Galopin Des Champs: Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds For Returning Champion

In a renewal for the ages, Galopin Des Champs powered away from Bravemansgame to land the odds and take the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins. Just seven years old on that date in March when etching his name into racing immortality, it's not inconceivable Willie Mullins' superstar for Audrey Turley could emulate Al Boum Photo in the similar colours and go back to back. Dare we say it, he could even emulate Best Mate and outstrip Kauto Star by winning three in a row. Here we take a look at the early prices and his potential pros and cons...

The most anticipated race every year for Jumps fans is of course the Cheltenham Gold Cup and after a brilliant winner in A Plus Tard in 2022, in 2023 we saw a certified superstar claim the title. Galopin Des Champs was a phenomenal winner of the 2021 Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle, but even his staunchest supporters could not have imagined the heights he would cale thereafter as a chaser. The beautiful black gelding was imperious in his novice chasing campaign and usurped the otherworldly winner of the 2021 Ballymore as favourite for the Turners at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival. Admittedly Bob Olinger was not at his best that day (and hasn't been since in truth), but the manner in which GDC just cruised around Prestbury Park that day before his cruel final flight tumble was a sight to behold.

He proved himself to be none the worse with a commanding win at Fairyhouse before signing off for the summer as 2023 Gold Cup antepost favourite. This was quite the feat considering the manner of A Plus Tard's wide margin success in the Blue Riband of the previous Festival, but the sky was seen as the limit by all at Closutton for this lad. Galopin Des Champs began the 2022/23 season again in fine fettle with a smooth success over 2m4f over the high class Fakir D'Oudairies. Plenty said he was too speedy for the Gold Cup trip, but he could hardly have been more impressive on his first start over fences over three miles when powering to the Irish Gold Cup from Stattler at Leopardstown. 

After this race and A Plus Tard's blip at Haydock in a failed defence of the Betfair Chase, Galopin Des Champs was incredibly strong in the betting for the Gold Cup and was half the price of his nearest rivals. On the day he was once again supported by the punters and Paul Townend gave him a ride for the ages at the front end tracking,main British rival Bravemansgame for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden. These two brilliant staying chasers went hammer and tongs all the way round until the phenomenal finishing kick of Galopin Des Champs saw him stride away and send the Cheltenham crowd into a frenzy. gone were the stamina doubts, gone were the worries about his temperament on the biggest stage and in their place was sheer adulation for this horse set to share the face of jumps racing with Constitution Hill for years to come.

Naturally, as in all sport, no sooner had Galopin Des Champs crossed the finish line in 2023 than attentions switched to his chances of retaining his crown or even defending it on multiple occasions. It is rare one so young as seven wins the most prestigious prize in jumps racing and naturally with the manner of his victory, most expect him to back up in 2024. His run in the Punchestown Gold Cup was good not great, and he was beaten in a boilover by Fastorslow, who will now be aimed at Cheltenham 2024 Gold Cup glory. Punchestown form often counts for little after the summer, however, and odds compilers clearly agree with Galopin Des Champs the 2/1 favourite to go back to back while Fastorslow is a 16/1 chance.

Bravemansgame lost nothing in defeat in either race and must rate as Galopin Des Champ's chief rival this season once more. Like his Cheltenham conqueror, he is still only young and the ever bullish Paul Nicholls will be happy to roll the dice again in the King George and Gold Cup with his stable star. Of the novices stepping up to open company, it is Gordon Elliott's talented Gerri Colombe that rates the chief threat according to oddsmakers. Outside of the aforementioned rivals Shishkin rates a fascinating contender after proving his suitability overstaying trips, while L'Homme Presse will be back and hopefully as good as ever after time off through injury. 

The suspicion, however, is that everything (barring an unbelievably bold bid from connections of Constitution Hill to come straight here) is playing for places if the best of Galopin Des Champs shows up once again. We all yearn for superstars in sport and particularly in racing. Galopin Des Champs is one of them, make no mistake. Whichever horse claims the Gold Cup in 2024 will of course be a worthy winner, but I think I speak for all racing fans when saying at this stage no result would make us happier and more thrilled than seeing this exhilarating son of Timos bounding clear again come Friday March 15th 2024. At odds of 2/1 he is no betting proposition, but it would be a brave bettor that lays him all the same.