GOLD CUP LOWDOWN by SAM TURNER
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS has looked a Gold Cup winner in waiting for two seasons and he can vindicate that view this afternoon. Much has been made of his suspect stamina at today’s trip, but Paul Townend took an age to pull him up after he won the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival and he hit the line hard that day, so he could even improve for a step up in distance here. AHOY SENOR left PROTEKTORAT in his wake in the Cotswold Chase in January, but trainer Dan Skelton blamed himself for the latter’s defeat. Skelton felt he didn’t have Protektorat fully tuned for that assignment, but if he can return his eight-year-old to the form which saw him rout his Betfair Chase rivals at Haydock in November, he could improve on his third place in this event 12 months ago. Ahoy Senor has only run twice at today’s venue, finishing second in last season’s Brown Advisory Chase and winning here again earlier this season. His yard are in great form and he should excel at one of his favourite venues again.
SELECTION: GALOPIN DES CHAMPS.......7-4
MAIN DANGER: PROTEKTORAT .............14-1
LIVE OUTSIDER: AHOY SENOR...............18-1