Skelton, Twiston,Davies, Cobden and de Boinville go head-to-head at Windsor

David Powers Jockey Cup Cheltenham Preview

By Andrew McLaren

Horse Racing

Mon March 10, 2025 · 10M ago

A huge points haul on offer at the Cheltenham Festival this week could swing the balance in the race to lift the £1.5million David Power Jockeys’ Cup.

With 672 points in total up for grabs across the four days, this year’s festival will have an added level of significance for the UK & Ireland’s leading jump racing jockeys.

Launched in November 2024, the David Power Jockeys’ Cup is the world’s richest jump jockey competition, giving participating jockeys the chance to compete for a share of a £1.5 million prize fund, with £500,000 awarded to the overall winner at the end of the season.

Spanning over 100 races broadcast on ITV Racing throughout the jump racing season, the Jockeys’ Cup has introduced an exciting new dimension to the sport, with the contest nearing its finale on the eve of the Grand National in April.

Throughout the season, participating jockeys accumulate points by finishing in the top four positions of ITV televised races, with 10 points awarded for a win, 8 points for second place, 6 points for third place, and 4 points for fourth.

With 24 ITV televised races scheduled at Cheltenham Festival and a maximum of 240 points available to any single jockey, the Jockeys’ Cup leaderboard is still wide open heading into one of the biggest racing events of the year:

How things stand heading into Cheltenham

Key numbers

With a maximum of 240 points available to any single jockey, every jockey in the top 10 still has a mathematical chance of winning, making Cheltenham Festival 2025 a make-or-break moment in the competition
2023/24 Champion Jockey Harry Cobden sits just 52 points behind current leader Harry Skelton, a gap that could be erased by the end of the festival
Nico de Boinville (218 pts) has ridden the most Cheltenham Festival winners of all competing DPJC jockeys with 16 and was crowned top jockey in 2019

With such a significant points haul at stake, the David Power Jockeys’ Cup could be won or lost at Cheltenham, making every race a must-watch event.

David Power Jockeys' Cup betting

1/4 Harry Skelton

10/3 Harry Cobden

8/1 Nico de Boinville

16/1 Sam Twiston-Davies

25/1 Sean Bowen

50/1 Gavin Sheehan

Bet here with Paddy Power: https://www.paddypower.com/horse-racing?tab=specials

For updates and standings, visit jockeyscup.com and follow @jockeyscup on social media. Watch all the action live on ITV Racing.

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