The Cheltenham Festival is building up to the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup this afternoon, the highlight of the National Hunt race calendar. Fancy a flutter? The runners and riders for the 2022 Gold Cup have been confirmed, and the first three from last year's race are back to do battle live online and on TV. Away from home at the moment? Make sure you know how to watch a 2022 Gold Cup live stream from abroad with a VPN.
Date: Friday 18th March 2022
Start time: 3.30pm GMT / 10.30am ET / 2.30am AEST
Venue: Cheltenham Racecourse, Prestbury Park, England
FREE UK stream: ITV Hub
Watch anywhere: ExpressVPN
A Plus Tard (3-1), last year's Gold Cup runner-up, ridden this time by jockey Rachael Blackmore, is heavily fancied. Then again, so too is Galvin (3-1), last year's National Hunt Chase winner. And let's not forget reigning champions Minella Indo who is bidding to become only the second horse to win back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cups since Best Mate. Fancy backing an outsider? Al Boum Photo, who won the 2019 and 2020 Gold Cups, could be a reasonable prospect at 10-1.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the pinnacle of jump racing and famous for its fairytale finales. Past winners, including Kauto Star, have become household names. Last year's event was run behind closed doors but the Guinness (£7 a pint) is flowing freely this year, with 70,000 punters set to cheer the 2022 Gold Cup winner past the post.
So far, the 2022 Cheltenham Festival has treated us to plenty of big upsets and first time winners, including Commander Of Fleet, who romped home at 50/1 on day two. Now, it's all about the 2022 Gold Cup.
The race starts at 3.30pm GMT on Friday, 18th March. Here's how to how to get a free 2022 Gold Cup live stream in the UK.
2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup free live stream
Good news – the 2022 Cheltenham Festival and Cheltenham Gold Cup will be live and free of charge on ITV. UK viewers with a TV license stream the action free on ITV Hub.
Travelling outside from the UK? You'll need to use a VPN to access ITV Hub without being blocked. We recommend ExpressVPN as it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 customer support.
The 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup start time is 3.30pm GMT / 10.30am ET on Friday, 18th March 2022.
How to watch the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup from overseas using a VPN
Even if you have subscribed to the relevant 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup rights holders, you won't be able to use them when outside your own country. The service will know your location based on your IP address, and will automatically block your access.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) helps you get around this obstacle. It creates a private connection between your device and the internet – and saves you money. What's not to love?
How to use a VPN
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. ExpressVPN is the one we recommend.
2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. For the horse racing, you may wish to choose 'UK' to access ITV.
3. Then head over to ITV Hub on your browser or device and enjoy the free 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup live stream.
If, for whatever reason, you can't get it working, then do remember that you have the comfort of a 30-day money back guarantee with ExpressVPN. You could also try NordVPN, which also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee.
2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup racecard
Friday 18th March 2022 (all times GMT)
1.30pm - The JCB Triumph Hurdle
2.10pm - The McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle Race
2.50pm - The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Race
3.30pm - The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase
4.10pm - The St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Steeple Chase
4.50pm - The Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Steeple Chase
5.30pm - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup runners and riders
1. Al Boum Photo
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Odds: 10-1
2. A Plus Tard
Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
Jockey: Rachael Blackmore
Odds: 10-3
3. Asterion Forlonge
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Bryan Cooper
Odds: 25-1
4. Aye Right
Trainer: Harriet Graham & Gary Rutherford
Jockey: Callum Bewley
Odds: 66-1
5. Chantry House
Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Jockey: Nico de Boinville
Odds: 16-1
6. Galvin
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Davy Russell
Odds: 10-3
7. Minella Indo
Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
Jockey: Robbie Power
Odds: 5-1
8. Protektorat
Trainer: Dan Skelton
Jockey: Harry Skelton
Odds: 8-1
9. Royale Pagaille
Trainer: Venetia Williams
Jockey: Charlie Deutsch
Odds: 20-1
10. Santini
Trainer: Polly Gundry
Jockey: Nick Scholfield
Odds: 50-1
11. Tornado Flyer
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Daniel Mullins
Odds: 12-1
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