---
title: "2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup Prize Money – How Much Is The Huge Friday Feature Worth?"
canonical: "https://readhorseracing.com/2026/03/13/2026-cheltenham-festival-gold-cup-prize-money/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Kyle Curran"
section: "News"
published: "2026-03-13T07:00:35Z"
modified: "2026-03-25T11:37:22Z"
---

# 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup Prize Money – How Much Is The Huge Friday Feature Worth?

**All eyes will be on Prestbury Park for Friday’s feature race at the Festival, so check out the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup prize money – which has been increased once again.**

### 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup Prize Money

There’s no surprise that the Gold Cup winner will take home more [prize money](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/02/27/cheltenham-festival-prize-money-2026/) than any other horse at the festival. With it being the most valuable race of the entire meeting, £351,687 is up for grabs.

However, just placing in the race can win you plenty as well. But there are also worrying [Gold Cup trends](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/03/05/2026-cheltenham-gold-cup-trends/) that could be against certain horses.

**Full Gold Cup Prize Money Breakdown**

- 1st = £351,687
- 2nd = £132,500
- 3rd = £66,312
- 4th = £33,125
- 5th = £16,625
- 6th = £8,312
- 7th = £4,125
- 8th = £2,125

*Fun Fact: The [Champion Hurdle prize money](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/03/05/champion-hurdle-prize-money-cheltenham-festival-2026/) (for the winner) is £98,472 LESS than the Gold Cup.*

### Who’s Running In The 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup?

Sure to be an absolute cracker once again, this year’s [Gold Cup runners](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/03/02/cheltenham-gold-cup-runners-2026/) are hard to split.

**Jango Baie** has been kept fresh from the King George back in December, heading straight here and he currently heads the market at 5/1.

He loves the Cheltenham hill and has to enter calculations, it’s hard to imagine him finishing out of the places. Extra couple of furlongs will suit.

King George winner **The Jukebox Man** is next in the betting and is unbeaten over fences.

Will be popular with the punters for sure given his only other visit to Cheltenham was when he lost by a head to Stellar Story in the 2024 Albert Bartlett. Ben Jones and Ben Pauling are a combination to keep on side this Festival.

**Gaelic Warrior** is one of the most versatile horses in training right now and seems to have matured spectacularly in the last 18 months.

He’s a Cheltenham Festival winner and has to rate the strongest chance for his trainer [Willie Mullins](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/02/27/willie-mullins-cheltenham-festival-winners/) – it’s telling that connections have chosen this over the Ryanair Chase.

Last year’s surprise winner **Inothewayurthinkin** has attracted antepost support in the last week or so but it’s hard to see him recording back-to-back success in the biggest contest of the week.

However, when running in the green and gold of [JP McManus](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/03/02/jp-mcmanus-cheltenham-festival-runners-2026/), anything can happen.

Leading British trainer [Dan Skelton](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/02/27/how-many-cheltenham-festival-winners-has-dan-skelton-trained/) has Grey Dawning in here and there’s no reason why he can’t run a big race.

#### WATCH: Inothewayurthinkin Wins 2025 Gold Cup

[YouTube video player (embedded)](https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/rFlbOjKhyQ0?si=Ejvlk2GHDkSv87JC)

### 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting Odds

- Gaelic Warrior 4/1
- Fact To File 4/1 \* (needs supplementing)
- The Jukebox Man 9/2
- Jango Baie 9/2
- Inothewayurthinkin 7/1
- Haiti Couleurs 8/1
- Grey Dawning 14/1
- Spillane’s Tower 14/1
- 25/1 bar

This year’s race can be watched on [ITV Racing](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/03/02/where-to-watch-the-2026-cheltenham-festival-itv-racing-schedule/) at 4:00pm on Friday 13th March

### Last 10 Cheltenham Gold Cup Winners

- 2025: Inothewayurthinkin (15/2) Gavin Cromwell
- 2024: Galopin Des Champs (10/11) Willie Mullins
- 2023: Galopin Des Champs (7/5) Willie Mullins
- 2022: A Plus Tard (3/1) Henry De Bromhead
- 2021: Minella Indo (9/1) Henry De Bromhead
- 2020: Al Boum Photo (100/30) Willie Mullins
- 2019: Al Boum Photo (12/1) Willie Mullins
- 2018: Native River (5/1) Colin Tizzard
- 2017: Sizing John (7/1) Jessica Harrington
- 2016: Don Cossack (9/4) Gordon Elliott