PIN HOPES ON DES
Champ is Golden
BY PETER O’HEHIR
GALOPIN Des Champs is very difficult to oppose in today’s Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, a race his trainer Willie Mullins has won 11 times.
Hot favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and impressive on his seasonal debut in open company in the John Durkan at Punchestown, the 175-rated seven-year-old has a minimum of 12lb in hand over his rivals on official ratings.
And it will come as a major surprise if he fails to give champion-jockey Paul Townend a first Irish Gold Cup success this afternoon.
Lightly-raced since coming from France, he made his hurdle breakthrough for Closutton when winning the Martin Pipe, off 142, in 2021 before stepping successfully into Grade 1 company in the Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle over three miles, at Punchestown.
His novice chasing campaign last season yielded two impressive wins at today’s venue, including the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase at this meeting before he crashed on landing when well clear of Bob Olinger in the Turners at Cheltenham.
Galopin bounced back to win the Boylesports Gold Cup at Fairyhouse and, after a summer break, impressed in the John Durkan when slamming proven Grade 1 performer Fakir D’oudairies by 13 lengths.
He settled far better than in the past, jumped soundly, and blitzed his rivals when Townend kicked in the turbo between the last two fences.
A winner over three miles as a hurdler, Galopin Des Champs will have no problem with today’s trip. And, if he jumps and settles as he did at Punchestown, should land the odds and prove himself a worthy favourite for the Blue Riband at Cheltenham.
The favourite’s stable-companions Kemboy, winner of this event in 2021 – but winless since, produces his best at Leopardstown and filled the runner-up berth behind Conflated in the Savills at Christmas and, on that form, holds Gordon Elliott’s Fury Road (third) and another Mullins hope Franco De Port ( fourth).
Kemboy (11) looks sure to run his race and might well dictate the pace for Rachael Blackmore (inset).
But, on ratings, another stable-companion Stattler is second to the favourite on ratings. Patrick Mullins, who partnered him to victory in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham, will be on board again today as the unexposed eight-year-old attempts to build on his seasonal debut at Tramore on New Year’s Day, when he failed by a neck to give 8lb to 2021 Gold Cup winner Minella Indo.
With improvement likely, he should figure prominently in a field in which Aintree-bound duo Any Second Now and The Big Dog are likely to struggle.
His price is unattractive. But, barring accidents, Galopin Des Champs should triumph.
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