RAISE CHAMPS HAND
IF reproducing the sparkle he showed when winning the Savills last time, Galopin Des Champs should prove too strong for arch rival Fastorslow in today’s Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, highlight on Day 1 of the 2024 Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown.
The two eight-year-olds have clashed three times, with victory going to Fastorslow in both the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup and John Durkan, both at Punchestown.
Fans of the Willie Mullins-trained Galopin put forward understandable, extenuating circumstances as the cause of both defeats – Punchestown came after his hugely impressive Gold Cup success at Cheltenham, always a tough race, while Audrey Turley’s gelding, a dour stayer, is better suited by three miles than the two and a half of the Durkan, although he landed that contest in 2022.
So a fascinating rematch is in store, with Galopin Des Champs coming into the race on the back of his 23 lengths demolition of Gerri Colombe in the Savills over this course and distance at Christmas, a truly awesome performance, when he had stable-companion I Am Maximus a distant fourth while Conflated (also reopposes) was well held in third spot when unseating Sam Ewing at the final fence.
The favourite, who forged clear of Bravemansgame up the Cheltenham hill last March, boasts an official rating of 180, fully 12lb above Fastorslow and is bidding for back-to-back wins in this showpiece, having beaten Stattler here 12 months ago.
So, if the handicapper has it right, Galopin should deliver the goods here and give Willie Mullins a 13th success in the Irish Gold Cup and Paul Townend a second.
But we must not underestimate the more unexposed Fastorslow, who has run 10 times since joining Martin Brassil from Arnaud Chaille-chaille in France, where he scored once over fences.
Narrowly beaten at two Cheltenham Festivals, by Commander In Chief in the 2022 Coral Cup and by subsequent Grand National victor Corach Rambler in the Ultima last March, Sean and Bernardine Mulryan’s charge was a 20/1 shot when turning over both Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame, after their Cheltenham exploits, in the Punchestown Gold Cup.
When both of today’s main fancies reappeared in the Durkan at Punchestown, Fastorslow got up late to deny Appreciate It, with Galopin doing his best work late in third spot.
Tactics will be fascinating in a four-strong line-up, which also features Gordon Elliott’s Conflated, winner of both this race and the Savills in 2022 but, on Christmas form, held by the favourite.
Willie Mullins will also saddle last season’s Boylesports Irish Grand National winner I Am Maximus, who broke his duck in the Grade 1 Drinmore at Fairyhouse in December before proving out of his depth in the Savills.
It should develop into a head-tohead between the big two. And preference is for Galopin Des Champs.