sport news THE GOLD CUP LOWDOWN: Galopin Des Champs faces tough test in bid to land ... trends now
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This has perhaps been a rather flat Cheltenham Festival but it is a huge positive that it will conclude with an excellent running of the Boodles Gold Cup.
Defending champion GALOPIN DES CHAMPS remains the outstanding candidate, yet he looks like he will face a stiffer examination than he did 12 months ago, when he beat Bravemansgame seven lengths.
The notion that last year’s race may have left its mark on the Willie Mullins-trained gelding was floated when he was beaten in his next two races.
But such scepticism quickly evaporated with his brilliant win at Leopardstown over Christmas, when he trounced a below-par Gerri Colombe, and a thoroughly professional defeat of Fastorslow back at the track in the Irish Gold Cup last month.
Fastorslow, who has twice finished a close second at the Festival, is still respected. He may prove the biggest danger again. And despite Gerri Colombe’s defeat at Christmas, he also has place prospects here. He perhaps should have won last year’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (beaten a short head by The Real Whacker) and will appreciate the extra quarter mile of this race.
Galopin Des Champs goes for a famous Gold Cup double at Cheltenham on Friday
L’Homme Presse’s
