GALOPIN DES CHAMPS is expected to crown another momentous week at Cheltenham for Willie Mullins by completing back-to-back wins in the Boodles Gold Cup.
The eight-year-old, a convincing winner from Bravemansgame last year, has looked better than ever this season and is primed to join an illustrious band of dual Gold Cup winners and give Mullins and Paul Townend a fourth win in this great race.
Ireland’s champion trainer has followed a different programme with Galopin this season, kicking off in the John Durkan at Punchestown, in which he had to settle for third behind old adversary Fastorslow.
He then slammed Gerri Colombe by 23 lengths in the Savills at Leopardstown over Christmas and, last time, proved four and a half lengths superior to Fastorslow in the Paddy
Power Irish Gold Cup.
He was ridden more positively in his two most recent starts. And it will be fascinating to see how Townend plays his cards, having come from well off the pace 12 months ago before powering seven lengths clear of Bravemansgame.
If the Closutton team has the favourite in the same shape today, Galopin Des Champs should see Mullins (inset) become the first trainer to win multiple Gold Cups with different horses and enable Townend to match Pat Taaffe’s record of four Gold Cups.
Of course, wherever Galopin Des Champs finishes, Fastorslow, the mount of J J Slevin, should be on the premises.
Martin Brassil’s charge turned over last year’s Gold Cup victor in the Punchestown Gold Cup, with Bravemansgame a close third. And the trio will clash again today.
In December, over two and a half miles, Fastorslow again had Galopin’s measure in the Durkan before failing to get to grips with the Closutton gelding last time in the Irish Gold Cup when he travelled and jumped well before failing to get on terms up the straight.
It’s interesting Fastorslow has had wind surgery since that most recent clash at Loepardstown. And he looks sure to run another big race here.
No match for Galopin Des Champs in the Savills’ Gordon Elliott’s Gerri Colombe will relish a strong pace and test of stamina. But he clearly needs to take a major step forward if he’s to trouble the main fancies.
Beaten by Galopin Des Champs last year and upsides him at Punchestown, Bravemansgame has failed to win this season, filling the runner-up berth in the Charlie Hall, Betfair Chase and King George. But he must not be under-estimated.
Mouse Morris knows what it takes to win a Gold Cup and hasn’t run Gentlemansgame since he beat Bravemansgame in the Charlie Hall.
Darragh O’keeffe’s mount is unexposed at this level but could figure prominently in a race which also features the classy, Mullins-trained Monkfish, a talented but lightlyraced gelding who won the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park in January on his belated return to action.
And last year’s Grand National victor Corach Rambler, well held when third in the Betfair Chase, will have a legion of supporters.
He landed the Ultima here last year holding Fastorslow. And both horses have made significant progress since.
But missing from the line-up will be Hanlon’s King George winner Hewick, ruled out yesterday due to the unsuitably soft ground conditions.