurdles at Thurles in January 2024

Confirmed Willie Mullins bet365 Gold Cup Runners 2025

See below the confirmed Willie Mullins bet365 Gold Cup runners as the Closutton trainer looks to win the lucrative £98k first prize.

Or a 1-2-3 in the race – like he did in the Aintree Grand National – will net Mullins a cool £154,140.

Note: The Final bet365 Gold Cup Runners Were Announced on Thursday 24th April

Last Year’s Winner Minella Cocooner Will Also Be Back To Defend His bet365 Gold Cup Title

The last horse to win ‘back-to-back’ bet365 Gold Cups was Topsham Bay in 1992-93 – but that could change as last year’s winner Minella Cocooner is another Willie Mullins Sandown runner this weekend.

This 8 year-old was last seen running 7th in the Aintree Grand National, beaten only 13 lengths at the line behind stablemate Nick Rockett.

That effort can also be upgraded at his jockey Jonathan Burke reported the saddle had slipped before they’d even jumped a fence.

12 months ago, in the bet365 Gold Cup, Minella Cocooner was rated 151, but his now only rated 4lbs higher (155).

He loves the better ground that his time of year tends to produce, and we know the tricky Sandown track has suited him in the past.

Of all the possible Willie Mullins bet365 Gold Cup runners 2025 – he’s also the only one with proven course-winning form.

It’s also worth pointing out the Paul Nicholls-trained Ad Hoc has won two bet365 Gold Cups since Topsham Bay – just not in consecutive seasons (2001 & 2003)

Dancing City Also A Confirmed bet365 Gold Cup Runner For Willie Mullins

Another high-profile Willie Mullins bet365 Gold Cup runner will be Dancing City.

This 8 year-old impressed with two debut chase wins at Punchestown and Naas earlier in the season (watch below) – but could only manage 6th in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

While last time out he fell at Aintree in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at the 14th when still in the mix.

This will be his first run at Sandown and also his first run in a handicap over fences.

Grangeclare West Will Be The bet365 Gold Cup Top-Weight

Willie Mullins is also set to run his Aintree Grand National third Grangeclare West in Saturday’s bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.

The 9 year-old will be the top-rated in the race (168) and with that comes a lot of weight at 12st.

Many also felt he’d have got a lot closer in the National having made a bad mistake at the final fence – but still stayed on again to be beaten only three lengths (watch below).

The last horse to win with a big weight was Tidal Bay (11-12) in 2012 – and the last winner to carry 12st (or more) was Charlie Potheen in 1973 (12st).

The mighty Arkle won the race in 1965 with 12st 7lbs too.

Scottish Grand National Runners Also Flying The Mullins bet365 Gold Cup Flag

During the 2023 season the Christian Williams-trained Kitty’s Light pulled off a famous Scottish Grand National/bet365 Gold Cup double – but we won’t see a repeat as this year’s winner Captain Cody WON’T run in the race for Mullins.

However, there are still several Willie Mullins bet365 Gold Cup runners that did feature in that Ayr race a few weeks ago.

The Scottish Grand National runner-up Klarc Kent has been declared to run in the bet365 Gold Cup.

While Chosen Witness (PU) and Olympic Man (7th) and Spanish Harlem (Carried Out) are others that ran in the Ayr race last time out that also hold a Sandown entry for Saturday’s race.

bet365 Gold Cup Race Details

📅Date: Saturday 26th April 2025
⌚Time: 4:10pm
🏇Racecourse: Sandown Park
🔄Trip: 3m 4 1/2f
💷Winner: £98,473
📺 TV: ITV/RTV (ITV Racing Schedule)

2025 bet365 Gold Cup Runners In Full

How Much Is The bet365 Gold Cup Prize Money 2025?

With Willie Mullins having sent out the Aintree Grand National 1-2-3 and also the Scottish National 1-2 – then it’s not all about the winning prize money in these big races.

Even the placed money counts towards the British jump trainers title race – which means the second, third and beyond places can also be crucial.

You can see here there is £154,140 on offer for the first three places. With the winner getting £98,472.00

🥇£98,472.00
🥈£37,100.00
🥉£18,568.00

In addition to the podium finishes, the bet365 Gold Cup prize money even goes down to 8th – with £172,148 in total on offer.

How Many Times Has Willie Mullins Won The bet365 Gold Cup?

In 2024, Minella Cocooner gave Willie Mullins his first winner in the bet365 Gold Cup.

Trainer Dan Skelton is yet to win the big Sandown prize, but his former mentor Paul Nicholls has four past wins in the race. With his last in 2015 with Just A Par.

Another yard that has good recent record is Alan King, with two wins in the last five runnings.

Nicholls will run Threeunderthrufive but King doesn’t have a runner in 2025.

Recent bet365 Gold Cup Winners