The Cheltenham Festival is an arena where legends are forged and hearts are woken and broken.
No meeting in the history of the Gloucestershire showdown summarised the latter of those two scenarios quite like 2025, when fan favourites were beaten with regular aplomb. To put it bluntly, this year’s fest beggared belief.
Heading into the March extravaganza, all of the big guns grabbed the attention of both the analysts and the punters.
The likes of Constitution Hill, Galopin Des Champs, Jonbon, and Teahupoo were all huge favourites heading into their respective races, and most of them were well short of even money.
However, one by one, they fell by the wayside, handing betting companies an almighty windfall.
With both Cheltenham and the Grand National now in the history books, one might feel that the racing is done for 2025, but far from it. Horse race betting sites are already pricing up some of the planet’s most popular races still to come throughout the second half of 2025.
The Epsom Derby, St Leger, and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe are all set for the latter half of the year, and that’s not all.
The curtain will then come down on the action over in the States with the Breeders’ Cup Classic, a race that the latest odds on horse racing betting at Bovada make Fierceness a 7/1 favourite to win.
Anyone who was thinking that the shockers seen at Cheltenham this year were a one-off occurrence is somewhat right, but over the years, huge favourites have been beaten before.
Many times. Here are the most painful of them.
Annie Power
Annie Power was meant to be the cherry on top of a historic day for trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Ruby Walsh in 2018.
The duo was on fire, delivering three stunning wins earlier that day with Douvan, Un De Sceaux, and Faugheen.
But those three paled in comparison to the electricity surrounding their prized undefeated mare as she lined up for the Mares’ Hurdle as a whopping 1/2 favourite.
Punters were all in, and it looked like their hopes would be rewarded as Annie hardly put a foot wrong throughout the first 90% of the course, leading into the final stretch.
But with just one hurdle standing between her and immortality, disaster struck.
The odds-on frontrunner fell at the last, crashing to the ground in what would later be described as the most expensive fall in racing history.
A deathly silence fell across the grandstand as punters came to terms with what had just happened, while for bookmakers, it was a miracle. A decade on, her loss remains unforgettable.
Bobs Worth
By the time Bobs Worth lined up for the 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup, his legacy was already secure.
The festival icon was unbeaten at Cheltenham, boasting wins in the 2011 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, the 2012 RSA Chase, and the 2013 Gold Cup.
Trained by Nicky Henderson and priced as the 6-4 favourite, Bobs Worth was pegged as the horse to beat as he attempted to defend his crown.
But despite the hype, the American horse didn’t travel as smoothly as his champ had hoped in the build-up to Cheltenham.
After a poor showing at Haydock earlier in the season, doubts crept in. However, a decisive victory at the Lexus Chase restored faith in the mighty gelding.
At Cheltenham, Bobs Worth battled valiantly but struggled with the soft ground and relentless pace. He faltered, fading to finish fifth, almost 30 lengths behind winner Lord Windermere.
For fans who had roared him home in the prior year’s triumph, his underwhelming performance was a painful comedown, and it was clear his previous magic was long gone.
Al Boum Photo
Rarely has a horse dominated the Cheltenham Gold Cup like Al Boum Photo. Much like Galopin Des Champs earlier this year, he was chasing history back in 2021 as he bid for a third straight triumph in the blue riband race, joining the likes of Arkle and Best Mate in the history books.
Fans and experts alike were daring to dream, and he went off as the 9-4 favourite in a competitive field featuring A Plus Tard, Minella Indo, and Frodon.
The dream stayed alive through most of the race. Positioned well, Al Boum Photo seemed poised to mount a winning charge over the punishing final stages.
However, he was unable to summon the same firepower that had brought him a win in the two years prior.
Instead, Henry de Bromhead’s Minella Indo stormed to victory, powering away from the field down the stretch and relegating the pre-race favourite down to third.
Hurricane Fly
Hurricane Fly’s career can only be described as blockbuster. Willie Mullins’ ferocious competitor notched up 22 Grade One wins in an illustrious career. But at Cheltenham, he was a mix of brilliance and heartbreak.
The first heartache arrived in 2012. The Fly was the reigning Champion Hurdler, having triumphed in 2011. The following year, he was sent off as the overwhelming 4-6 frontrunner, and the superstar seemed destined to defend his crown.
However, he ran flat, and his signature finishing kick was lacking. As such, he ultimately trailed home in third, well behind eventual winner Rock On Ruby.
The following year, Hurricane Fly reclaimed his crown in one of the great Cheltenham comebacks. By the time 2014 rolled around, he was the 11/4 favourite to make it three wins in four attempts. However, the bookies seemingly knew that something wasn’t quite right.
As such, plenty of companies boosted odds on the Fly to reign supreme, seemingly challenging the great horse head on and thinking that he no longer had that famous power remaining in his gas tank.
Ultimately, it turned out they were correct. The upstart Jezki would reign supreme, and the Fly was never seen at the festival again.
