Galopin backed for a Golden repeat
GALOPIN Des Champs gets a confident vote to repeat last season’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup success tomorrow.
Willie Mullins’ superstar has suffered mixed fortunes at Prestbury Park, also coming out on top in the 2021 Martin Pipe before falling at the final fence when well clear in the Turners Novices’ Chase 12 months later.
However, he is comfortable with the track’s undulations and stiff finish, as he showed when bagging a fifth straight blue riband for Ireland.
Jumping the last alongside Bravemansgame, Galopin Des Champs showed great courage to put in a fine leap at that obstacle, before hitting the ground running and then pulling away up the hill.
Majborough can kick off another memorable day for Mullins by claiming victory in the JCB Triumph Hurdle, a race the Closutton maestro has taken for the last two years with Vauban and Lossiemouth.
This French import was only third behind stablemates Kargese and Storm Heart in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown but created a big impression in any case.
Gordon Elliott’s King Of Kingsfield can capitalise on a drop in class in the BETMGM County Handicap Hurdle.
Harry Fry is taking a chance on Gidleigh Park’s stamina holding out in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle over three miles, but he certainly has the ability to put in a bold bid for success.
Its On The Line stayed on well to finish second to Premier Magic in last season’s St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase and will be a force to be reckoned with.
Mullins won the first two renewals of the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase and can regain that trophy via Dinoblue.
Dinoblue was a comfortable Grade One scorer at Leopardstown over Christmas and lost nothing in defeat when chasing home El Fabiolo there during the Dublin Racing Festival, while Henry de Bromhead appears to have laid out Waterford Whispers for the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle. SELECTIONS: 1.30 Majborough, 2.10 King Of Kingsfield, 2.50 Gidleigh Park, 3.30 GALOPIN DES CHAMPS (NAP), 4.10 Its On The Line, 4.50 Dinoblue, 5.30 Waterford Whispers.